Acts 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.
Acts 28:20
In Acts 28:20, Paul explains to his listeners that his imprisonment is “for the hope of Israel.” He’s gathered the Jewish leaders to explain his situation and to share the gospel’s connection to their covenant hopes. The phrase signals that his chain is not a petty punishment but a testimony to the Messiah who fulfills Israel’s hopes. He frames his imprisonment as a prophetic and pastoral opportunity to minister to God’s people.
The verse highlights the continuity between Israel’s hope and the Christian gospel. Paul’s emphasis on the “hope of Israel” ties the Christian message to the fulfillment of biblical promises. It also demonstrates the mission’s aim: to bring the message of Jesus as fulfillment of prophecy and law, not to abandon Jewish heritage but to interpret it through Christ. Theologically, it emphasizes the unity of God’s people across the testaments and the church as the continuation of Israel’s story.
Today, you can relate to that sense of hope in the midst of difficulty. If you face misunderstandings about your faith, articulate clearly how your hope is fulfilled in Jesus and how it honors the Jewish roots of the faith. It’s about offering a coherent, hopeful narrative that connects biblical promises to the person of Christ. Share testimonies of how hope sustains you in trials and how you live as a person shaped by that hope.
Cross-References: Luke 24:27; Romans 15:8-12; Galatians 3:29; Hebrews 10:23; 1 Peter 1:3