Acts 28:19

Act 28:19. Ἀντιλεγόντων, when the Jews spake against it) He speaks mildly: for they had tried, by a plot for murdering Paul, to put an end to his speaking in Palestine.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 28:19 . ἀντιλ .: the word is a mild one to describe the bitter enmity of the Jews (“clementer dicit,” Bengel); they are not actually represented as speaking against Paul’s acquittal, although they are evidently presupposed as doing so by the proposal of Festus, Act 25:9 , and by the belief that sooner or later he would fall a victim to their plots the Apostle was no doubt compelled ( ἠναγκάσθην ) to appeal. Holtzmann seems to forget the part played by the Jews, and their bitter enmity, when he says that in reality Paul was compelled to appeal not by the Jews, but by Festus; see also critical note. τοῦ ἔθνους μου : they were still his nation, and he was not ashamed to call them so, as a true patriot, when he stood before a foreign tribunal; cf. Act 24:17 , Act 26:4 , “see what friendliness of expression, he does not hold them in odium,” Chrysostom.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We may use the means which God giveth us, but so that we seek the glory of God, and not ourselves.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

I was constrained to appeal . . . not that I had aught to accuse my nation of--"I am here not as their accuser, but as my own defender, and this not of choice but necessity." His object in alluding thus gently to the treatment he had received from the Jews was plainly to avoid whatever might irritate his visitors at the first; especially as he was not aware whether any or what information against him had reached their community.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

19. I was enforced to appeal. This appeal was full of hatred and envy for this cause, because the authority and liberty of the Jewish nation did seem to be sore opprest, who could have been content to have lived with their own laws. Secondly, because his defense was joined with infamy and loss of all the people. Therefore he answereth this objection also, because he was enforced with the stubbornness of his enemies to fly to this fortress [asylum]. For he is excused by necessity, because he had no other way to escape death. And after that he had excused that which was done already, he promiseth that he will so handle his matter hereafter, that he will not labor against the Jews.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

19. not that I had ought to accuse my nation of] St Paul shews himself the patriotic Jew. He knew how many things his fellow-countrymen had suffered at the hands of the Roman power, and he did not wish in any way to bring on them any more trouble. He therefore explains that he had taken the course of appealing to Cæsar only because he saw no other means of obtaining his release. If that were secured he wished to lay no charge at the door of his accusers or their brethren in Rome.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But when the Jews spake against it,.... His being cleared and dismissed, and desired he might be sent back to Jerusalem, to be tried and judged there, to which Festus seemed inclined:

I was constrained to appeal to Caesar; to prevent the design of the Jews upon him, which was to way lay him and kill him, or by what ways they could, right or wrong, take away his life; and to provide for his own safety:

not that I had ought to accuse my nation of; meaning, that he had no ill design in this appeal against his country, to expose them, and bring them under reproach and censure, but to vindicate himself, defend his own innocence, and preserve his character and life; suggesting, that what he did was not of choice, but by constraint, and with reluctance; being no friend to Heathen tribunals, nor any enemy to the Jewish nation.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

Ver. 19. To accuse my nation of] But to defend Christ’s cause and mine own innocence, with as little reflex on the Jews as may be. It is an ill business to defame a whole nation (one’s own especially), as Scaliger, that proud hypercritic, who gave this base and unmannerly character, Gothi belluae, Scoti non minus, Angli perfidi, inflati, feri, contemptores, stolidi, amentes, inertes, inhospitales, immanes. The Goths are beasts, so are the Scots. As for the English, they are perfidious, proud, fierce, scornful, fools, madmen, sluggards, inhospitable, cruel.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The 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 Act 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 done him wrong.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Jews spake against it; the Jews used all their oratory and interest against Paul, both before Felix and Festus. And had it been in Festus’s power, (which after Paul’s appeal it was not), he would have sacrificed Paul to the malice of the Jews; and by that means got their favour, whom he had so incensed against them.

Not that I had aught to accuse my nation of; Paul did not so much want matter, as mind, to accuse the Jews; and he declares, that whatsoever he had suffered, his intentions were not to calumniate them, but to vindicate himself.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Not… accuse my nation—The fact of his being compelled to appeal implicated the heads of his nation; but he repudiates the feeling or purpose of accusing. The terms brethren, constrained, my nation, all indicate the deep affection for his kinsmen expressed in his epistle to the Romans, and his burning desire to win them to the Gospel. (Rom_9:1-6.)

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When the Jews spake against it. This is a detail not expressly mentioned in the direct narrative in Acts 25., but which makes that narrative clearer. It shows us that Festus"s proposal in Act_25:9 was made in consequence of the opposition of the Jews to the acquittal which he was disposed to pronounce. I was constrained to appeal. Nothing can be more delicate, more conciliatory, or more truly patriotic than Paul"s manner of addressing the Jews. Himself a Hebrew of the Hebrews, devoted to his kinsmen according to the flesh, never even putting forward his own privilege as a Roman citizen till the last necessity, he shows himself the constant friend of his own people in spite of all their ill usage. Undazzled by the splendor of Rome and the power of the Roman people, his heart is with his own despised nation, "that they might be saved." He wishes to he well with them; he wants them to understand his position; he speaks to them as a kinsman and a brother. His appeal to Caesar had been of necessity to save his life. But he was not going to accuse his brethren before the dominant race. His first desire was that they should be his friends, and share with him the hope of the gospel of Christ.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When the Jews opposed it - He speaks tenderly of them, not mentioning their repeated attempts to murder him. Not that I had any thing to accuse my nation of - Not that I had any design to accuse others, but merely to defend myself.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

See notes on verse 17

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

the Jews

This does not mean all of the Jews. AT: "the Jewish leaders" (See: Synecdoche)

spoke against their desire

"complained about what the Roman authorities wanted to do"

I was forced to appeal to Caesar

This can be stated in active form. AT: "I had to ask for Caesar to judge me" (See: Active or Passive)

although it is not as if I were bringing any accusation against my nation

The abstract noun "accusation" can be stated as the verb "accuse." Here "nation" stands for the people. AT: "but it was not because I wanted to accuse the people of my nation before Caesar" (See: Active or Passive and Metonymy)

the certain hope of Israel

Possible meanings are 1) the people of Israel confidently expect the Messiah to come or 2) the people of Israel confidently expect God to bring those who have died back to life.

Israel

Here "Israel" stands for the people. AT: "the people of Israel" or "the Jews" (See: Metonymy)

that I am bound with this chain

Here "bound with this chain" stands for being a prisoner. AT: "that I am a prisoner" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

Jew

Caesar

accuse

nation

Israel

confidence

bind

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

19. οὐχ ὡς τοῦ ἔθνους μου ἔχων τι κατηγορεῖν, not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. St Paul shews himself the patriotic Jew. He knew how many things his fellow-countrymen had suffered at the hands of the Roman power, and he did not wish in any way to bring on them more trouble. He therefore explains that he had taken the course of appealing to Cæsar only because he saw no other means of obtaining his release. If that were secured he wished to lay no charge at the door of his accusers or their brethren in Rome.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19.] ‘My appeal was a defensive and necessary step—not an offensive one, to complain of my nation.’

The inf. aor. of the rec. would point to some one definite charge: κατηγορεῖν means ‘to play the accuser against my nation in any thing:’ indicating the habit.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.