For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul connects his imprisonment not just to a legal appeal, but to a deeply held Jewish belief. He's not just wearing a chain for a crime, but for proclaiming that the Messiah, the "hope of Israel" everyone longed for, had already come in Jesus. This reveals that the entire conflict wasn't about some obscure legal technicality, but a clash over the very heart of their national expectation.
For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul, having appealed to Caesar and now under house arrest in Rome, has called together the leading Jewish men. He explains that he's not against the Jewish people or their traditions, but was delivered to the Romans and forced to appeal to Caesar due to the opposition of some Jews. Now, he wants to meet with them simply to explain his situation and share why he's in chains—because of his belief in the promised Messiah, the very hope of Israel.
Paul is a prisoner, but he doesn't see his chains as a symbol of defeat. Instead, he uses them to make a profound point.
Paul is wearing a chain, a physical symbol of his imprisonment and the opposition he faces. However, he reframes this chain not as a mark of shame, but as a testament to his faithfulness. He declares, "because of the hope of Israel I am wearing this chain."
This means his suffering is directly linked to the very thing the Jewish leaders claim to uphold: the hope of Israel. For Paul, this hope is centered on Jesus Christ. His imprisonment is proof that he is standing firm for the Messianic hope that the Jewish people themselves anticipate. It's a bold statement: 'My suffering is not for a crime, but for proclaiming the fulfillment of your deepest national hope.'
Paul addresses the Jewish leaders as 'brothers' and speaks of a 'hope' they all share. So, what's the difference?
The 'hope of Israel' for Paul, and indeed for many devout Jews of his day, was the anticipation of the Messiah who would bring God's kingdom and restore His people. This included the hope of resurrection, as mentioned in Acts 26:6-7.
Paul's key distinction is that he firmly believes this hope has been realized in Jesus. While the Jewish leaders he meets still await the Messiah, Paul proclaims that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of God, whose resurrection authenticates his claims. His 'chain' is a result of this specific proclamation – he has taken their shared national hope and declared its fulfillment in Christ, a step many were unwilling or unable to take.
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Understand the original words
elpis · Greek Noun
The confident expectation of the fulfillment of God’s promises, specifically regarding the Messiah, the resurrection of the dead, and the restoration of the Kingdom of God to Israel.
halysis · Greek Noun
A literal metal binding used to restrain a prisoner. Symbolically, it often represents the physical trials, suffering, and persecution endured by believers for the sake of the message of Christ.
Paul's imprisonment and appeal to Caesar are key events that bring him to Rome. His conversation with the Roman Jewish leaders highlights that his suffering is directly tied to proclaiming the Messianic hope, which he believes has been fulfilled in Jesus.
c. AD 59
Paul's Arrest in Jerusalem
Paul is arrested in Jerusalem after being accused by Jewish leaders of defiling the temple. This leads to a series of trials and his eventual appeal to Caesar.
c. AD 59-60
Voyage to Rome and Shipwreck
Paul, as a prisoner, sails toward Rome but is shipwrecked on Malta. After several months, he continues his journey.
c. AD 60— this verse
Arrival in Rome
Paul arrives in Rome under house arrest, guarded by a soldier but allowed to receive visitors. This sets the scene for his ministry in the capital.
c. AD 60
Paul Summons Jewish Leaders
After settling in Rome, Paul calls for the prominent Jewish leaders to explain his presence and his message.
c. AD 60
Jewish Leaders Hear Paul
The Jewish leaders listen to Paul's defense, acknowledging that they have received no letters from Judea warning against him, but they express a desire to hear more about this 'sect' he represents.
This verse directly links the 'hope of Israel' to the resurrection of Jesus, which is the very reason Paul is imprisoned as he proclaims it.
Philippians 1:16Paul here echoes the sentiment of Acts 28:20, explaining that his very imprisonment serves to defend and confirm the gospel, which is rooted in the 'hope of Israel'.
Romans 4:18This passage illuminates the 'hope of Israel' as rooted in God's promise to Abraham, a promise fulfilled in Christ, for whom Paul is suffering.
Jeremiah 31:33This Old Testament prophecy points to a new covenant where God's law is written on the heart, a concept deeply tied to the Messianic hope that Paul is proclaiming and for which he is chained.
ellicottActs 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."
(20) For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. —The mention of “chain” in the singular agrees with the fact stated in Acts 28:30 , that he was entrusted to the keeping of a single soldier. There is a certain touch of pathos in this appeal to his sufferings as a prisoner. (Comp. Ephesians 3:1 ; Ephesians 4:1 ; Ephesians 6:20 . )…
henryActs 28:17-22: "And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans."
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 C…
Paul connects his imprisonment not just to a legal appeal, but to a deeply held Jewish belief. He's not just wearing a chain for a crime, but for proclaiming that the Messiah, the "hope of Israel" everyone longed for, had already come in Jesus. This reveals that the entire conflict wasn't about some obscure legal technicality, but a clash over the very heart of their national expectation.
Paul, having appealed to Caesar and now under house arrest in Rome, has called together the leading Jewish men. He explains that he's not against the Jewish people or their traditions, but was delivered to the Romans and forced to appeal to Caesar due to the opposition of some Jews. Now, he wants to meet with them simply to explain his situation and share why he's in chains—because of his belief in the promised Messiah, the very hope of Israel.
Paul, having appealed to Caesar and now under house arrest in Rome, has called together the leading Jewish men. He explains that he's not against the Jewish people or their traditions, but was delivered to the Romans and forced to appeal to Caesar due to the opposition of some Jews. Now, he wants to meet with them simply to explain his situation and share why he's in chains—because of his belief in the promised Messiah, the very hope of Israel.
"For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”" — Paul connects his imprisonment not just to a legal appeal, but to a deeply held Jewish belief. He's not just wearing a chain for a crime, but for proclaiming that the Messiah, the "hope of Israel" ev…
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Last reviewed October 2026