SEV Biblia, Chapter 25:21
Mas apelando Pablo a ser guardado al conocimiento de Augusto, mand que le guardasen hasta que le enviara a Csar.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 25:21
Verse 21. Unto the hearing of Augustus] eiv thn tou sebastou diagnwsin; To the discrimination of the emperor. For, although sebastov is usually translated Augustus, and the Roman emperors generally assumed this epithet, which signifies no more than the venerable, the august, get here it seems to be used merely to express the emperor, without any reference to any of his attributes or titles.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. But when Paul had appealed to be reserved , etc.] In custody at Caesarea: unto the hearing of Augustus ; to have his cause heard, tried, and judged of, by the Roman Emperor Nero, here called Augustus; for as it was usual for a Roman emperor to be called Caesar, from Julius Caesar, the first of them, so to be called Augustus, from Octavius Augustus, the second emperor: his original surname was Thurinus, but this being objected to him as a reproachful one, he afterwards took the name of Caesar, and then of Augustus; the one by the will of his great uncle, the other by the advice of Munatius Plancus; when some thought he ought to be called Romulus, as if he was the founder of the city, it prevailed that he should rather be called Augustus; not only this surname being new, but more grand, seeing religious places, and in which anything was consecrated by soothsaying, were called Augusta, ab auctu, vel ab avium gestu, gustuve, according to Ennius f1219 : in the Greek text the name is Sebastos, which signifies venerable and worshipful. I commanded him to be kept ; in Caesarea, by a centurion, and not sent to Jerusalem: till I might send him to Caesar : till he could have an opportunity of sending him to Rome, to take his trial before the emperor.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-27 - Agrippa had the government of Galilee. How many unjust and hast judgments the Roman maxim, ver. #(16), condemn! This heathen, guide only by the light of nature, followed law and custom exactly, yet ho many Christians will not follow the rules of truth, justice, an charity, in judging their brethren! The questions about God's worship the way of salvation, and the truths of the gospel, may appear doubtfu and without interest, to worldly men and mere politicians. See ho slightly this Roman speaks of Christ, and of the great controvers between the Jews and the Christians. But the day is at hand when Festu and the whole world will see, that all the concerns of the Roman empir were but trifles and of no consequence, compared with this question of Christ's resurrection. Those who have had means of instruction, an have despised them, will be awfully convinced of their sin and folly Here was a noble assembly brought together to hear the truths of the gospel, though they only meant to gratify their curiosity by attendin to the defence of a prisoner. Many, even now, attend at the places of hearing the word of God with "great pomp," and too often with no bette motive than curiosity. And though ministers do not now stand a prisoners to make a defence for their lives, yet numbers affect to sin in judgment upon them, desirous to make them offenders for a word rather than to learn from them the truth and will of God, for the salvation of their souls But the pomp of this appearance was outshon by the real glory of the poor prisoner at the bar. What was the honou of their fine appearance, compared with that of Paul's wisdom, an grace, and holiness; his courage and constancy in suffering for Christ It is no small mercy to have God clear up our righteousness as the light, and our just dealing as the noon-day; to have nothing certai laid to our charge. And God makes even the enemies of his people to d them right __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
του 3588 T-GSM δε 1161 CONJ παυλου 3972 N-GSM επικαλεσαμενου 1941 5671 V-AMP-GSM τηρηθηναι 5083 5683 V-APN αυτον 846 P-ASM εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF του 3588 T-GSM σεβαστου 4575 A-GSM διαγνωσιν 1233 N-ASF εκελευσα 2753 5656 V-AAI-1S τηρεισθαι 5083 5745 V-PPN αυτον 846 P-ASM εως 2193 CONJ ου 3739 R-GSM πεμψω 3992 5661 V-AAS-1S αυτον 846 P-ASM προς 4314 PREP καισαρα 2541 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
21. Of the Emperor (tou Sebastou). Lit., the august one; hence a translation of Augustus, which was not a proper name, but a title of the Roman emperors.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
25:21 {When Paul had appealed} (tou paulou epikalesamenou). Genitive absolute with first aorist middle participle of epikaleomai, the technical word for appeal (verses #11,12). The first aorist passive infinitive tereqenai (to be kept) is the object of the participle. {For the decision of the emperor} (eis ten tou sebastou diagnwsin). diagnwsin (cf. diagnwsomai #24:22, I will determine) is the regular word for a legal examination (cognitio), thorough sifting (dia), here only in N.T. Instead of "the Emperor" it should be "the Augustus," as sebastos is simply the Greek translation of _Augustus_, the adjective (Revered, Reverent) assumed by Octavius B.C. 27 as the agnomen that summed up all his various offices instead of _Rex_ so offensive to the Romans having led to the death of Julius Caesar. The successors of Octavius assumed _Augustus_ as a title. The Greek term sebastos has the notion of worship (cf. sebasma in Acts #17:25). In the N.T. only here, verse #25; 27:1 (of the legion). It was more imposing than "Caesar" which was originally a family name (always official in the N.T.) and it fell in with the tendency toward emperor-worship which later played such a large part in Roman life and which Christians opposed so bitterly. China is having a revival of this idea in the insistence on bowing three times to the picture of Sun-Yat-Sen. {Till I should send him to Caesar} (hews an anapemyw auton pros kaisara). Here anapemyw can be either future indicative or first aorist subjunctive (identical in first person singular), aorist subjunctive the usual construction with hews for future time (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 876). Literally, "send up" (ana) to a superior (the emperor). Common in this sense in the papyri and _Koin_ writers. Here "Caesar" is used as the title of Nero instead of "Augustus" as kurios (Lord) occurs in verse #26.
