Acts 28:17-20

Paul Addresses the Jewish Community in Rome

28:17 After three days ¹  Paul ²  called the local Jewish leaders ³  together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, ⁴  although I had done ⁵  nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, ⁶  from Jerusalem ⁷  I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. ⁸  28:18 When ⁹  they had heard my case, ¹⁰  they wanted to release me, ¹¹  because there was no basis for a death sentence ¹²  against me. 28:19 But when the Jews objected, ¹³  I was forced to appeal to Caesar ¹⁴  – not that I had some charge to bring ¹⁵  against my own people. ¹⁶  28:20 So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel.” ¹⁷ 

[28:17]  ¹ tn Grk “It happened that after three days.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[28:17]  ² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:17]  ³ tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”

[28:17]  ⁴ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[28:17]  ⁵ tn The participle ποιήσας (poihsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[28:17]  ⁶ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:17]  ⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[28:17]  ⁸ tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredoqhn) has been translated “handed over.”

[28:18]  ⁹ tn Grk “who when.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) has been replaced by the personal pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.

[28:18]  ¹⁰ tn Or “had questioned me”; or “had examined me.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 2 states, “to conduct a judicial hearing, hear a case, question.”

[28:18]  ¹¹ sn They wanted to release me. See Acts 25:23-27.

[28:18]  ¹² tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[28:19]  ¹³ tn That is, objected to my release.

[28:19]  ¹⁴ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[28:19]  ¹⁵ tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.’”

[28:19]  ¹⁶ tn Or “my own nation.”

[28:20]  ¹⁷ sn The hope of Israel. A reference to Israel’s messianic hope. Paul’s preaching was in continuity with this Jewish hope (Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25).