Acts 26:31
in Acts 26On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
KJV
And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
⋯
This verse in Acts 26
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAnd when they were gone aside,.... Into some apartment adjoining to the judgment hall: they talked between themselves; that the common people might not hear their debates, and the result of them, and what were their sentiments concerning Paul and his case: saying, this man doth nothing worthy of death, or of bonds; according to the Roman laws; for as yet there were no laws among the Romans against the Christians as such, or against their professing and preaching Christ.
This site's exposition
the king rose up
on Acts 26:30-32
The king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them, the hearing ending as such hearings did, in private conference rather than a verdict from the bench, and their conclusion is unanimous, this man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Agrippa's last word to Festus carries an irony the whole scene has been building toward, this man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar, Paul's own earlier legal move now the very thing keeping an innocent man in custody. The bench notes that the chapter closes with Rome's own examiners clearing Paul three times over, Felix, Festus and now Agrippa, the record standing before the reader as Paul's ship turns toward the city Christ had promised him at 23:11.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
See how again also they pass sentence in his favor, and after having said, "Thou art beside thyself," they acquit him, as undeserving not only of death, but also of bonds, and indeed would have released him entirely, if he had not appealed to Caesar. But this was done providentially, that he should also depart with bonds. "Unto bonds," he says, "as an evil doer." For if his Lord "was reckoned among the transgressors," much more he: but as the Lord did not share with them in their character, so neither did Paul. For in this is seen the marvellous thing, the being mixed up with such, and yet receiving no harm from them.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This man doth nothing worthy of death, or of bonds - They speak of his whole life, not of one action only. And could ye learn nothing more than this from that discourse? A favourable judgment of such a preacher, is not all that God requires.
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
This man doeth nothing worthy of death - This was the conclusion to which they had come after hearing all that the Jews had to allege against him. It was the result of the whole investigation; and we have, therefore, the concurring testimony of Claudius Lysias Act 23:29, of Felix Acts 24, of Festus Act 25:26-27, and of Agrippa, as to the innocence of Paul. More honorable and satisfactory testimony of his innocence he could not have desired.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀναχωρήσαντες | anachoresantes | having withdrawn | G402 → | |
| ἐλάλουν | elaloun | they were speaking | G2980 → | 294 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ἀλλήλους | allelous | one another | G240 → | 100 times |
| λέγοντες | legontes | saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| οὐδὲν | ouden | No [thing] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| θανάτου | thanatou | of death | G2288 → | 120 times |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| δεσμῶν | desmon | of chains | G1199 → | 17 times |
| ἄξιόν | axion | worthy | G514 → | 41 times |
| τι | ti | any | G5100 → | 528 times |
| πράσσει | prassei | is doing | G4238 → | 39 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἄνθρωπος | anthropos | man | G444 → | 549 times |
| οὗτος. | houtos | this. | G3778 → | 1381 times |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀναχωρήσαντεςhaving withdrawn
anachoresantesG402 →
ἐλάλουνthey were speaking
elalounG2980 →294 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ἀλλήλουςone another
allelousG240 →100 times
λέγοντεςsaying
legontesG3004 →1325 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
οὐδὲνNo [thing]
oudenG3762 →232 times
θανάτουof death
thanatouG2288 →120 times
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
δεσμῶνof chains
desmonG1199 →17 times
ἄξιόνworthy
axionG514 →41 times
τιany
tiG5100 →528 times
πράσσειis doing
prasseiG4238 →39 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἄνθρωποςman
anthroposG444 →549 times
οὗτος.this.
houtosG3778 →1381 times
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
1 Peter 3:16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
it leads to
- 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.
- 1 Peter 2:15
For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.
- Hebrews 13:18
Pray for us; we are convinced that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
- 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.
- Matthew 5:11
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
- 1 Peter 2:12
Through
Acts 28:18They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.
it leads to
- Acts 23:29
I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 23:29
Through
2 Samuel 24:17When David saw the angel striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “Surely I, the shepherd, have sinned and acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let Your hand…
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 21:16–17
When David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, clothed…
- 1 Chronicles 21:16–17
Through
Acts 23:29I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
it leads to
- Acts 18:15
But 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.”
- Acts 18:15
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); John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 53; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.