Versus 17 through 28:Three days after Paul’s arrival, he called together the local Jewish leaders. He said to them, “Brothers, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Roman government, even though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors. The Romans tried me and wanted to release me, because they found no cause for the death sentence. But when the Jewish leaders protested the decision, I felt it necessary to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no desire to press charges against my own people. I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel—the Messiah—has already come.” They replied, “We have had no letters from Judea or reports against you from anyone who has come here. But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about this movement is that it is denounced everywhere.” So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe. And after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: “The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet, ‘Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it.”(Editors note:)The verse 29 in modern translations have been redacted because it has not been founded in the most earliest manuscripts that a large percentage of scholars have agreed to be dated around the time of the events of the book of acts. As well, they believe that it could’ve been added in towards the middle ages as a foot note. A lot of more updated modern translations of the holy text has put the scripture in the footnotes as not to totally take it away from the more contemporary scripture versions.
Here is verse 29: And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, greatly disagreeing with each other
Verses 30 and 31:For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him
The Acts of the Apostles: 28:17-31 (with editors now)
The mission of our lives is to be witnesses to the love of Christ. Stop and absorb that for a minute. Do your goals line up with this calling? Acts 1:8 lays out the Great Commission – we are to be witnesses for Jesus where we live and to the ends of the earth. Throughout the book of Acts, person after person has been shown obeying that mission, and there are countless others we never hear about who spread the gospel everywhere. There was hardship and opposition, but they did not stop, and neither can we.
The book ends with Paul in chains, preaching the gospel in Rome. What happened to Paul? He was eventually executed in Rome by the emperor. Some think he was released and traveled again before he was executed. The book of Acts doesn’t tell us because the book is not about Paul; it is about being witnesses for Jesus. Paul had made it to Rome – not the ends of the earth but the center of the Empire. The book ends as an invitation to continue the mission of Jesus, paying the price to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. This is our mission and purpose in life. Understand your call, be filled with the love of Christ, and share His love and truth with everyone you know!
How can you be a witness for Jesus? How will you live His mission this week?
