Acts 28:16-21

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.