19:40a

For: This phrase in Greek introduces a reason and indicates emphasis. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

For indeed (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
For…really (English Standard Version)

19:40b

we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting: Demetrius and the craftsmen caused an uproar in the city. The resulting crowd had spent about two hours shouting. So it was possible that the Roman authorities could accuse the people of Ephesus of rioting.

This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

we are in danger of ⌊the authorities⌋ charging us with rioting
-or-
some people might see this trouble today and say that we are rioting (New Century Version)

we are in jeopardy of: This clause refers to being at risk of the authorities accusing them of wrongdoing because of what they did. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

we run the risk of (God’s Word)
-or-
We could easily (New Jerusalem Bible)

charged with rioting: The word charged refers to someone accuses someone else of wrongdoing. It usually implies in court. Here the city leaders or judges could take these people to court and say they had broken the law about rioting. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

accused of a riot (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
taken to court for rioting

rioting: This word refers to a violent crowd damaging property and hurting or killing people. The Greek word in this sense here usually implies demanding political change. Rome, as rulers over Ephesus, would not want either and might punish the people responsible or even the city. Other ways to translate this word are:

having a violent uproar
-or-
gathering together to hurt others
-or-
being a crowd seeking to destroy things

19:40c

and: This Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as and implies a connection between the possibility of the authorities charging the people of the city with rioting and what is stated in this clause. Use a connector that indicates that 19:40c connects to 19:40a–b. For example:

In that case (New International Version)

we have no justification to account for this commotion: The phrase account for refers to explaining something. Here it indicates that the people would not be able to explain the uproar in a way that would convince the authorities not to punish them. Other ways to translate this clause are:

there being no cause that we can give to justify this commotion (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
We won’t be able to explain this unruly mob

we have no justification: The verse implies no justification that the authorities would say was good. There was a justification for the uproar, but this reason would convince the authorities to punish them. In some languages the implied information must be supplied. For example:

there is no ⌊good⌋ reason for it

commotion: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as commotion refers to a gathering that is disorderly or planning to cause trouble. Other ways to translate this word are:

disorderly gathering
-or-
mob (God’s Word)
-or-
trouble-causing crowd

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