“When Paul arrived,
The Jews
Who had come down
From Jerusalem
Surrounded him.
They brought
Many serious charges
Against him,
But they could not prove them.”
παραγενομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ περιέστησαν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων καταβεβηκότες Ἰουδαῖοι, πολλὰ καὶ βαρέα αἰτιώματα καταφέροντες, ἃ οὐκ ἴσχυον ἀποδεῖξαι,
The author of Acts indicated that when Paul arrived (παραγενομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ), the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem (οἱ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων καταβεβηκότες Ἰουδαῖοι) surrounded him (περιέστησαν αὐτὸν). They brought (καταφέροντες) many serious charges (πολλὰ καὶ βαρέα αἰτιώματα) against him, but they could not prove them (ἃ οὐκ ἴσχυον ἀποδεῖξαι). Acts was the only Greek biblical writing that used this word αἰτιώματα, that means complaint, charge, or accusation, and the word καταφέροντες, that means to bring down, bear down, overpower, or bring charges. Most of the charges were complaints without any eyewitness testimony. Paul was called before Festus. Then the Jews who had come from Jerusalem with Festus surrounded Paul and brough serious charges against Paul, but they could prove any of their charges. How would you prove something against a person who had done something wrong to you?
