TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
This is why I have asked to see you and speak with you, for it is because of the hope of Isra’el that I have this chain around me.”
Berean Standard Bible
So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
American Standard Version
For this cause therefore did I entreat you to see and to speak with me: for because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
World English Bible Messianic
For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
For this cause therefore haue I called for you, to see you, and to speake with you: for that hope of Israels sake, I am bound with this chaine.
Young's Literal Translation
for this cause, therefore, I called for you to see and to speak with you , for because of the hope of Israel with this chain I am bound.'
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In the KJVVerse 27,920 of 31,102
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Commentary on Acts 28 verses 17–22
17 ¶ 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.
18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.
20 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.
21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.
22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
Paul, with a great deal of expense and hazard, is brought a prisoner to Rome, and when he has come nobody appears to prosecute him or lay any thing to his charge; but he must call his own cause; and here he represents it to the chief of the Jews at Rome. It was not long since, by an edict of Claudius, all the Jews were banished from Rome, and kept out till his death; but, in the five years since then, many Jews had come thither, for the advantage of trade, though it does not appear that they were allowed any synagogue there or place of public worship; but these chief of the Jews were those of best figure among them, the most distinguished men of that religion, who had the best estates and interests. Paul called them together, being desirous to stand right in their opinion, and that there might be a good understanding between him and them. And here we are told,
I. What he said to them, and what account he gave them of his cause. He speaks respectfully to them, calls them men and brethren, and thereby intimates that he expects to be treated by them both as a man and as a brother, and engages to treat them as such and to tell them nothing but the truth; for we are members one of another - all we are brethren. Now, 1. He professes his own innocency, and that he had not given any just occasion to the Jews to bear him such an ill will as generally they did: "I have committed nothing against the people of the Jews, have done nothing to the prejudice of their religion or civil liberties, have added no affliction to their present miseries, they know I have not; nor have I committed any thing against the customs of our fathers, either by abrogating or by innovating in religion." It is true Paul did not impose the customs of the fathers upon the Gentiles: they were never intended for them. But it is as true that he never opposed them in the Jews, but did himself, when he was among them, conform to them. He never quarrelled with them for practising according to the usages of their own religion, but only for their enmity to the Gentiles, Gal 2:12. Paul had the testimony of his conscience for him that he had done his duty to the Jews. 2. He modestly complains of the hard usage he had met with - that, though he had given them no offence, yet he was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. If he had spoken the whole truth in this matter, it would have looked worse than it did upon the Jews, for they would have murdered him without any colour of law or justice if the Romans had not protected him; but, however, they accused him as a criminal, before Felix the governor, and, demanding judgment against him, were, in effect delivering him prisoner into the hands of the Romans, when he desired no more than a fair and impartial trial by their own law. 3. He declares the judgment of the Roman governors concerning him, Act 28:18. They examined him, enquired into his case, heard what was to be said against him, and what he had to say for himself. The chief captain examined him, so did Felix, and Festus, and Agrippa, and they could find no cause of death in him; nothing appeared to the contrary but that he was an honest, quiet, conscientious, good man, and therefore they would never gratify the Jews with a sentence of death upon him; but, on the contrary, would have let him go, and have let him go on in his work too, and have given him no interruption, for they all heard him and liked his doctrine well enough. It was for the honour of Paul that those who most carefully examined his case acquitted him, and none condemned him but unheard, and such as were prejudiced against him. 4. He pleads the necessity he was under to remove himself and his cause to Rome; and that it was only in his own defence, and not with any design to recriminate, or exhibit a cross bill against the complainants, (Act 28:19): When the Jews spoke against it, and entered a caveat against his discharge, designing, if they could not have him condemned to die, yet to have him made a prisoner for life, he was constrained to appeal unto Caesar, finding that the governors, one after another, stood so much in awe of the Jews that they could not discharge him, for fear of making him their enemies, which made it necessary for him to pray the assistance of the higher powers. This was all he aimed at in this appeal; not to accuse his nation, but only to vindicate himself. Every man has a right to plead in his own defence, who yet ought not to find fault with his neighbours. It is an invidious thing to accuse, especially to accuse a nation, such a nation. Paul made intercession for them, but never against them. The Roman government had at this time an ill opinion of the Jewish nation, as factious, turbulent, disaffected, and dangerous; and it had been an easy thing for a man with such a fluent tongue as Paul had, a citizen of Rome, and so injured as he was, to have exasperated the emperor against the Jewish nation. But Paul would not for ever so much do such a thing; he was for making the best of every body, and not making bad worse. 5. He puts his sufferings upon the true footing, and gives them such an account of the reason of them as should engage them not only not to join with his persecutors against him, but to concern themselves for him, and to do what they could on his behalf (Act 28:20): "For this cause I have called for you, not to quarrel with you, for I have no design to incense the government against you, but to see you and speak with you as my countrymen, and men that I would keep up a correspondence with, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain." He carried the mark of his imprisonment about with him, and probably was chained to the soldier that kept him; and it was, (1.) Because he preached that the Messiah was come, who was the hope of Israel, he whom Israel hoped for. "Do not all the Jews agree in this, that the Messiah will be the glory of his people Israel? And therefore he is to be hoped for, and this Messiah I preach, and prove he is come. They would keep up such a hope of a Messiah yet to come as must end in a despair of him; I preach such a hope in a Messiah already come as must produce a joy in him." (2.) Because he preached that the resurrection of the dead would come. This also was the hope of Israel; so he had called it, Act 23:6; Act 24:15; Act 26:6, Act 26:7. "They would have you still expect a Messiah that would free you from the Roman yoke, and make you great and prosperous upon earth, and it is this that occupies their thoughts; and they are angry at me for directing their expectations to the great things of another world, and persuading them to embrace a Messiah who will secure those to them, and not external power and grandeur. I am for bringing you to the spiritual and eternal blessedness upon which our fathers by faith had their eye, and this is what they hate me for, - because I would take you off from that which is the cheat of Israel, and will be its shame and ruin, the notion of a temporal Messiah, and lead you to that which is the true and real hope of Israel, and the genuine sense of all the promises made to the fathers, a spiritual kingdom of holiness and love set up in the hearts of men, to be the pledge of, and preparative for, the joyful resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come."
