The Meaning of Acts 28:19 Explained

Acts 28:19

KJV: But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.

YLT: and the Jews having spoken against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar -- not as having anything to accuse my nation of;

Darby: But the Jews speaking against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not as having anything to accuse my nation of.

ASV: But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had aught whereof to accuse my nation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  when the Jews  spake against  [it], I was constrained  to appeal  unto Caesar;  not  that  I had  ought  to accuse  my  nation  of. 

What does Acts 28:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 28:11-20 - Still Seeking His Own Kinsmen
Paul went toward Rome, as we have seen, under very different circumstances from those that he originally anticipated; but, after all, they gave him the greatest opportunity of his life. The things that befell him were for the furtherance of the gospel. In no other way could he have approached or touched such men as the centurion, or the members of Caesar's household, or Publius, or Nero himself.
It was very good of Julius to give Paul seven days' rest in the lovely bay of Puteoli, at the foot of Vesuvius. The little towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were not yet overwhelmed. What teaching and what happy fellowship the little church now enjoyed! Forty-three miles from Rome, at Appii Forum, a body of Christians awaited the Apostle with greetings, and ten miles farther on, at the Three Taverns, was another group. If Paul had entertained fears about his reception, they were immediately dispelled. The Apostle thanked God and took courage.
How he had longed to see mighty Rome! He was now allowed to live in his own house, chained to a soldier. In these circumstances he was secure from the hatred and plottings of the Jews, who in every city had endangered his life and impeded his labors. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 28

1  Paul, after his shipwreck, is kindly entertained on Malta
5  The snake on his hand hurts him not
8  He heals many diseases in the island
11  They depart toward Rome
17  He declares to the Jews the cause of his coming
24  After his preaching some were persuaded, and some believed not
30  Yet he preaches there two years

Greek Commentary for Acts 28:19

When the Jews spake against it [αντιλεγοντων των Ιουδαιων]
Genitive absolute again, αντιλεγοντων — antilegontōn “The word is a mild one to describe the bitter enmity of the Jews” (Knowling). [source]
I was constrained [ηναγκαστην]
“I was compelled,” first aorist passive indicative of αναγκαζω — anagkazō the very word used of Paul‘s efforts to get the Christians to blaspheme (Acts 26:11) which see. Paul was compelled to appeal to Caesar (See note on Acts 25:11, and note on Acts 25:12 for this phrase), unless Paul was willing to be the victim of Jewish hate when he had done no wrong. Not that I had aught to accuse my nation of (ουχ ως του ετνους μου εχων τι κατηγορειν — ouch hōs tou ethnous mou echōn ti katēgorein). This use of ως — hōs with a participle (εχων — echōn) is common in Greek for the alleged reason. The genitive case with the infinitive κατηγορειν — katēgorein is regular. Paul says ετνος — ethnos instead of λαος — laos as in Acts 24:17; Acts 26:4. [source]
Not that I had aught to accuse my nation of [ουχ ως του ετνους μου εχων τι κατηγορειν]
This use of ως — hōs with a participle (εχων — echōn) is common in Greek for the alleged reason. The genitive case with the infinitive κατηγορειν — katēgorein is regular. Paul says ετνος — ethnos instead of λαος — laos as in Acts 24:17; Acts 26:4. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 28:19

