{No certain thing} (asphales ti--ou). Nothing definite or
reliable (a privative, sphall(935c), to trip). All the charges of
the Sanhedrin slipped away or were tripped up by Paul. Festus
confesses that he had nothing left and thereby convicts himself
of gross insincerity in his proposal to Paul in verse  9  about
going up to Jerusalem. By his own statement he should have set
Paul free. The various details here bear the marks of the
eyewitness. Luke was surely present and witnessed this grand
spectacle with Paul as chief performer. {Unto my lord} (	(9369)
kuri(9369)). Augustus (Octavius) and Tiberius refused the title of
kurios (lord) as too much like _rex_ (king) and like master and
slave, but the servility of the subjects gave it to the other
emperors who accepted it (Nero among them). Antoninus Pius put it
on his coins. Deissmann (_Light from the Ancient East_, p. 105)
gives an ostracon dated Aug. 4, A.D. 63 with the words "in the
year nine of Nero the lord" (enatou Ner(936e)os tou kuriou).
Deissmann (_op. cit._, pp. 349ff.) runs a most interesting
parallel "between the cult of Christ and the cult of Caesar in
the application of the term kurios, lord" in ostraca, papyri,
inscriptions. Beyond a doubt Paul has all this fully in mind when
he says in  1Co 12:3  that "no one is able to say Kurios I(8873)ous
except in the Holy Spirit" (cf. also  Php 2:11 ). The Christians
claimed this word for Christ and it became the test in the Roman
persecutions as when Polycarp steadily refused to say " Lord
Caesar" and insisted on saying "Lord Jesus" when it meant his
certain death. {Before you} (eph' hum(936e)). The whole company. In
no sense a new trial, but an examination in the presence of these
prominent men to secure data and to furnish entertainment and
pleasure to Agrippa (verse  22 ). {Especially before thee}
(malista epi sou). Out of courtesy. It was the main reason as
verse  22  shows. Agrippa was a Jew and Festus was glad of the
chance to see what he thought of Paul's case. {After examination
had} (	(8873) anakrise(9373) genomen(8873)). Genitive absolute, "the
examination having taken place." Anakrisis from anakrin(935c) (cf.
 12:19  24:8  28:18 ) is a legal term for preliminary
examination. Only here in the N.T. Inscriptions and papyri give
it as examination of slaves or other property. {That I may have
somewhat to write} (hop(9373) sch(9320)ti graps(935c)). Ingressive aorist
subjunctive sch(935c) (may get) with hop(9373) (final particle like
hina). Ti graps(935c) in indirect question after sch(935c) is either
future indicative or aorist subjunctive (Robertson, _Grammar_, p.
1045). Festus makes it plain that this is not a "trial," but an
examination for his convenience to help him out of a predicament.