Acts 25:16

It is not the custom of the Romans

(οτ ουκ εστιν εθος Ρωμαιοις). If a direct quotation, οτ is recitative as in Authorized Version. Canterbury Revision takes it as indirect discourse after απεκριθην (I answered), itself in a relative clause (προς ους) with the present tense (εστιν, is) preserved as is usual. There is a touch of disdain (Furneaux) in the tone of Festus. He may refer to a demand of the Jews before they asked that Paul be brought to Jerusalem (Acts 25:3). At any rate there is a tone of scorn towards the Jews.Before that the accused have

(πριν η ο κατηγορουμενος εχο). This use of the optative in this temporal clause with πριν η instead of the subjunctive αν εχη is in conformity with literary Greek and occurs only in Luke's writings in the N.T. (Robertson, Grammar, p. 970). This sequence of modes is a mark of the literary style occasionally seen in Luke. It is interesting here to note the succession of dependent clauses in verses Acts 25:14-16.The accusers face to face

(κατα προσωπον τους κατηγορους). Same word κατηγορος as in Acts 23:30; Acts 23:35; Acts 25:18. This all sounds fair enough.And have had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him

(τοπον τε απολογιας λαβο περ του εγκληματος). Literally, "And should receive (λαβο optative for same reason as εχο above, second aorist active of λαμβανω) opportunity for defence (objective genitive) concerning the charge" (εγκληματος in N.T. only here and Acts 23:19 which see).