Acts 24:4

That I be not further tedious unto thee (ina mh epi pleion se enkoptw). Koin verb (Hippocrates, Polybius) to cut in on (or into), to cut off, to impede, to hinder. Our modern telephone and radio illustrate it well. In the N.T. ( Acts 24:4 ; 1 Thessalonians 2:18 ; Galatians 5:7 ; Romans 15:22 ; 1 Peter 3:7 ). "That I may not cut in on or interrupt thee further (epi pleion) in thy reforms." Flattery still. Of thy clemency (th sh epieikeiai). Instrumental case of old word from epieikh and this from epi and eiko (reasonable, likely, fair). "Sweet Reasonableness" (Matthew Arnold), gentleness, fairness. An epieikh man is "one who makes reasonable concessions" (Aristotle, Eth. V. 10), while dikaio is "one who insists on his full rights" (Plato, Leg. 757 D) as translated by Page. A few words (suntomw). Old adverb from suntemnw, to cut together (short), abbreviate. Like dia bracewn in Hebrews 13:22 . In N.T. only here and Mark 16:1 ff. (shorter conclusion).