Acts 25:22

ἐβουλόμην καὶ αὐτὸς : “I also was wishing to hear the man myself,” R.V., margin, imperfect, as of a wish entertained for some time; it was probable from Agrippa's position, and his official relationship to Judaism, that he would have been already interested in Paul. Bethge takes it as if it meant that a strong desire had been already awakened by the governor's statement to hear Paul, see also Winer-Moulton, xli. a, 2; but it is most usual to explain the imperfect here (without ἄν) rather than the direct present as used out of politeness, softening the request, “I should like,” Burton, p. 16, Page, in loco; Lightfoot, On a Fresh Revision, etc., p. 16. Calvin strangely takes the imperfect to mean that Agrippa had long cherished the wish to hear Paul, but had checked it hitherto, lest he should seem to have come with any other motive than to see Festus. αὔριον : emphatic (and emphasised by φησίν), indicating the immediate compliance with Agrippa's wish.