Acts 25:16
 
Acts 25:16
(KJV) To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
(1611 KJV) To whom I answered, It is not the maner of the Romanes to deliuer any man to die, before that he which is accused, haue the accusers face to face, and haue licence to answere for himselfe concerning the crime laid against him.
(1587 Geneva Bible) To whome I answered, that it is not the maner of the Romanes for fauour to deliuer any man to the death, before that hee which is accused, haue the accusers before him, and haue place to defend himselfe, concerning the crime.
(1526 Tyndale) To whom I answered: It is not the maner of the Romayns to delyver eny man that he shuld perisshe before that he which is accused have the accusars before him and have licence to answer for him selfe concerninge ye cryme layde agaynst him:
 
Counterfeit Versions
(1881 RV) To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him.
(1901 ASV) To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.
(CSB) I answered them that it is not the Roman custom to give someone up before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a defense against the charges.
(NIV) "I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges.
(NASV) "I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.
(THE MESSAGE) I told them that wasn't the way we Romans did things. Just because a man is accused, we don't throw him out to the dogs. We make sure the accused has a chance to face his accusers and defend himself of the charges.
(AMP) But I replied to them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up freely any man for punishment before the accused had met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to defend himself concerning the charge brought against him.
(NLT) I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves.
(ESV) I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him.
(CEV) I told them that it isn't the Roman custom to hand a man over to people who are bringing charges against him. He must first have the chance to meet them face to face and to defend himself against their charges.
(NCV) But I answered, 'When a man is accused of a crime, Romans do not hand him over until he has been allowed to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.'
(HCSB) I answered them that it's not the Romans' custom to give any man up before the accused confronts the accusers face to face and has an opportunity to give a defense concerning the charge.
(RSV) I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any one before the accused met the accusers face to face, and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him.
(NAB-Roman Catholic) I answered them that it was not Roman practice to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) But I replied to them that it is not Roman procedure to hand any man over as a favor before the accused man meets his accusers face to face and gets a chance to speak in his defense concerning the complaint.
 
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
προς ους απεκριθην οτι ουκ εστιν εθος ρωμαιοις χαριζεσθαι τινα ανθρωπον εις απωλειαν πριν η ο κατηγορουμενος κατα προσωπον εχοι τους κατηγορους τοπον τε απολογιας λαβοι περι του εγκληματος
 
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
προς ους απεκριθην οτι ουκ εστιν εθος ρωμαιοις χαριζεσθαι τινα ανθρωπον πριν η ο κατηγορουμενος κατα προσωπον εχοι τους κατηγορους τοπον τε απολογιας λαβοι περι του εγκληματος
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century
E 08 - Sixth century
 
Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
L 020 - Ninth century
P 025 - Ninth century
　
Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Omit “to die”
Greisbach, Johann - 1805
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in 1870
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition
 
Affected Teaching
History does repeat itself as the new generation of chief priests and elders tried the same tactic on Paul that the previous leaders did on Jesus. They were trying to get King Agrippa and Festus to order a summary execution of Paul but King Agrippa was very familiar with Roman law and custom and knew that it was Paul’s right to face his accusers. They wanted to put Paul to death but the King knew better than to order a summary judgment. The modern versions leave out this important fact. Paul would not have appealed to Caesar if it was just for a misdemeanor. Paul knew that the Jews wanted him dead and it was not just a case of a few accusations. The modern versions leave out the phrase “to die” which also shows the believer that being a witness for Christ can put our lives on the line. The modern versions seem to mollify this situation making it a blame game but the King James Bible puts it in perfect perspective and gives us the real situation Paul faced with the events leading up to His martyrdom.

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