II. What was their reply. They own, 1. That they had nothing to say in particular against him; nor had any instructions to appear as his prosecutors before the emperor, either by letter or word of mouth (Act 28:21): "We have neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee (have no orders to prosecute thee) nor have any of the brethren of the Jewish nation that have lately come up to Rome (as many occasions drew the Jews thither now that their nation was a province of that empire) shown or spoken any harm of thee." This was very strange, that that restless and inveterate rage of the Jews which had followed Paul wherever he went should not follow him to Rome, to get him condemned there. Some think they told a lie here, and had orders to prosecute him, but durst not own it, being themselves obnoxious to the emperor's displeasure, who though he had not, like his predecessors, banished them all from Rome, yet gave them no countenance there. But I am apt to think that what they said was true, and Paul now found he had gained the point he aimed at in appealing to Caesar, which was to remove his cause into a court to which they durst not follow it. This was David's policy, and it was his security (Sa1 27:1): There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines, and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coasts of Israel; so shall I escape out of his hands: and it proved so, Act 28:4. When Saul heard that David had fled to Gath, he sought no more again for him. Thus did Paul by his appeal: he fled to Rome, where he was out of their reach; and they said, "Even let him go." 2. That they desired to know particularly concerning the doctrine he preached, and the religion he took so much pains to propagate in the face of so much opposition (Act 28:22): "We desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest - ha phroneis what thy opinions or sentiments are, what are those things which thou art so wise about, and hast such a relish of and such a zeal for; for, though we know little else of Christianity, we know it is a sect every where spoken against." Those who said this scornful spiteful word of the Christian religion were Jews, the chief of the Jews at Rome, who boasted of their knowledge (Rom 2:17), and yet this was all they knew concerning the Christian religion, that it was a sect every where spoken against. They put it into an ill name, and then ran it down. (1.) They looked upon it to be a sect, and this was false. True Christianity establishes that which is of common concern to all mankind, and is not built upon such narrow opinions and private interests as sects commonly owe their original to. It aims at no worldly benefit or advantage as sects do; but all its gains are spiritual and eternal. And, besides, it has a direct tendency to the uniting of the children of men, and not the dividing of them, and setting them at variance, as sects have. (2.) They said it was every where spoken against, and this was too true. All that they conversed with spoke against it, and therefore they concluded every body did: most indeed did. It is, and always has been, the lot of Christ's holy religion to be every where spoken against.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–22. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on Acts 55
"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."
