Acts 23:35

κελεύσας for ἐκέλευσέ τε with אABE. Vulg. ‘jussitque.’

35. διακούσομαί σου, I will hear thee. The verb implies a full and thorough hearing of a case. ‘I will give thee a fall hearing.’ The Rev. Vers. renders ‘I will hear thy cause.’

ὅταν καὶ οἱ κατήγοροί σου παραγένωνται, when thine accusers are also come; assuming that they would appear, since they had been bidden to do so by the chief captain, as was explained in his letter. Of course Lysias had not said a word of this to the Jews when his letter was written, but intended to do so when Paul was safely on the road to Cæsarea.

ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ τοῦ Ἡρώδου φυλάσσεσθαι, to be kept in Herod’s palace. πραιτώριον may signify either the palace of a prince, the tent of a general, or the barracks of the soldiery. Here it is probably the name of the palace which Herod had erected for himself, and which now was used as the governor’s residence. It seems (from Acts 24:24-26) that it was close to the quarters of Felix himself, and that Paul could speedily be sent for. φυλάσσεσθαι only implies that Paul was to be taken care of; he was not kept in close imprisonment. ‘A Roman and uncondemned’ would not be subject to needless indignities, when his accusers were Jews who could make no such claim for consideration. Cf. Acts 24:23.