Act 25:26-27 | NET2full | STEP | But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him . Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you , King Agrippa , so that after this preliminary hearing I may have something to write .

‏ Acts 25:26-27

26 But I have nothing definite ^{▼▼sn There is irony here. How can Festus write anything definite about Paul, if he is guilty of nothing.} to write to my lord ^{▼▼sn To my lord means “to His Majesty the Emperor.”} about him. ^{▼▼tn Grk “about whom I have nothing definite…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced with a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 26.} Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, ^{▼▼sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.} so that after this preliminary hearing ^{▼▼tn Or “investigation.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνάκρισις has “a judicial hearing, investigation, hearing, esp. preliminary hearing…τῆς ἀ. γενομένης Ac 25:26.” This is technical legal language.} I may have something to write. 27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating ^{▼▼tn L&N 33.153 s.v. σημαίνω, “to cause something to be both specific and clear—‘to indicate clearly, to make clear’…‘for it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without clearly indicating the charges against him’ Ac 25:27.”} ^{▼▼sn Without clearly indicating the charges against him. Again the point is made by Festus himself that there is difficulty even in articulating a charge against Paul.} the charges against him.”