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on Acts 55
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.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on Acts 55
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.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
In Acts 28:20, the Apostle Paul, under house arrest in Rome, explains to the assembled Jewish leaders the reason for his summons: his imprisonment is not due to any crime against Roman or Jewish law, but rather for his unwavering commitment to and proclamation of "the hope of Israel"—the long-awaited Messianic expectation fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This declaration underscores Paul's steadfast resolve to bear witness to the gospel, even while physically bound, transforming his chains into a platform for ministry.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Paul's declaration in Acts 28:20 employs several powerful literary devices. Irony is prominent, as Paul, though physically bound by a "chain," demonstrates profound spiritual freedom and an unhindered will to preach. His very imprisonment becomes the "cause" for him to convene a significant meeting and articulate his message, turning a disadvantage into an advantage for the gospel. This physical restraint contrasts sharply with the boundless nature of the truth he proclaims. There is also significant Symbolism at play: the "chain" is not merely a literal fetter but symbolizes the suffering, persecution, and limitations endured for the sake of the gospel, while "the hope of Israel" functions as a profound symbol for the entire Messianic expectation and God's redemptive plan for His people. Furthermore, Paul's direct and concise statement serves as a Rhetorical Strategy, immediately cutting to the heart of the matter and framing his trial not as a legal dispute over a crime, but as a theological debate concerning the fulfillment of Israel's most cherished hope.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Acts 28:20 profoundly connects to the broader biblical narrative of God's redemptive plan and the nature of Christian hope. Paul's declaration that he is bound "for the hope of Israel" underscores the theological continuity between the Old Testament promises and their New Testament fulfillment in Jesus Christ. This "hope" is not a vague optimism but a concrete expectation rooted in God's faithfulness, particularly concerning the Messiah and the resurrection of the dead. Paul's suffering for this hope exemplifies the truth that the advancement of God's kingdom often involves hardship, yet the divine purpose cannot be thwarted by human opposition or physical restraint. His chains become a testament to the power of the gospel, which, unlike human beings, cannot be bound. This passage reminds believers that their hope is grounded in historical reality and divine promise, and that faithfulness to this hope may involve suffering, but it is a suffering that ultimately serves God's sovereign plan.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Paul's powerful declaration in Acts 28:20 offers timeless lessons for believers navigating a complex world. His unwavering commitment to the "hope of Israel," which he identified as Jesus Christ, despite being physically bound, challenges us to examine the depth and clarity of our own hope. Is our Christian hope merely a vague optimism, or is it a concrete, biblically grounded expectation rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ, particularly His resurrection and promised return? Paul's example calls us to boldness in adversity, reminding us that our circumstances, no matter how limiting or difficult, can be transformed into platforms for God's glory and the advancement of the gospel. Just as Paul's chains became a testimony, our own "chains"—whether they be professional setbacks, health challenges, relational struggles, or societal pressures—can become opportunities to demonstrate the unshakeable nature of our faith and the liberating power of Christ. We are invited to view our trials not as hindrances, but as potential catalysts for deeper witness and spiritual growth, trusting that God can use even our limitations for His eternal purposes.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is "the hope of Israel" that Paul refers to in Acts 28:20?
Answer: "The hope of Israel" refers to the deeply rooted and multi-faceted Messianic expectation of the Jewish people, which encompassed several key elements. Primarily, it was the hope for the coming of the Messiah, God's anointed King, who would deliver Israel from oppression, establish His righteous kingdom, and bring about an era of peace and justice. This hope also included the resurrection of the dead, a belief held by many Jews (like the Pharisees, as seen in Acts 23:6). Paul's radical claim, which led to his imprisonment, was that this long-awaited hope had been definitively fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, particularly through His death and resurrection. He argued that Jesus was the promised Messiah and that His resurrection was the firstfruits of the general resurrection, making Him the embodiment of Israel's ultimate hope.
How did Paul's imprisonment, symbolized by "this chain," advance the gospel?
Answer: Paul's imprisonment, far from hindering the gospel, actually served to advance it in several significant ways, as he himself later explains in Philippians 1:12-14. Firstly, his house arrest in Rome allowed him to receive visitors freely, enabling him to preach the kingdom of God and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ "with all boldness and without hindrance" (as concluded in Acts 28:30-31). Secondly, his chains became a public testimony, making it clear to the Roman imperial guard and others that he was imprisoned specifically "for Christ," not for any actual crime. This bold witness encouraged other believers to preach the gospel with greater confidence. Finally, his confinement provided him with concentrated time to write many of his epistles (e.g., Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon), which have profoundly shaped Christian theology and practice for millennia, thus extending his influence far beyond his physical reach.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Acts 28:20, with Paul's declaration of being bound "for the hope of Israel," finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The "hope of Israel" was the collective yearning for the Messiah, the promised King who would redeem His people and establish His eternal kingdom. Paul's entire ministry was predicated on the conviction that Jesus of Nazareth was this long-awaited Messiah, the very embodiment of God's promises to Abraham, David, and all Israel. When Paul speaks of being bound for this hope, he is asserting that his chains are a direct consequence of proclaiming that the Old Testament prophecies, which pointed to a suffering servant and a reigning king, converged in Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus, which Paul consistently preached (as seen in Acts 17:3), was the definitive proof that God had fulfilled His promise and raised the Messiah from the dead, offering new life and hope to all who believe. Thus, Paul's suffering for "the hope of Israel" is not merely for an abstract concept, but for the living reality of Jesus Christ, who is "our hope" (1 Timothy 1:1). In Christ, the ancient promises of God to Israel—of redemption, new covenant, and eternal life—are not only realized but extended to all nations, making Him the "light for the Gentiles" and the "glory of your people Israel" (Luke 2:32). Paul's chains, therefore, become a powerful testament to the truth that the one who was bound for the hope of Israel ultimately points to the One who broke the bonds of death and offers true freedom.