23:29a
I found that the accusation involved: The Greek words here are literally “whom I found being accused concerning.” It indicates that the commander listened to what was said when Paul stood before the Sanhedrin (22:30–23:10). From what was said, the commander decided that the Jews accused Paul of disobeying Jewish laws. Other ways to translate this clause are:
Whom I perceived to be accused of (King James Version)
-or-
I found that he was accused about (Revised Standard Version)
found: Here this word means “discovered.” The commander listened to what everyone said in the Sanhedrin meeting (23:1–23:9) and learned of what the Jews accused Paul.
accusation: The Greek word is literally “being accused.” Some Jews accused Paul of disobeying Jewish law.
questions about their own law: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as questions refers to issues about which people do not agree. So these were questions that caused people to disagree. For example:
disputed points of the Law (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
controversial matters (Revised English Bible)
23:29b
there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment: Here the commander referred to Roman law. Some Jews thought that Paul deserved to die according to Jewish law. But according to Roman law, the commander saw no reason why he should kill Paul or put him in jail to punish him.
In some languages translating literally would still refer to Jewish law here. If that is true in your language, indicate the correct meaning. For example:
there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment ⌊according to Roman law⌋
charge: Here the word charge means “what someone is accused of doing.”
worthy: Here this word means “deserving of.” The commander found no accusation against Paul that required him to consider killing him as punishment. Other ways to translate this word are:
merited (Revised English Bible)
-or-
deserved (New International Version)
-or-
for which he should die (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
he has no sin/crime that would suffice for his death or imprisonment
-or-
there’s nothing he has done which makes it essential that he be
imprisonment: This Greek word is literally “bonds.” In Roman law it would usually refer to chains attached to the arms or legs as punishment for breaking the law. It implies someone controlling where he went and what he did. Usually a punishment of bonds included hard labor, such as working in a mine. Other ways to translate this word are:
be put in jail (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
jail (New Century Version)
-or-
putting him in chains ⌊to punish him⌋
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