Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
No certain thing (asfalev ti—ou). Nothing definite or reliable (a privative, sfallw, to trip). All the charges of the Sanhedrin slipped away or were tripped up by Paul. Festus confesses that he had nothing left and thereby convicts himself of gross insincerity in his proposal to Paul in verse Acts 25:9 about going up to Jerusalem. By his own statement he should have set Paul free. The various details here bear the marks of the eyewitness. Luke was surely present and witnessed this grand spectacle with Paul as chief performer.
Unto my lord (tw kuriw). Augustus (Octavius) and Tiberius refused the title of kuriov (lord) as too much like rex (king) and like master and slave, but the servility of the subjects gave it to the other emperors who accepted it (Nero among them). Antoninus Pius put it on his coins. Deissmann (Light from the Ancient East, p. 105) gives an ostracon dated Aug. 4, AD 63 with the words "in the year nine of Nero the lord" (enatou Nerwnov tou kuriou). Deissmann (op. cit., pp. 349ff.) runs a most interesting parallel "between the cult of Christ and the cult of Caesar in the application of the term kuriov, lord" in ostraca, papyri, inscriptions. Beyond a doubt Paul has all this fully in mind when he says in I Corinthians 12:3 that "no one is able to say Kuriov Ihsouv except in the Holy Spirit" (cf. also Philippians 2:11). The Christians claimed this word for Christ and it became the test in the Roman persecutions as when Polycarp steadily refused to say " Lord Caesar" and insisted on saying "Lord Jesus" when it meant his certain death.
Before you (ef umwn). The whole company. In no sense a new trial, but an examination in the presence of these prominent men to secure data and to furnish entertainment and pleasure to Agrippa (verse Acts 25:22).
Especially before thee (malista epi sou). Out of courtesy. It was the main reason as verse Acts 25:22 shows. Agrippa was a Jew and Festus was glad of the chance to see what he thought of Paul's case.
After examination had (thv anakrisewv genomenhv). Genitive absolute, "the examination having taken place." Anakrisiv from anakrinw (cf. Acts 12:19; Acts 24:8; Acts 28:18) is a legal term for preliminary examination. Only here in the N.T. Inscriptions and papyri give it as examination of slaves or other property.
That I may have somewhat to write (opwv sxw ti grayw). Ingressive aorist subjunctive sxw (may get) with opwv (final particle like ina). Ti grayw in indirect question after sxw is either future indicative or aorist subjunctive (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1045). Festus makes it plain that this is not a "trial," but an examination for his convenience to help him out of a predicament.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 25:26:
Acts 21:34
Acts 23:30
Acts 25:21
Acts 25:23
Acts 28:18
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