John Calvin Commentary Acts 25:5

"Let them therefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him." — Acts 25:5 (ASV)

Those, therefore. This is, word for word in the Greek, literally, 'Those who are mighty or able'; yet he means those for whom it is convenient.

We may also easily conjecture that they objected to the trouble and expenses. They pleaded with the governor that he would not weary so many of their chief men, some of whom were very aged, with an unnecessary journey. Instead, they asked that he would rather (which he could easily do) command Paul to be brought by a few guards.

Therefore, lest they complain that he is burdensome to them, he relieves them of this necessity and allows them to choose from among themselves whomever they wish. Meanwhile, he sufficiently declares that he does not believe their false reports. He also professes that he will be an upright judge and will do nothing except according to the truth of the matter.

The next sentence also has different readings among the Greek texts. For some manuscripts have the same reading as the old interpreter: 'but eight or ten days.' If this reading is accepted, the meaning will be that the governor came to Caesarea shortly afterward, lest the Jews should persistently trouble him on the pretext of his long delay.

The other reading, which is more common among the Greek texts, will have another meaning: though he stayed long enough at Jerusalem to hear the matter, he did not listen to their requests to have Paul brought there. From this, we may make a probable conjecture that he already knew of their plot.