Acts 23:29
in Acts 23I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
whom I found to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
KJV
Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
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This verse in Acts 23
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Questions of their law - So he understood the whole controversy to be. Worthy of death - By the Roman law. He had been guilty of no crime against the Roman people. Or of bonds - Of chains, or of confinement.
This site's exposition
the cause wherefore they accused him
on Acts 23:28-30
Lysias summarizes his own investigation for Felix, reporting that the charge concerned questions of their law rather than any capital crime, nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds, a Roman officer's plain finding that this is a religious dispute, not a civil one. The letter passes the matter and the accusers on to Felix's own jurisdiction, following correct Roman procedure for a case beyond a tribune's authority to settle. Lysias's assessment, delivered from outside any stake in Jewish theology, anticipates the same finding Roman officials reach again at 25:18-19 and 26:31-32, that Paul's real offense is doctrinal, not criminal.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"About to have been killed of them:" so set upon his death were they. First, "I came with the army, and rescued him:" then also "I brought him down unto them:" and not even so did they find anything to lay to his charge: and when they ought to have been stricken with fear and shame for the former act, they again attempt to kill him, insomuch that again his cause became all the more clear. "And his accusers," he says, "I have sent unto thee:" that at the tribunal where these things are more strictly examined, he may be proved guiltless.
"And he wrote a letter after this manner: Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting. This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman. And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council: whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Fare ye well." See how the letter speaks for him as a defence-for it says, "I found nothing worthy of death," but as accusation against them rather than against him.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Now that Paul was brought before them he thought to have faced them down, but could not, such was their wicked impudence. However, now was fulfilled in him what God promised to Ezekiel ( ch. iii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Claudius--the Roman name he would take on purchasing his citizenship. Lysias--his Greek family name. the most excellent governor--an honorary title of office.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
perceived to be accused of questions of their law, &c.--Amidst all his difficulty in getting at the charges laid against Paul, enough, no doubt, come out to satisfy him that the whole was a question of religion, and that there was no case for a civil tribunal.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὃν | hon | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| εὗρον | heuron | I found | G2147 → | 175 times |
| ἐγκαλούμενον | egkaloumenon | being accused | G1458 → | 7 times |
| περὶ | peri | concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| ζητημάτων | zetematon | questions | G2213 → | 5 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νόμου | nomou | law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| αὐτῶν, | auton | of them, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| μηδὲν | meden | not | G3367 → | 90 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἄξιον | axion | [of anything] worthy | G514 → | 41 times |
| θανάτου | thanatou | of death | G2288 → | 120 times |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| δεσμῶν | desmon | of chains | G1199 → | 17 times |
| ἔχοντα | echonta | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἔγκλημα. | egklema | accusation. | G1462 → |
ὃνwhom
honG3739 →1405 times
εὗρονI found
heuronG2147 →175 times
ἐγκαλούμενονbeing accused
egkaloumenonG1458 →7 times
περὶconcerning
periG4012 →332 times
ζητημάτωνquestions
zetematonG2213 →5 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
νόμουlaw
nomouG3551 →192 times
αὐτῶν,of them,
autonG846 →5565 times
μηδὲνnot
medenG3367 →90 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἄξιον[of anything] worthy
axionG514 →41 times
θανάτουof death
thanatouG2288 →120 times
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
δεσμῶνof chains
desmonG1199 →17 times
ἔχονταhaving
echontaG2192 →707 times
ἔγκλημα.accusation.
egklemaG1462 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Acts 26:31On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
it leads to
- Acts 23:9
A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 23:9
Through
Acts 25:11If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand…
it leads to
- Acts 28:19
But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, even though I have no charge to bring against my nation.
- Psalms 7:3–5
O LORD my God, if I have done this, if injustice is on my hands,
- Acts 25:25
But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
- Acts 26:32
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
- Acts 28:19
Through
Acts 18:15But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”
it leads to
- Acts 25:19
They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
- 1 Timothy 6:4
he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and semantics, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,
- Acts 25:19
Through
Acts 25:25But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
it leads to
- Acts 25:11–12
If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand…
- Acts 25:11–12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Acts of the Apostles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 49; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.