'But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar-not that I had any charge to bring against my own people.' - Paul explains his appeal to Caesar: the Jewish objection ('Jews objected,' antilegō, antilegō-'speak against, object') 'compelled' him to appeal. Yet his qualification-'not that I had any charge to bring against my own people' (ouch hōs kategoros, ouch hōs kategoros-'not as one accusing')-shows his continued identification with the Jewish people. His appeal was defensive (to save his life), not prosecutorial (to condemn his accusers). The subtlety matters: Paul remains bound to his people even as Rome provides the forum for his final testimony.

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