Acts 26:25 - Exposition

Paul saith for he said, A.V. and T.R.; excellent for noble, A.V.; words for the words, A.V. Most excellent ( κράτιστε ). It appears to be the proper title to give the procurator (see Acts 23:1-35 . 26; Acts 24:3 ). St. Luke also applies it to Theophilus ( Luke 1:3 ). In classical Greek οἱ κράτιστοι are the aristocracy. Soberness ( σωφροσύνη ) ; sound or sober mindedness; just the opposite of the μανία of which he was accused. See the use of σωφρονεῖν ( Mark 5:15 ; Luke 8:35 ; 2 Corinthians 5:13 , etc.), and of σωφρονίζειν σωφρωνισμός σώφρων , etc. So also in Plato, σωφρωσύνη is opposed to μανία .