I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
Parallel translations
- WEB I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.
- KJV Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
- NKJV I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains.
- NASB and I found that he was being accused regarding questions in their Law, but was not charged with anything deserving death or imprisonment.
- NLT I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious law—certainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Lysias concludes the dispute concerned questions of Jewish law, with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. The Roman officer formally declares Paul innocent of any crime.
Overview
This is one of several official testimonies in Acts to the political innocence of Christianity (compare Acts 18:14-15; 25:25; 26:31). Lysias judges the matter purely religious, not criminal. Luke shows that the gospel poses no threat to civil order, even as it provokes religious opposition.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Acts 26:31On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
- Acts 25:25But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
- Acts 18:15But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”
- Acts 28:18They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.
- Acts 25:19–20They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
- Acts 25:11If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
- Acts 25:7–8When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.
- Acts 24:10–21When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense.
- Acts 23:6–9Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
- Acts 24:5–6We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 23:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.