Acts 28:19

Acts 28:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.
• New International Version (NIV)The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation.

Context of Acts 28:19

17After three days, Paul asked the leaders of the Jews in Rome to meet with him. When they met together, Paul said to them, ‘Friends, I am a Jew as you are. I tell you that I have never done anything bad against our people. I have always obeyed the rules that our ancestors gave to us. But the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem took hold of me. They gave me to the Roman rulers so that they would judge me. 18The Roman rulers asked me questions about what I had done. They discovered that I had not done anything wrong. There was no reason that they should kill me. So they wanted to let me go free. But the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem did not agree with that. So then I asked the Roman rulers to send me here to Rome. I wanted Caesar himself to judge me. That was the only thing that I could do. I did not want to say anything bad against my own people. 20That is why I want to talk with you now. I want to tell you why I am a prisoner here. It is because I believe in the one that God promised to send to us who are Jews.’ 21The Jewish leaders said to Paul, ‘We have not received any letters about you from Judea. Our Jewish friends who have come here from Judea have not told us this news. They have not said anything bad about you.

Acts 28:19 word by word

ἀντιλεγόντων δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἠναγκάσθην ἐπικαλέσασθαι Καίσαρα οὐχ ὡς τοῦ ἔθνους μου ἔχων τι κατηγορεῖν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• when the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• spake againstἀντιλέγωantilegō · to disputeG483
• I was constrainedἀναγκάζωanagkazō · to compelG315
• to appealἐπικαλέωepikaleomai · to call (on)/nameG1941
• unto CesarΚαῖσαρKaisar · CaesarG2541
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thatὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• I hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• oughtτιςtis · oneG5100
• to accuseκατηγορέωkatēgoreō · to accuseG2723
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• nationἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484

Cross-references for Acts 28:19

• Acts 25:10Paul answered him, ‘I am already in the place where Caesar's officers judge people. This is the right place for you to judge me. I have never done anything wrong against the Jews. You yourself know very well that it is true.
• Acts 26:32King Agrippa said to Festus, ‘We could have let this man go free from the prison. But he has asked that Caesar should judge him. So we cannot let him go free.’
• Romans 12:19My friends, if someone has done bad things to you, do not try to punish them yourselves. Instead, let God be angry and punish them. This is what is written in the Bible: ‘The Lord God says, “When people do something wrong, I am the one who will punish them. I will pay them back.” ’
• 1 Peter 2:22The Bible says this: ‘He never did anything that was wrong. He never said anything that was not true.’

Commentaries on Acts 28:19

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19The Jews spake against it - Against my being set at liberty. I was constrained - By a regard to my own safety and character. To appeal unto Caesar - See the notes on Acts 25:11. Not that I had aught … - I did it for my own preservation and safety, not that I wished to accuse my countrymen. Paul had been unjustly accused and injured; yet, with the true spirit of the Christian religion, he here says that he cherished no unkind feelings toward those who had…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-22Verses 17-22 It was for the honour of Paul that those who examined his case, acquitted him. In his appeal he sought not to accuse his nation, but only to clear himself. True Christianity settles what is of common concern to all mankind, and is not built upon narrow opinions and private interests. It aims at no worldly benefit or advantage, but all its gains are spiritual and eternal. It is, and always has been, the lot of Christ's holy religion, to be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-20Paul knew that the gospel should be shared with the Jews first (13:46; Romans 1:16). He was also concerned that false charges against him might have already reached Rome. So he called together the local Jewish leaders and explained his life and work. He insisted that he had not committed any crime. But strong opposition from other Jews had forced him to appeal to the emperor. Paul said he had nothing against his own people. Instead, he wanted to explain…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2017-20. Paul called the chief of the Jews together--Though banished from the capital by Claudius, the Jews enjoyed the full benefit of the toleration which distinguished the first period of Nero's reign, and were at this time in considerable numbers, wealth, and influence settled at Rome. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 28:19

• Appeal
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Attain
• Compass
• Concern
• Confidence
• Constrain
• Escape
• Foreship
• James
• Kindness
• Melita

Commentaries on Acts 28

• 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