Charles Ellicott Commentary Acts 24:8

"[commanding his accusers to come before thee.] from whom thou wilt be able, by examining him thyself, to take knowledge of all these things whereof we accuse him." — Acts 24:8 (ASV)

By examining of whom . . .—Literally, from whom you will be able, by examining him yourself, to know thoroughly . . . The English construction suggests that the “accusers” are the persons to be examined, but as the Greek relative is in the singular, this cannot possibly be the meaning.

Tertullus apparently suggests that the judge should interrogate the prisoner—perhaps, by using a technical term, with a well-understood significance, that he should examine him by scourging, or some other mode of torture. Strictly speaking, the “examination” of which Tertullus speaks was a preliminary inquiry, before the actual trial, to ascertain whether there were sufficient grounds for further proceedings.

It will be observed that he withholds the fact that St. Paul was a Roman, and it does not follow that Tertullus knew that Lysias had informed Felix of it. It is possible, however, after all, if we admit the genuineness of Acts 24:7, that the relative pronoun may refer to Lysias and not to the Apostle; and this agrees with the language of Felix in Acts 24:22.