28:23 They set 7 a day to meet with him, 8 and they came to him where he was staying 9 in even greater numbers. 10 From morning until evening he explained things 11 to them, 12 testifying 13 about the kingdom of God 14 and trying to convince 15 them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets. 28:24 Some were convinced 16 by what he said, 17 but others refused 18 to believe. 28:25 So they began to leave, 19 unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors 20 through the prophet Isaiah 28:26 when he said,
‘Go to this people and say,
“You will keep on hearing, 21 but will never understand,
and you will keep on looking, 22 but will never perceive.
28:27 For the heart of this people has become dull, 23
and their ears are hard of hearing, 24
and they have closed their eyes,
so that they would not see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, 25 and I would heal them.”’ 26
28:28 “Therefore be advised 27 that this salvation from God 28 has been sent to the Gentiles; 29 they 30 will listen!”
28:29 [[EMPTY]] 3128:30 Paul 32 lived 33 there two whole years in his own rented quarters 34 and welcomed 35 all who came to him, 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ 36 with complete boldness 37 and without restriction. 38
1 sn The hope of Israel. A reference to Israel’s messianic hope. Paul’s preaching was in continuity with this Jewish hope (Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25).
2 tn Grk “they said to him.”
3 tn Or “arrived”; Grk “come” (“from there” is implied). Grk “coming.” The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
4 tn Grk “regarding this sect it is known to us.” The passive construction “it is known to us” has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.
5 tn Grk “that everywhere it is spoken against.” To simplify the translation the passive construction “it is spoken against” has been converted to an active one with the subject “people” supplied.
6 tn On the term translated “speak against,” see BDAG 89 s.v. ἀντιλέγω 1.
7 tn Grk “Having set.” The participle ταξάμενοι (taxamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
8 tn Grk “Having set a day with him”; the words “to meet” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
9 tn Or “came to him in his rented quarters.”
10 tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.β.ב states, “(even) more πλείονες in even greater numbers Ac 28:23.”
11 tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
12 tn Grk “to whom he explained.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced by the pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.
13 tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “to make a solemn declaration about the truth of someth. testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…God’s kingdom 28:23.”
14 sn Testifying about the kingdom of God. The topic is important. Paul’s preaching was about the rule of God and his promise in Jesus. Paul’s text was the Jewish scriptures.
15 tn Or “persuade.”
16 tn Or “persuaded.”
17 tn Grk “by the things spoken.”
18 sn Some were convinced…but others refused to believe. Once again the gospel caused division among Jews, as in earlier chapters of Acts (13:46; 18:6).
19 tn The imperfect verb ἀπελύοντο (apeluonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
20 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
21 tn Grk “you will hear with hearing” (an idiom).
22 tn Or “seeing”; Grk “you will look by looking” (an idiom).
23 tn Or “insensitive.”
24 tn Grk “they hear heavily with their ears” (an idiom for slow comprehension).
25 sn Note how the failure to respond to the message of the gospel is seen as a failure to turn.
26 sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10.
27 tn Grk “Therefore let it be known to you.”
28 tn Or “of God.”
29 sn The term Gentiles is in emphatic position in the Greek text of this clause. Once again there is the pattern: Jewish rejection of the gospel leads to an emphasis on Gentile inclusion (Acts 13:44-47).
30 tn Grk “they also.”
31 tc Some later
32 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
33 tn Or “stayed.”
34 tn Or perhaps, “two whole years at his own expense.” BDAG 654 s.v. μίσθωμα states, “the customary act. mng. ‘contract price, rent’…is not found in our lit. (Ac) and the pass. what is rented, a rented house is a mng. not found outside it (even Ammonius Gramm. [100 ad] p. 93 Valck. knows nothing of it. Hence the transl. at his own expense [NRSV] merits attention) ἐν ἰδίῳ μισθώματι in his own rented lodgings Ac 28:30 (for the idea cp. Jos., Ant. 18, 235).”
35 tn Or “and received.”
36 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
37 tn Or “openness.”
38 sn Proclaiming…with complete boldness and without restriction. Once again Paul’s imprisonment is on benevolent terms. The word of God is proclaimed triumphantly and boldly in Rome. Acts ends with this note: Despite all the attempts to stop it, the message goes forth.