Acts 28:20

Acts 28:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
• New International Version (NIV)For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain."
• New King James Version (NKJV)For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”

Context of Acts 28:20

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. 19But 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. That 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. 22But we know that people everywhere are saying bad things about your new group. So we would like you to tell us your ideas.’

Acts 28:20 word by word

διὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν αἰτίαν παρεκάλεσα ὑμᾶς ἰδεῖν καὶ προσλαλῆσαι· ἕνεκεν γὰρ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὴν ἅλυσιν ταύτην περίκειμαι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• causeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• causeαἰτίαaitia · cause/chargeG156
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• have I calledπαρακαλέωparakaleō · to plead/comfortG3870
• for youσύsu · youG4771
• to seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to speak withπροσλαλέωproslaleō · to talk to/withG4354
• because thatἕνεκαheneka heneken heineken · because ofG1752
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• the hopeἐλπίςelpis · hopeG1680
• of IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474
• I am bound withπερίκειμαιperikeimai · to surroundG4029
• chainἅλυσιςhalusis · chainG254

Cross-references for Acts 28:20

• Acts 28:17After 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.
• Acts 10:29So when you asked me to come here, I was happy to come. I knew that it was right. So tell me now. Why did you ask me to come?’
• Acts 23:6Then Paul saw that there were some Sadducees and also some Pharisees in the meeting. So he shouted out to the whole group of Jewish leaders, ‘My brothers, I am a Pharisee! My father was also a Pharisee. I believe that dead people will certainly rise and they will live again. That is the reason why you are judging me today.’
• Acts 24:15I also trust God like these men do. Like them, I believe that people will become alive again after death. God will do this for all people, both good people and bad people.
• Acts 26:6So what is the reason that I stand here today for you to judge me? It is because I believe in God's promise to our ancestors.
• Acts 28:16When we arrived in Rome, the Roman officer said to Paul, ‘You may live in a house by yourself, but a soldier will guard you there.’
• Acts 26:29Paul answered him, ‘It is not important if it takes a long time or a short time. I pray to God for you and for everyone who is listening to me today. I pray that you may all become like me. But I would not want you to become a prisoner like me!’
• Ephesians 3:1That is why I pray for you. I, Paul, am in prison because I serve Christ Jesus. He has sent me to help you Gentiles.
• Ephesians 4:1Because I serve the Lord, I am here in prison. I really want you to live as God's own people should live. God has called you to come to him. He has chosen you to be his own people.
• Ephesians 6:20God has sent me to tell people the good news on his behalf. And that is why I am now in prison. So pray that I will speak God's message bravely, as I ought to speak it.
• Philippians 1:13I am in a prison because I am Christ's servant. The soldiers in the king's house and all the people here know that.
• Colossians 4:18I, Paul, am writing these words at the end of this letter with my own hand. Remember to pray for me while I am in prison. I pray that God will continue to be very kind to you.
• 2 Timothy 1:10Now Christ Jesus has come to save us, and we have seen how kind God is. Christ has destroyed death's power over us. We have heard the good news that he brought to us. So now we understand about life with God for ever.
• 2 Timothy 2:9And I have many troubles because I tell that good news to people. They have even put me in a prison, like someone who has done something bad. But nobody can keep God's message in a prison!

Commentaries on Acts 28:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20For the hope of Israel I am bound, etc. - As if he had said: This, and this alone, is the cause of my being delivered into the hands of the Romans; I have proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah; have maintained that though he was crucified by the Jews, yet he rose again from the dead; and, through him, I have preached the general resurrection of mankind: this all Israel professes to hope for; and yet it is on this account that the Jews persecute me. Both the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Because that for the hope of Israel - On account of the hope which the Jews cherish of the coming of the Messiah; of the resurrection; and of the future state. See this explained in the notes on Acts 23:6. I am bound with this chain - See the notes on Acts 26:29. Probably he was attached constantly to a soldier by a chain.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 28:20

• Chains
• Hope
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Attain
• Chain
• Compass
• Concern
• Confidence
• Constrain
• Escape

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