Acts 19:40

Acts 19:40 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
• New International Version (NIV)As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion."
• New King James Version (NKJV)For we are in danger of being called in question for today’s uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.”

Context of Acts 19:40

38Perhaps Demetrius and his workers think that someone has done a bad thing to them. If they think that, they should let a judge decide. There are officers for the government who will do this. If someone has done a wrong thing, people should tell a judge. 39So, if you want to argue about these problems any more, do it properly. Go to the place where the judges meet. Today, there is a crowd of people who are shouting and fighting. The Roman rulers may hear about what has happened. They will say that we have done bad things. We could not explain to them the reason why there is all this trouble.’ 41When the officer had said all this, he said to the crowd, ‘All of you should go home now.’

Acts 19:40 word by word

καὶ γὰρ κινδυνεύομεν ἐγκαλεῖσθαι στάσεως περὶ τῆς σήμερον μηδενὸς αἰτίου ὑπάρχοντος περὶ οὗ οὐ δυνησόμεθα ἀποδοῦναι λόγον περὶ τῆς συστροφῆς ταύτης.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• we are in dangerκινδυνεύωkinduneuō · be in dangerG2793
• ·καίkai · andG2532
• to be called in questionἐγκαλέωegkaleō · to accuseG1458
• forπερίperi · aboutG4012
• this day’sσήμερονsēmeron · todayG4594
• uproarστάσιςstasis · uprisingG4714
• there beingὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
• noμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
• cause wherebyαἴτιοςaitios · causerG159
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• we mayδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• giveἀποδίδωμιapodidōmi · to payG591
• an accountλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• concourseσυστροφήsustrophē · commotion/plotG4963

Cross-references for Acts 19:40

• Acts 17:5Some other Jews in the city were jealous of Paul and Silas, because people believed their message. So they went to the city's market place and they found some bad men there. These men often caused trouble in the city. Now the Jews brought these men to come together with them in an angry crowd. This crowd made a lot of noise and trouble in the streets of the city. They went to Jason's house and they broke down his door. They wanted to find Paul and Silas. They wanted to bring them out of the house to the crowd.
• Acts 20:1After that, the trouble in Ephesus finished. Then Paul asked the believers to meet together with him. He spoke to them to help them. He told them to be strong and to trust God. Then he said ‘goodbye’ to them. After that he left them and he travelled on to Macedonia.
• Acts 21:31The angry crowd was trying to kill Paul. But someone sent a message to the leader of the Roman soldiers. The message was, ‘People are fighting everywhere in the city.’
• 1 Kings 1:41Adonijah and all the people who were with him heard the noise. They had just finished eating their feast together. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, ‘Why is there all that noise in the city?’
• Matthew 26:5They said to each other, ‘We do not want to take hold of him during the Passover festival. If we do that, the people will be angry and they may fight against us.’

Commentaries on Acts 19:40

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 40For we are in danger, etc. - Popular commotions were always dreaded by the Roman government; and so they should by all governments; for, when might has nothing to direct its operations but passion, how destructive must these operations be! One of the Roman laws made all such commotions of the people capital offenses against those who raised them. Qui caetum et concursus fecerit, capite puniatur: "He who raises a mob shall forfeit his life." If such a law…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 40To be called in question - By the government; by the Roman authority. Such a tumult, continued for so long. a time, would be likely to attract the attention of the magistrates, and expose them to their displeasure. Popular commotions were justly dreaded by the Roman government; and such an assembly as this, convened without any good cause, would not escape their notice. There was a Roman law which made it capital for anyone to be engaged in promoting a…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 32-41Verses 32-41 The Jews came forward in this tumult. Those who are thus careful to distinguish themselves from the servants of Christ now, and are afraid of being taken for them, shall have their doom accordingly in the great day. One, having authority, at length stilled the noise. It is a very good rule at all times, both in private and public affairs, not to be hasty and rash in our motions, but to take time to consider; and always to keep our passions…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 35-41The city clerk stopped the demonstration to prevent the city from being accused of rioting by the Roman government. This story shows that Christians in the Roman world had the right to a fair legal process.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 35-4135-41. when the town-clerk--keeper of the public archives, and a magistrate of great authority. had appeased--"calmed." the people--"the multitude," which the very presence of such an officer would go far to do. he said ... what man ... knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana--literally, the neocoros or "warden." The word means "temple-sweeper"; then, "temple-guardian." Thirteen cities of Asia had an interest…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 19:40

• Citizens
• Mob
• Paul
• Prudence
• Tact

In the dictionaries

• Adjure
• Concourse
• Confused
• Confusion
• Craft
• Curious
• Danger
• Diana
• Fall
• Implead

Commentaries on Acts 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings