Acts 19:40 Meaning and Explanation
“For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The clerk warns that the city itself could be called to account for the day's riot, having no cause to show for it.
What Does Acts 19:40 Mean?
Rome allowed her cities their liberties only while they kept the peace; an uproar with no cause could bring inquiry, penalty, and lost privileges. The clerk's final argument is bluntly practical: we have nothing to answer when asked why this happened.
"No cause" is the riot's epitaph: hours of fury without a reason that could survive daylight. The contrast with the church is complete, for the believers could give account of everything, words reasoned daily in public (v. 9) and lives changed in the open (vv. 18-19). Live so that, whenever an account is demanded, there is a good answer to give (1 Pet 3:15).
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 19:40
What does Acts 19:40 mean?
The clerk warns that the city itself could be called to account for the day's riot, having no cause to show for it.