Acts 28:18

18 After the Romans investigated the charges and found there was nothing to them, they wanted to set me free,

Acts 28:18 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 28:18

Who when they had examined me
About the things laid to his charge, had heard what his accusers had to object to him, and the defence he made for himself:

would have let [me] go;
released him from his bonds, and set him at liberty to go where he pleased:

because there was no cause of death in me;
no crime proved upon him, which was worthy of death; and this was the sense of Lysias the chief captain, and of Felix and Festus the Roman governors, and of King Agrippa.

Acts 28:18 In-Context

16 When we actually entered Rome, they let Paul live in his own private quarters with a soldier who had been assigned to guard him.

17 Three days later, Paul called the Jewish leaders together for a meeting at his house. He said, "The Jews in Jerusalem arrested me on trumped-up charges, and I was taken into custody by the Romans. I assure you that I did absolutely nothing against Jewish laws or Jewish customs.

18 After the Romans investigated the charges and found there was nothing to them, they wanted to set me free,

19 but the Jews objected so fiercely that I was forced to appeal to Caesar. I did this not to accuse them of any wrongdoing or to get our people in trouble with Rome. We've had enough trouble through the years that way.

20 I did it for Israel. I asked you to come and listen to me today to make it clear that I'm on Israel's side, not against her. I'm a hostage here for hope, not doom."