Acts 28:13-30

¹³and from there we worked to windward and so got to Rhegium. A day later a south wind sprang up and took us to Puteoli in two days.

¹⁴There we found some of the Lord's followers, and were urged to stay a week with them; after which we went on to Rome.

¹⁵The followers there had heard about us, and came out as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At sight of them Paul thanked God and was much cheered.

¹⁶On our reaching Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, except for the soldier who was in charge of him.

¹⁷Three days after our arrival, Paul invited the leading Jews to meet him; and, when they came, he said, “Brothers, although I had done nothing hostile to the interests of our nation or to our ancestral customs, yet I was sent from Jerusalem as a prisoner, and handed over to the Romans.

¹⁸The Romans, when they had examined me, were ready to release me, because there was nothing in my conduct deserving death.

¹⁹But, as the Jewish leaders opposed my release, I was compelled to appeal to the Emperor — not, indeed, that I had any charge to make against my own nation.

²⁰This, then, is my reason for urging you to come to see me and talk with me; because it is for the sake of the hope of Israel that I am here in chains.”

²¹“We,” was their reply, “have not had any letter about you from Judea, nor have any of our fellow Jews come and reported or said anything bad about you.

²²But we will be glad to hear from you what your views are, for, with regard to this sect, we are well aware that it is spoken against on all sides.”

²³They then fixed a day with him, and came to the place where he was staying, in even larger numbers, when Paul proceeded to lay the subject before them. He bore his testimony to the kingdom of God, and tried to convince them about Jesus, by arguments drawn from the Law of Moses and from the prophets — speaking from morning until evening.

²⁴Some were inclined to accept what he said; others, however, rejected it.

²⁵So, as they disagreed amongst themselves, they began to disperse, Paul adding only — “True, indeed, was the declaration made by the Holy Spirit, through the prophet Isaiah to your ancestors —

²⁶Go to this nation and say: You will hear with your ears without ever understanding, and, though you have eyes, you will see without ever perceiving.

²⁷For the mind of this nation has grown dense, And their ears are dull of hearing, Their eyes also have they closed; Otherwise some day they might see with their eyes, And with their ears they might hear, And in their mind they might understand, and might turn — And I might heal them.

²⁸Understand, then, that this salvation of God was sent for the Gentiles; and they will listen.”

³⁰For two whole years Paul stayed in a house which he rented for himself, welcoming all who came to see him,