Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 28:18
Who, when they had examined me, would have let [me] go, because there was no cause of death in me.
18. would have let me go ] [ R. V. “desired to set me at liberty”] Alluding most probably to Agrippa’s remark (Act 26:32) and the statement of Festus (Act 25:25). It seems probable that Felix would have found means to set Paul free had the requisite bribe been offered to him (Act 24:26). All were convinced of his innocence.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
When they had examined me … – Acts 24:10-27; Acts 25; Act 26:31-32.
No cause of death – No crime worthy of death.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Examined me; as Festus did in the presence of king Agrippa, Act 25:26, who, they were both unbelievers, yet justified Paul, acknowledging that he had not committed any thing worthy of bonds, much less of death. Thus our Saviour was declared innocent by Pilate, Luk 23:4,14.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When they had examined me ( ). First aorist active participle of , the same verb used already in Acts 24:8; Acts 25:6; Acts 25:26 of the judicial examinations by Felix and Festus.
Desired (). Imperfect middle of attempted action or picture of their real attitude. This is a correct statement as the words of both Felix and Festus show.
Because there was ( —). Accusative case with (causal use) with the articular infinitive, “Because of the being no cause of death in me” ( , in my case, , usual word for crime or charge of crime).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Who, when they had examined me,” (oitines anakrinantes me) “Who when they had examined me,” in an orderly, judicial arraignment manner, Act 24:8. When judicial inquiries had been made by order of both governors, Felix and Festus.
2) “Would have let me go,” (eboulonto apolusai) ‘Who were disposed to release me,” Act 26:31-32.
3) “Because there was no cause of death in me.” (dia to medemian aitian thanatou huparchein en emoi) “Because there was (existed) no cause of death to be (found) in me,” Act 23:28-29, as here attested, announced by Felix, the governor publicly; He was pronounced to be innocent of any capital crime, again and again, much as our Lord was publicly pronounced innocent by Pilate repeatedly, before he released Him to be crucified, fulfilling the statement of our Lord, Joh 15:20.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(18) Who, when they had examined me . . .It is possible that we have here only the summary of a fuller narrative, and that he gave an outline of the proceedings that had taken place between his first seizure and his appeal to the emperor. What he states, however, was fully warranted by the facts. No Roman magistrate had ever condemned him. Agrippa and Festus had decided that he might have been released (Act. 26:32). He had been constrained to appeal to Csar in self-defence, to avoid the danger of being handed over to a prejudiced tribunal or to plots of assassination (Act. 25:8-10). But, as it was, he came not, as other appellants so often came, with counter-accusations. On all such matters his lips were sealed, and his motive now was to remove any unfavourable impressions which reports from Juda might have left on the minds of his hearers.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Act 28:18-19 . This observation of the apostle, disclosing his presence at Rome thus brought about as a position of necessity , completes (comp. Act 25:25 ) the narrative of Act 25:9 . After his vindication (Act 25:8 ) we are to conceive, namely, that Festus expresses his willingness to release him; this the Jews oppose (Act 28:19 ), and now Festus proposes that Paul should allow himself to be judged in Jerusalem (Act 25:9 ), whereupon the latter appeals to Caesar (Act 25:11 ).
] thus purely on the defensive, and not in unpatriotic hostility.
and the present infinitive (see the critical remarks) refer to what Paul has to do now in Rome.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
Ver. 18. Because there was no cause ] See Act 25:25 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
18. . ] This may have been at ch. Act 25:8 . The possibility of such a release is asserted by Agrippa, ch. Act 26:32 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 28:18 . ., cf. Act 24:8 , Act 25:6 ; Act 25:26 , referring here to the judicial inquiries of Felix and Festus.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
examined. Greek. anakrino. App-122.
would have = were wishing to. Greek. boulomai. App-102.
let . . . go. Greek. apoluo. App-174.
cause. Greek. aitia, as in Act 25:27.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
18. . ] This may have been at ch. Act 25:8. The possibility of such a release is asserted by Agrippa, ch. Act 26:32.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 28:18. , were wishing to let me go) ch. Act 24:23, etc.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Act 22:24, Act 22:25, Act 22:30, Act 24:10, Act 24:22, Act 25:7, Act 25:8, Act 26:31
Reciprocal: Jer 37:20 – lest Act 25:10 – as thou Act 26:32 – appealed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 28:18. Who means the Romans into whose hands Paul had been delivered. Finding nothing wrong in him, they were disposed to discharge him from all accusations.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 28:18. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. All the great Roman officials, before whose tribunals, at different periods of his career, Paul had been brought, through the enmity of his countrymen, had acquitted him of sedition and wrong-doing. He was thinking of Sergius Paulus (chap. Act 13:7), Gallio (chap. Act 18:12), Claudius Lysias (chap. Act 23:29), Felix (chap. Act 24:25), Festus and Agrippa (chap. Act 26:32), but especially of the last two names, the Roman governor and the Jewish king, who so unwillingly had sent him to Rome to be judged before the imperial tribunal.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 17