Acts 28:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against."

NIV: But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect."

NASB: But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for regarding this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.'

CSB: But we want to hear what your views are, since we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect."

NLT: But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about this movement is that it is denounced everywhere.'

KJV: But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.

NKJV: But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”

Paul has wanted to visit the church in Rome for years (Romans 1:9–12; 15:23) but his heart is for the Jews (Romans 9:1–5). He finally has the chance. He reached Rome three days prior, under the guard of Julius, a centurion. He is now under house arrest, chained to another Roman guard. Fortunately, the Jewish leaders agree to meet him in his apartment. He explains how he was falsely accused but held by the Roman governors because the Sanhedrin would have caused problems had he been released. In fact, he could have pressed charges against the Sanhedrin for false testimony. The Jewish leaders in Rome don't know what he's talking about—they haven't received any word about him from Jerusalem (Acts 28:17–21).

They have heard about this new sect, however. "Everywhere" is vague. The gospel had certainly spread abroad and was very often not accepted by local Jewish leaders. Paul was an infamous and hated figure among Jews in several places. Most significantly, he was despised in the province of Asia in southwest modern-day Turkey. Jews in this region were among the first to condemn Christianity before it had even spread beyond Jerusalem (Acts 6:8–14). Jews from Asia also accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the temple (Acts 21:27–29). Another significant location is Thessalonica. When Paul and Silas started preaching there, the Jews became jealous of their following and nearly started a riot. When the missionaries moved on to Berea, the Thessalonian Jews followed them and harassed the city so much the new believers sent Paul to Athens (Acts 17:1–15).

The Jews in Rome would have gone to Jerusalem on occasion for religious feasts and may have met Jews from Thessalonica or Asia there. It's also possible they, like Priscilla and Aquila, went to Corinth when the emperor temporarily expelled Jews from Rome in AD 49 (Acts 18:2). If so, they would know that although the ruler of the Corinthian synagogue agreed that Jesus is the Messiah, many others did not (Acts 18:1–17).

The Jews in Rome will not react so violently to Paul—perhaps because of that Roman guard—but not all of them will accept what he has to say. Paul, saddened and frustrated, will reaffirm his mission to the Gentiles during his two-year stay. He will then be released, but Luke's account ends there (Acts 28:23–31).

In Acts 28:17–29 Paul finally receives his heart's desire: to witness to the Jews in Rome. Rome is a strategic city and if the Jews there accept Jesus as their Messiah, they will legitimize Jesus-worship to the other Jews in the Empire. As in every city Paul visits, however, some accept Jesus and others don't. Paul becomes frustrated and redoubles his efforts to reach the Gentiles. He spends two years under house arrest but with the freedom to write and to speak with whomever chooses to come through his door.

Acts 28 records Paul's three-month stay on the island of Malta and two-year house arrest in Rome. On Malta, God empowers Paul to perform healing miracles which endear him to the locals. Once he reaches the shores of Italy, many other believers accompany him on his last leg to Rome. In Rome, he finds the Jews just as accepting of Jesus as elsewhere; some believe, but many don't. Paul reaffirms his mission to the Gentiles and spends his time preaching while under house arrest.

Acts 28 is the end of Luke's story of the witness of Jesus' story (Acts 1:8). After his wrongful imprisonment in Caesarea Maritima, Paul appealed his case to Caesar (Acts 25:1–12). He, Aristarchus, and Luke survived a raging winter storm before finally reaching Rome (Acts 27). Again under house arrest, Paul is able to share Jesus' offer of forgiveness with any who wish to visit. While there, he writes the letters Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. After two years, Paul is released; tradition says he takes one more evangelistic tour before being arrested and eventually martyred around AD 67.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.