Goodness translates the word generally rendered “righteousness” (see An American Translation* “uprightness” and Revised Standard Version “justice”). Some understand it to be limited to the more specific idea of “morality” (Moffatt) or “morals” (New English Bible), while the Good News Translation has understood it in the more general sense of goodness. In some languages there is no noun “goodness,” but one can employ an expression such as “discussed what it meant to be good.”

The other two topics which Paul discussed, self-control and the coming Day of Judgment, are understood in most translations in precisely the same manner that the Good News Translation has taken them. Self-control is rendered in some languages as “the ability to command one’s self,” “being able to say no to one’s own desires,” or “holding one’s self down.” The coming Day of Judgment may be rendered as “the day when God would judge everyone” or “the day when God would judge all the good and bad things people have done.”

You may leave now is in Greek an imperative, which a number of translators have also taken in this softened sense (note An American Translation*, Moffatt, and Jerusalem Bible “you may go for the present”). Now must be taken to mean “for the present time.”

Felix’s reply to Paul should be understood either in the sense of when I get the chance (Revised Standard Version “when I have an opportunity”) or with the meaning of “when I have time” (see Moffatt “when I can find a moment”). Felix was not putting Paul off, as might be implied by such a translation as “when I find it convenient I will send for you again” (New English Bible; see also Jerusalem Bible), and An American Translation* is probably correct in making this into an unqualified statement: “I will find time later to send for you.” Despite all the other characteristics that the Herodian family may have possessed, Luke always gives the impression that they were interested in persons connected with the Christian faith. See, for example, Luke 9.9 and 23.8.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .