Acts 28 · Verse 20

Acts 28:20

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.
Acts 28:20, King James Version

Acts 28:20 in other translations

BSBSo 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.”
WEBFor 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.”
ASVFor 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.
YLTfor 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.'
DARBYFor this cause therefore I have called you to me to see and to speak to you; for on account of the hope of Israel I have this chain about me.
BBEBut for this reason I sent for you, to see and have talk with you: for because of the hope of Israel I am in these chains.
WebsterFor 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.

What does Acts 28:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 28:17-20

17-20. Paul called the chief of the Jews together--Though banished from the capital by Claudius, the Jews enjoyed the full benefit of the toleration which distinguished the first period of Nero's reign, and were at this time in considerable numbers, wealth, and influence settled at Rome. We have seen that long before this a flourishing Christian Church existed at Rome, to which Paul wrote his Epistle (see on Ac…

Read the full comment on Acts 28:17-20 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. Because that for the hope of Israel. On account of the hope which the Jews cherished of the coming of the Messiah; of the resurrection; and of the future state through him. Acts 23:6.

I am bound with this chain. Acts 26:29. Probably he was attached constantly to a soldier by a chain.

(b) "hope of Israel" Acts 26:6,7 (c) "chain" Acts 26:29, Eph 3:1, 4:1, 6:20, 2Ti 1:16, 2:9, Phm 1:10,13.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 For the hope of Israel I am bound, etc. - As if he had said: This, and this alone, is the cause of my being delivered into the hands of the Romans; I have proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah; have maintained that though he was crucified by the Jews, yet he rose again from the dead; and, through him, I have preached the general resurrection of mankind: this all Israel professes to hope for; and yet it is on this account that the Jews persecute me. Both the Messiah and the resurrection might be said to be the hope of Israel; and it is hard to tell which of them is here meant: see Act 13:6; Act 24:15, Act 24:21; Act 26:6. It is certain that, although the Jews believed in the general resurrection, yet they did not credit it in the manner in which Paul preached it; for he laid the foundation of the general resurrection on the resurrection of Christ.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 28:17-22

It was for the honour of Paul that those who examined his case, acquitted him. In his appeal he sought not to accuse his nation, but only to clear himself. True Christianity settles what is of common concern to all mankind, and is not built upon narrow opinions and private interests. It aims at no worldly benefit or advantage, but all its gains are spiritual and eternal. It is, and always has been, the lot of…

Read the full comment on Acts 28:17-22 →

Acts 28:20 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.

διὰdiaForG1223
ταύτηνtautēnthisG3778
οὖνounthereforeG3767
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
αἰτίανaitiancauseG156
παρεκάλεσαparekalesaI have calledG3870
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
ἰδεῖνideinto seeG1492
καὶkaiandG2532
προσλαλῆσαι·proslalēsaito speak to [you];G4354
ἕνεκενhenekenbecause ofG1752
γὰρgarforG1063
τῆςtēstheG3588
ἐλπίδοςelpidoshopeG1680
τοῦtou<the>G3588
ἸσραὴλIsraēlof IsraelG2474
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
ἅλυσινhalusinchainG254
ταύτηνtautēnthisG3778
περίκειμαι.perikeimaiI have around [me].G4029

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

Cross references for Acts 28:20

  • Acts 26:6-7

    And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

  • 2 Timothy 2:9

    Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

  • Ephesians 6:20

    For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

  • Acts 26:29

    And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

  • Philippians 1:13

    So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

  • Acts 24:15

    And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

  • Ephesians 3:1

    For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

  • Acts 23:6

    But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

  • Acts 21:33

    Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.

  • Ephesians 4:1

    I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

  • Philemon 1:10

    I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

  • Acts 10:33

    Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
this cause.
17; 10:29,33
for the.
23:6; 24:15; 26:6,7
this chain.That is, the chain with which he was bound to the "soldier that kept him;" (ver. 16;) a mode of custody which Dr. Lardner has shown was in use among the Romans. It is in exact conformity, therefore, with the truth of St. Paul's situation at this time, that he declares himself to be "an ambassador in a chain," [en halusis ,] (Eph 6:20;) and the exactness is the more remarkable, as [halusis ,] a chain is no where used in the singular number to express any other kind of custody.
26:29; Eph 3:1; 4:1; 6:20; Php 1:13; Col 4:18; 2Ti 1:10; 2:9
Phm 1:10,13

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

Context

  • Acts 28:19

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

  • Acts 28:20

    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.

  • Acts 28:21

    And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.

Read all of Acts 28

Acts 28:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Así que, por esta causa, os he llamado para veros y hablaros; porque por la esperanza de Israel estoy rodeado de esta cadena.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		C’est donc là le sujet pour lequel je vous ai appelés, afin de vous voir et de vous parler, car c’est pour l’espérance d’Israël que je suis chargé de cette chaîne.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Um dieser Ursache willen nun habe ich euch herbeigerufen, euch zu sehen und zu euch zu reden; denn wegen der Hoffnung Israels bin ich mit dieser Kette umgeben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Propter hanc igitur causam rogavi vos videre, et alloqui. Propter spem enim Israël catena hac circumdatus sum.