Acts 28:26-31

28:26 when he said,

‘Go to this people and say,

“You will keep on hearing, ¹  but will never understand,

and you will keep on looking, ²  but will never perceive.

28:27 For the heart of this people has become dull, ³ 

and their ears are hard of hearing, ⁴ 

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, ⁵  and I would heal them.”’ ⁶ 

28:28 “Therefore be advised ⁷  that this salvation from God ⁸  has been sent to the Gentiles; ⁹  they ¹⁰  will listen!”

28:29 [[EMPTY]] ¹¹ 

28:30 Paul ¹²  lived ¹³  there two whole years in his own rented quarters ¹⁴  and welcomed ¹⁵  all who came to him, 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ ¹⁶  with complete boldness ¹⁷  and without restriction. ¹⁸ 

[28:26]  ¹ tn Grk “you will hear with hearing” (an idiom).

[28:26]  ² tn Or “seeing”; Grk “you will look by looking” (an idiom).

[28:27]  ³ tn Or “insensitive.”

[28:27]  ⁴ tn Grk “they hear heavily with their ears” (an idiom for slow comprehension).

[28:27]  ⁵ sn Note how the failure to respond to the message of the gospel is seen as a failure to turn.

[28:27]  ⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10.

[28:28]  ⁷ tn Grk “Therefore let it be known to you.”

[28:28]  ⁸ tn Or “of God.”

[28:28]  ⁹ 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).

[28:28]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “they also.”

[28:29]  ¹¹ tc Some later mss include 28:29: “When he had said these things, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.” Verse 29 is lacking in Ì^74vid א A B E Ψ 048 33 81 1175 1739 2464 pc and a number of versions. They are included (with a few minor variations) in Ï it and some versions. This verse is almost certainly not a part of the original text of Acts, as it lacks the best credentials. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[28:30]  ¹² tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:30]  ¹³ tn Or “stayed.”

[28:30]  ¹⁴ 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).”

[28:30]  ¹⁵ tn Or “and received.”

[28:31]  ¹⁶ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[28:31]  ¹⁷ tn Or “openness.”

[28:31]  ¹⁸ 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.