Acts 19 · Verse 40

Acts 19:40

For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

Acts 19:40, King James Version

Acts 19:40 in other translations

BSB	For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”
WEB	For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.”
ASV	For indeed we are in danger to be accused concerning this day’s riot, there being no cause for it: and as touching it we shall not be able to give account of this concourse.
YLT	for we are also in peril of being accused of insurrection in regard to this day, there being no occasion by which we shall be able to give an account of this concourse;'
DARBY	For also we are in danger to be put in accusation for sedition for this affair of to-day, no cause existing in reference to which we shall be able to give a reason for this concourse.
BBE	For, truly, we are in danger of being made responsible for this day's trouble, there being no cause for it: and we are not able to give any reason for this coming together.
Webster	For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause by which we may give an account of this concourse.

What does Acts 19:40 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 19:35-41

35-41. when the town-clerk--keeper of the public archives, and a magistrate of great authority. had appeased--"calmed." the people--"the multitude," which the very presence of such an officer would go far to do. he said ... what man ... knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana--literally, the neocoros or "warden." The word means "temple-sweeper"; then, "temple-guardian."…

Read the full comment on Acts 19:35-41 →

Barnes' Notes

Verse 40. To be called in question. By the government; by the Roman authority. Such a tumult, continued for so long a time, would be likely to attract the attention of the magistrates, and expose them to their displeasure. Popular commotions were justly dreaded by the Roman government; and such an assembly as this, convened without any good cause, would not escape their notice. There was a Roman law which made it capital for any one to be engaged in promoting a riot. Qui caetum, et concursum fecerit, capite puniatur: "He who raises a mob, let him be punished with death."

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 40 For we are in danger, etc. - Popular commotions were always dreaded by the Roman government; and so they should by all governments; for, when might has nothing to direct its operations but passion, how destructive must these operations be! One of the Roman laws made all such commotions of the people capital offenses against those who raised them. Qui caetum et concursus fecerit, capite puniatur: "He who raises a mob shall forfeit his life." If such a law existed at Ephesus - and it probably did, from this reference to it in the words of the town-clerk or recorder - then Demetrius must feel himself in great personal danger; and that his own life lay now at the mercy of those whom he had accused, concerning whom he had raised such an outcry, and against whom nothing disorderly could be proved.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 19:32-41

The Jews came forward in this tumult. Those who are thus careful to distinguish themselves from the servants of Christ now, and are afraid of being taken for them, shall have their doom accordingly in the great day. One, having authority, at length stilled the noise. It is a very good rule at all times, both in private and public affairs, not to be hasty and rash in our motions, but to take time to consider; and…

Read the full comment on Acts 19:32-41 →

Acts 19:40 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

γὰρgarforG1063

κινδυνεύομενkinduneuomenwe are in danger ofG2793

ἐγκαλεῖσθαιegkaleisthaibeing accusedG1458

στάσεωςstaseōsof insurrectionG4714

περὶperiin regard toG4012

τῆςtēs<the>G3588

σήμερονsēmeronthis dayG4594

μηδενὸςmēdenosnot oneG3367

αἰτίουaitioucauseG159

ὑπάρχοντοςhuparchontosthere is existingG5225

περὶpericoncerningG4012

οὗhouwhichG3739

οὐounotG3756

δυνησόμεθαdunēsomethawe will be ableG1410

ἀποδοῦναιapodounaito renderG591

λόγονlogona reasonG3056

τῆςtēs<the>G3588

συστροφῆςsustrophēscommotionG4963

ταύτης.tautēsthis.G3778

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 19:40

Acts 17:5-8
But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
Matthew 26:5
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
1 Kings 1:41
And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
Acts 20:1
And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
Acts 21:31
And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
Acts 21:38
Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

we are.
17:5-8
uproar.
20:1; 21:31,38; 1Ki 1:41; Mt 26:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Acts 19:39
But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
Acts 19:40
For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
Acts 19:41
And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Read all of Acts 19

Acts 19:40 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque peligro hay de que seamos argüidos de sedición por hoy, no habiendo ninguna causa por la cual podamos dar razón de este concurso. Y habiendo dicho esto, despidió la concurrencia.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	car nous sommes en danger d’être accusés de sédition pour ce qui s’est passé aujourd’hui, puisqu’il n’y a pas de motif que nous puissions alléguer pour rendre raison de cet attroupement. Et quand il eut dit ces choses, il congédia l’assemblée.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn wir sind auch in Gefahr, wegen heute des Aufruhrs angeklagt zu werden, indem es keine Ursache gibt, weswegen wir uns über diesen Auflauf werden verantworten können.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Nam et periclitamur argui seditionis hodiernæ, cum nullus obnoxius sit de quo possimus reddere rationem concursus istius. Et cum hæc dixisset, dimisit ecclesiam.