Acts 28:17
in Acts 28After three days, he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, that after three days he called together those that were the chief of the Jews: and when they were come together, he said unto them, I, brethren, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans:
KJV
And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
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This verse in Acts 28
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Paul called the chief of the Jews - He probably had two objects in this: one was to vindicate himself from the suspicion of crime, or to convince them that the charges alleged against him were false; and the other, to explain to them the gospel of Christ. In accordance with his custom everywhere, he seized the earliest opportunity of making the gospel known to his own countrymen; and he naturally supposed that charges highly unfavorable to his character had been sent forward against him to the Jews at Rome by those in Judea.
This site's exposition
done nothing against our people
on Acts 28:17-20
Three days later Paul called together the leaders of the Jews, the synagogue first even in chains. He said his appeal to Caesar carried no charge against his nation, and he is bound because of the hope of Israel.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
He wished to exculpate both himself and others; himself, that they might not accuse him, and by so doing hurt themselves; and those others, that it might not seem that the whole thing was of their doing. For it was likely that a report was prevalent, that he had been delivered up by the Jews; and this was enough to alarm them. He therefore addresses himself to this, and defends himself as to his own conduct. "How then is it reasonable," it might be said, "that they should deliver thee up without a cause?" The Roman governors, he says, bear me witness, who wished to let me go. "How was it then that they did not let thee go?" "When the Jews spake against it," he says. Observe how he extenuates (in speaking of) their charges against him. Since if he had wished to aggravate matters, he might have used them so as to bear harder upon them. Wherefore, he says, "I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar:" so that his whole speech is of a forgiving nature. What then? didst thou this, that thou mightest accuse them? No, he says: "Not that I had aught to accuse my nation of:" but that I might escape the danger. For it is for your sakes "that I am bound with this chain." So far am I, he says, from any hostile feeling towards you.
"Who having examined me," says he, "found nothing in me." When those ought to have rescued, they "delivered him into the hands of the Romans." And such the superabundance, because those had not power to condemn but delivered him prisoner. "Not as having aught to accuse my nation of," am I come. See what friendliness of expression "my nation:" he does not hold them as aliens. He does not say, I do not accuse, but, "I have not whereof to accuse:" although he had suffered so many evils at their hands. But nothing of all this does he say, nor make his speech offensive: neither does he seem to be sparing them as matter of favor. For this was the main point, to show that they delivered him prisoner to the Romans, when those ought to have condemned him. "For this cause," he says, "I wished to see you:" that it might not be in any man's power to accuse me, and to say what naturally might suggest itself, that having escaped their hands I have come for this: not to bring evils upon others, but myself fleeing from evils. "I was compelled to appeal unto Caesar."
"And having called together the chief of the Jews," he discourses to them, who both depart gainsaying, and are taunted by him, yet they dare not say anything: for it was not permitted them to deal with his matter at their own will. For this is a marvellous thing, that not by the things which seem to be for our security, but by their very opposites, all comes to be for us.
"And it came to pass, that after three days he called together them that were the chief of the Jews." After three days he called the chief of the Jews, that their ears might not be preoccupied. And what had he in common with them? for they would not else have been like to accuse him. Nevertheless, it was not for this that he cared; it was for the teaching that he was concerned, and that what he had to say might not offend them.
Knowing that it was altogether inappropriate to be tried, and especially before unbelievers, Paul defends himself about both matters, so that their reports might not be anticipated. For this reason, he says, I wished you to see me, so that no one might accuse anything …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And after three days - Given to rest and prayer, Paul called the chief of the Jews together - He always sought the Jews first; but being now bound, he could not so conveniently go round to them.
And it came to pass, that after three days,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
We have seen that long before this a flourishing Christian Church existed at Rome, to which Paul wrote his Epistle (see on Ac 20:3), and the first members of which were probably Jewish converts and proselytes. (See Introduction to Romans.) yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans--the Roman authorities, Felix and Festus.
Paul called the chief of the Jews together - We have already seen, in Act 18:2, that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome; see the note there: but it seems they were permitted to return very soon; and, from this verse, it appears that there were then chiefs, probably of synagogues, dwelling at Rome. I have committed nothing - Lest they should have heard and received malicious reports against him, he thought it best to state his own case.
