SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 25:11

25:11a

If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death: The Greek clauses are literally “If I do wrong and have done (something) worthy of death.” They refer generally to wrongdoing and breaking laws that require the death penalty as punishment. Other ways to translate these clauses are:

If…I am a wrongdoer, and have committed anything for which I deserve to die (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
if I were a criminal and had committed some crime which deserved the death penalty (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

If, however:
This phrase in Greek can be translated literally as “Then if, on one hand.” The Greek conjunctions here and at 25:11c indicate that either situation is possible. The conjunctions say nothing about which situation is more likely. For example:

If then (Revised Standard Version)

If: Paul knew that he had committed no crime. But he used the word If to present two options for Festus to think about.

25:11b

I do not refuse to die: This clause refers to not seeking to avoid the punishment of death. If Festus truly found Paul guilty, Paul would not try to run away or avoid being killed. He would face the punishment and accept it. Other ways to translate this clause are:

I do not seek to escape death (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
I do not ask to escape it (Good News Translation)
-or-
I do not ask to be saved from death (New Century Version)
-or-
I do not ask you to prevent people from executing/killing me ⌊as punishment

25:11c

But if: This phrase in Greek can be translated literally as “if, on the other hand.” This introduces the other possible condition/circumstance. 25:11a–b is the first possible condition/circumstance.

if: Paul knew that the charges were not true. But he used the word if to introduce the second option for Festus to think about.

there is no truth to their accusations against me: Other ways to translate this clause are:

the charges which these Jews brought against me are not true
-or-
those charges are not true, namely those charges which the Jews accuse me ⌊of doing
-or-
that which these Jews accuse me about is not true

In some languages it is more natural to avoid the relative clause with the active verb that some English versions, such as the New International Version, use. For example:

there is nothing to their charges against me (English Standard Version)
-or-
their accusations are untrue (God’s Word)
-or-
not one of their charges against me is true (NET Bible)
-or-
I am innocent (New Living Translation (2004))

25:11d

no one has the right to hand me over to them: This clause in Greek is literally “no one can give me to them as a favor.” Festus wanted to do a favor to the Jews, so Paul used that same idea here regarding Festus putting Paul under their control. For example:

then no one can give me to them (New Century Version)
-or-
no one is able to deliver me to them as a favor
-or-
no one can make a present of me to them

But the Berean Standard Bible, many other English versions, and many scholars translate the Greek word as “hand over” here. For example:

no one can hand me over to them as a favor (God’s Word)
-or-
no man may deliver me unto them (King James Version)
-or-
no one has the right to give me over to them

25:11e

I appeal to Caesar!: This clause in Greek is literally “I call to Caesar on my behalf.” Paul probably thought that Festus would be swayed too much by the Jewish leaders, so he asked here that the trial be moved to Rome. In Rome, Caesar or his representative would decide the case against Paul. Other ways to translate this clause are:

I appeal my case to Caesar!
-or-
I now ask to be tried by Caesar himself.
-or-
I want Caesar to hear my case! (New Century Version)

In a Roman court the accused person could appeal before the Roman judge decided.

© 2001, 2021 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

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