Acts 25:11 And have committed anything worthy of death [και αχιον τανατου πεπραχα]
Same condition with the difference in tense Old verb to ask alongside, to beg from, to deprecate, to refuse, to decline. See notes on Luke 14:18. Josephus (Life, 29) has thanein ou paraitoumai Here the articular second aorist active infinitive is in the accusative case the object of paraitoumai “I do not beg off dying from myself.” But if none of these things is παραιτουμαι — Deuteronomy here is contrasted with ει δε ουδεν εστιν — men just before. No word for “true” in the Greek. Δε — Estin (“is”) in the Greek here means “exists.” Same condition (first class, assumed as true). Whereof these accuse me (μεν — hōn houtoi katēgorousin mou). Genitive of relative Εστιν — hon by attraction from ων ουτοι κατηγορουσιν μου — ha (accusative with ον — katēgorousin) to case of the unexpressed antecedent α — toutōn (“of these things”). κατηγορουσιν — Mou is genitive of person after τουτων — katēgorousin No man can give me up to them “Can” legally. Paul is a Roman citizen and not even Festus can make a free gift Technical phrase like Latin Caesarem appello. Originally the Roman law allowed an appeal from the magistrate to the people (provocatio ad populum), but the emperor represented the people and so the appeal to Caesar was the right of every Roman citizen. Paul had crossed the Rubicon on this point and so took his case out of the hands of dilatory provincial justice (really injustice). Roman citizens could make this appeal in capital offences. There would be expense connected with it, but better that with some hope than delay and certain death in Jerusalem. Festus was no better than Felix in his vacillation and desire to curry favour with the Jews at Paul‘s expense. No doubt Paul‘s long desire to see Rome (Acts 19:21; Romans 15:22-28) and the promise of Jesus that he would see Rome (Acts 23:11) played some part in Paul‘s decision. But he made it reluctantly for he says in Rome (Acts 28:19): “I was constrained to appeal.” But acquittal at the hands of Festus with the hope of going to Rome as a free man had vanished. [source]
Acts 25:11 But if none of these things is [τανειν ου παραιτουμαι]
παραιτουμαι — Deuteronomy here is contrasted with ει δε ουδεν εστιν — men just before. No word for “true” in the Greek. Δε — Estin (“is”) in the Greek here means “exists.” Same condition (first class, assumed as true). Whereof these accuse me (μεν — hōn houtoi katēgorousin mou). Genitive of relative Εστιν — hon by attraction from ων ουτοι κατηγορουσιν μου — ha (accusative with ον — katēgorousin) to case of the unexpressed antecedent α — toutōn (“of these things”). κατηγορουσιν — Mou is genitive of person after τουτων — katēgorousin No man can give me up to them “Can” legally. Paul is a Roman citizen and not even Festus can make a free gift Technical phrase like Latin Caesarem appello. Originally the Roman law allowed an appeal from the magistrate to the people (provocatio ad populum), but the emperor represented the people and so the appeal to Caesar was the right of every Roman citizen. Paul had crossed the Rubicon on this point and so took his case out of the hands of dilatory provincial justice (really injustice). Roman citizens could make this appeal in capital offences. There would be expense connected with it, but better that with some hope than delay and certain death in Jerusalem. Festus was no better than Felix in his vacillation and desire to curry favour with the Jews at Paul‘s expense. No doubt Paul‘s long desire to see Rome (Acts 19:21; Romans 15:22-28) and the promise of Jesus that he would see Rome (Acts 23:11) played some part in Paul‘s decision. But he made it reluctantly for he says in Rome (Acts 28:19): “I was constrained to appeal.” But acquittal at the hands of Festus with the hope of going to Rome as a free man had vanished. [source]
Acts 25:11 No man can give me up to them [Μου]
“Can” legally. Paul is a Roman citizen and not even Festus can make a free gift Technical phrase like Latin Caesarem appello. Originally the Roman law allowed an appeal from the magistrate to the people (provocatio ad populum), but the emperor represented the people and so the appeal to Caesar was the right of every Roman citizen. Paul had crossed the Rubicon on this point and so took his case out of the hands of dilatory provincial justice (really injustice). Roman citizens could make this appeal in capital offences. There would be expense connected with it, but better that with some hope than delay and certain death in Jerusalem. Festus was no better than Felix in his vacillation and desire to curry favour with the Jews at Paul‘s expense. No doubt Paul‘s long desire to see Rome (Acts 19:21; Romans 15:22-28) and the promise of Jesus that he would see Rome (Acts 23:11) played some part in Paul‘s decision. But he made it reluctantly for he says in Rome (Acts 28:19): “I was constrained to appeal.” But acquittal at the hands of Festus with the hope of going to Rome as a free man had vanished. [source]
Acts 28:22 Concerning this sect [περι της αιρεσεως ταυτης]
Paul had identified Christianity with Judaism (Acts 28:20) in its Messianic hope. The language seems to imply that the number of Christians in Rome was comparatively small and mainly Gentile. If the edict of Claudius for the expulsion of the Jews from Rome (Acts 18:2) was due to disturbance over Christ Cf. Acts 28:19. The line of cleavage between Jew and Christian was now sharply drawn everywhere. [source]
Acts 28:22 Everywhere spoken against [npantachou antilegetain)]
(npantachou antilegetain). Cf. Acts 28:19. The line of cleavage between Jew and Christian was now sharply drawn everywhere. [source]
Acts 25:11 I appeal unto Caesar [ουδεις με δυναται αυτοις χαρισασται]
Technical phrase like Latin Caesarem appello. Originally the Roman law allowed an appeal from the magistrate to the people (provocatio ad populum), but the emperor represented the people and so the appeal to Caesar was the right of every Roman citizen. Paul had crossed the Rubicon on this point and so took his case out of the hands of dilatory provincial justice (really injustice). Roman citizens could make this appeal in capital offences. There would be expense connected with it, but better that with some hope than delay and certain death in Jerusalem. Festus was no better than Felix in his vacillation and desire to curry favour with the Jews at Paul‘s expense. No doubt Paul‘s long desire to see Rome (Acts 19:21; Romans 15:22-28) and the promise of Jesus that he would see Rome (Acts 23:11) played some part in Paul‘s decision. But he made it reluctantly for he says in Rome (Acts 28:19): “I was constrained to appeal.” But acquittal at the hands of Festus with the hope of going to Rome as a free man had vanished. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 28:19 mean?

Objecting however of the Jews I was compelled to appeal to Caesar not as the nation of me having anything to lay against
ἀντιλεγόντων δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἠναγκάσθην ἐπικαλέσασθαι Καίσαρα οὐχ ὡς τοῦ ἔθνους μου ἔχων τι κατηγορεῖν

ἀντιλεγόντων  Objecting 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἀντιλέγω  
Sense: to speak against, gainsay, contradict.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰουδαίων  Jews 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.
ἠναγκάσθην  I  was  compelled 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀναγκάζω  
Sense: to necessitate, compel, drive to, constrain.
ἐπικαλέσασθαι  to  appeal  to 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Middle
Root: ἐπικαλέω  
Sense: to put a name upon, to surname.
Καίσαρα  Caesar 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Καῖσαρ  
Sense: the surname of Julius Caesar, which adopted by Octavius Augustus and his successors afterwards became a title, and was appropriated by the Roman emperors as part of their title.
ἔθνους  nation 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ἔθνος  
Sense: a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together.
μου  of  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
τι  anything 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
κατηγορεῖν  to  lay  against 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: κατηγορέω  
Sense: to accuse.