The words behind it
40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἐγένετο | egeneto | It came to pass | G1096 → | 667 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| μετὰ | meta | after | G3326 → | 461 times |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | days | G2250 → | 389 times |
| τρεῖς | treis | three | G5140 → | 69 times |
| συγκαλέσασθαι | sugkalesasthai | calling together | G4779 → | 8 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | he | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὄντας | ontas | being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαίων | ioudaion | Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| πρώτους· | protous | leaders; | G4413 → | 152 times |
| συνελθόντων | sunelthonton | When they were assembling | G4905 → | 30 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | they | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἔλεγεν | elegen | he was saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτούς· | autous | them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐγώ, | ego | I myself, | G1473 → | 839 times |
| ἄνδρες | andres | men | G435 → | 216 times |
| ἀδελφοί, | adelphoi | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| οὐδὲν | ouden | no [thing] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| ἐναντίον | enantion | against | G1727 → | 8 times |
| ποιήσας | poiesas | having done | G4160 → | 569 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαῷ | lao | people | G2992 → | 141 times |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| τοῖς | tois | against the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔθεσιν | ethesin | customs | G1485 → | 12 times |
| τοῖς | tois | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πατρῴοις, | patroois | of our fathers, | G3971 → | 3 times |
| δέσμιος | desmios | a prisoner | G1198 → | 16 times |
| ἐξ | ex | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| Ἱεροσολύμων | hi'erosolumon | Jerusalem | G2414 → | 62 times |
| παρεδόθην | paredothen | was delivered | G3860 → | 119 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χεῖρας | cheiras | hands | G5495 → | 175 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ῥωμαίων, | rhomaion | Romans, | G4514 → |
ἘγένετοIt came to pass
egenetoG1096 →667 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
μετὰafter
metaG3326 →461 times
ἡμέραςdays
hemerasG2250 →389 times
τρεῖςthree
treisG5140 →69 times
συγκαλέσασθαιcalling together
sugkalesasthaiG4779 →8 times
αὐτὸνhe
autonG846 →5565 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
ὄνταςbeing
ontasG1510 →2333 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἸουδαίωνJews
ioudaionG2453 →192 times
πρώτους·leaders;
protousG4413 →152 times
συνελθόντωνWhen they were assembling
sunelthontonG4905 →30 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
αὐτῶνthey
autonG846 →5565 times
ἔλεγενhe was saying
elegenG3004 →1325 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτούς·them;
autousG846 →5565 times
ἐγώ,I myself,
egoG1473 →839 times
ἄνδρεςmen
andresG435 →216 times
ἀδελφοί,brothers
adelphoiG80 →343 times
οὐδὲνno [thing]
oudenG3762 →232 times
ἐναντίονagainst
enantionG1727 →8 times
ποιήσαςhaving done
poiesasG4160 →569 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
λαῷpeople
laoG2992 →141 times
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
τοῖςagainst the
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἔθεσινcustoms
ethesinG1485 →12 times
τοῖς<the>
toisG3588 →19766 times
πατρῴοις,of our fathers,
patrooisG3971 →3 times
δέσμιοςa prisoner
desmiosG1198 →16 times
ἐξfrom
exG1537 →911 times
ἹεροσολύμωνJerusalem
hi'erosolumonG2414 →62 times
παρεδόθηνwas delivered
paredothenG3860 →119 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
χεῖραςhands
cheirasG5495 →175 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
Ῥωμαίων,Romans,
rhomaionG4514 →
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 6:14For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
it leads to
- Daniel 9:26
Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end…
- Acts 21:21
But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs.
- Hebrews 12:26–28
At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”
- Acts 15:1
Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
- Galatians 4:3–5
So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.
- Daniel 9:26
Through
Acts 25:8Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
it leads to
- Acts 24:12
Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city.
- Acts 24:12
Through
Acts 22:5as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and…
it leads to
- Acts 9:1–2
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord. He approached the high priest
- Acts 9:1–2
Through
Acts 25:10Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 4:2
Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to…
- 2 Corinthians 4:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 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); 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 55; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 54; 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 Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.