Acts 28:17

"He called together" Paul took the initiative and set up. meeting with the leaders of the Jewish community in Rome. There were at this time no less than seven different synagogues in Rome. Even though years before Claudius had expelled all Jews from Rome (Acts 18:2), this edict had expired and many Jews as returned. This is approximately 10 years later from that decree. Acts 28:17-19 Paul summarizes why and how he had ended up in this situation. First, he had done nothing against the Jewish people or the customs (rather he had been participating in one when arrested). The Romans had examined him and found him innocent. Paul had been forced to appeal to Caesar not because of any guilt but because the Jews in Judea had kept constant pressure on the Roman governor to bring him back to Jerusalem (and kill him on the way). "I was forced to" "It was something quite unavoidable, but the only way to avoid being handed over to. prejudiced tribunal (the Sanhedrin), or to the plots of assassination (Acts 25:3)" (Reese p. 938).