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Acts 17:7

in Acts 17

and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

whom Jason hath received: and these all act contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

KJV

Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

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This verse in Acts 17

Commentary

12 notes on this verse

A commentator

Ammonius of Alexandria

CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 17.8 · Written before 300.

In the same manner, their fathers accused Jesus by saying that he called himself king. The former, however, even though they had a kind of charge that was, on the surface, likely to deceive because the one charged was living, how could these latter hide …

This site's exposition

moved with envy

on Acts 17:5-9

Moved with envy, the unbelieving Jews hire lewd fellows of the baser sort and set the city on an uproar, assaulting Jason's house because the missionaries themselves cannot be found. Their charge to the rulers turns Paul's message into sedition: these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also, and Jason has received them, all doing contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying there is another king, one Jesus. The politarchs, the very title Luke uses for the city's rulers, are confirmed by an inscription found on the Vardar Gate at Thessalonica, a detail unknown to secular history until archaeology caught up with Luke's accuracy. Security is taken of Jason, likely a bond forfeited if the missionaries return, which the bench reads as the practical reason Paul does not go back to Thessalonica himself but writes to it instead.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 37 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

The accusation is artfully made. They are accused of the crimen majestatis - treason against Caesar. The Jews knew well that to accuse them of disturbing their worship or opposing their opinions would produce no effect. To arouse the Roman feeling against them it was necessary to present their teaching concerning the Kingship of Jesus so as to make it seem to the rulers of this free city as a treasonable doctrine against the Roman state.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 37 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"These all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." Oh! what an accusation! again they get up a charge of treason against them, "saying, there is another king one Jesus."

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 37 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"These all," say they, "do contrary to the decrees of Caesar": for since they spoke nothing contrary to what had been decreed, nor made any commotion in the city, they bring them under a different charge: "saying that there is another king, one Jesus." And what are ye afraid of, seeing He is dead?

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

"They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, acknowledging another as king, Jesus." In exactly the same way, their fathers also accused Jesus, saying that He called Himself king. But they had at least a somewhat plausible pretext, since the accused was still alive. …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

But Christ's kingdom was not of this world. His followers said indeed, Jesus is a king, but not an earthly king, not a rival with Cæsar, nor his ordinances interfering with the decrees of Cæsar, but who had made it a law of his kingdom to render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's.
5 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

Whom Jason hath received,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

If Christ's faithful ministers, even those that are most quiet in the land, be thus invidiously misrepresented and miscalled, let them not think it strange nor be exasperated by it; we are not better than Paul and Silas, who were thus abused.

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

Whom Jason hath received - Has received into his house, and entertained kindly. These all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar - The charge against them was that of sedition and rebellion against the Roman emperor. Grotius on this verse remarks that the Roman people, and after them the emperors, would not permit the name of king to be mentioned in any of the vanquished provinces except by their permission. Saying that there is another king - This was probably a charge of mere malignity.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, &c.--meaning, probably, nothing but what is specified in the next words. saying . . . there is another king, one Jesus--(See on Joh 19:12).

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

These all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar - Persecutors always strive to affect the lives of the objects of their hatred, by accusing them of sedition, or plots against the state. That there is another king, one Jesus - How malevolent was this saying! The apostles proclaimed Jesus as king - that is true; but never once insinuated that his kingdom was of this world. The reverse they always maintained.

The words behind it

16 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

10 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Luke 23:2And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”6 worksActs 16:21by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”4 worksJohn 19:12From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”4 worksActs 17:5The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.4 worksDaniel 3:12But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”4 worksActs 25:8–11Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”1 works
The other 4 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Peter 2:15For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.1 worksEzra 4:12–15Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. And they are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, restoring its walls, and repairing its foundations.1 worksDaniel 6:13Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.”1 worksMatthew 22:17So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Luke 23:2

    And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”

    it leads to

    • Acts 17:6–7

      But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • John 19:12

      From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”

  • Through

    1 Peter 2:15

    For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.

    it leads to

    • 1 Peter 3:17

      For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

    • Titus 2:8

      and wholesome speech that is above reproach, so that anyone who opposes us will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.

    • 1 Peter 2:12

      Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.

    • Matthew 7:26

      But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

    • 1 Thessalonians 5:18

      Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

  • Through

    Acts 16:21

    by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”

    it leads to

    • Esther 3:8

      Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey…

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 17 →
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ammonius of Alexandria, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 17.8; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 37; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.

Read on in Acts 17 →