Acts 28:17-29

17After three days, Paul asked the leaders of the Jews in Rome to meet with him. When they met together, Paul said to them, ‘Friends, I am a Jew as you are. I tell you that I have never done anything bad against our people. I have always obeyed the rules that our ancestors gave to us. But the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem took hold of me. They gave me to the Roman rulers so that they would judge me.

18The Roman rulers asked me questions about what I had done. They discovered that I had not done anything wrong. There was no reason that they should kill me. So they wanted to let me go free.

19But the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem did not agree with that. So then I asked the Roman rulers to send me here to Rome. I wanted Caesar himself to judge me. That was the only thing that I could do. I did not want to say anything bad against my own people.

20That is why I want to talk with you now. I want to tell you why I am a prisoner here. It is because I believe in the one that God promised to send to us who are Jews.’

21The Jewish leaders said to Paul, ‘We have not received any letters about you from Judea. Our Jewish friends who have come here from Judea have not told us this news. They have not said anything bad about you.

22But we know that people everywhere are saying bad things about your new group. So we would like you to tell us your ideas.’

23So the Jewish leaders in Rome chose a day to meet again with Paul. When that day arrived, a large number of Jews came to the house where Paul was staying. Paul talked to them from the morning until the evening. He explained his message about the kingdom of God. He showed them what Moses and the other prophets had written in the Bible. He tried to show them that Jesus was God's special Messiah.

24Some of them believed that Paul's message was true. But other Jews who were there would not believe him.

25They argued about it with each other. When they began to leave the house, Paul said, ‘The Holy Spirit spoke a true message to your ancestors. He gave this message to Isaiah, the prophet:

26“Go and say to this people, ‘You will listen and listen. But you will not understand. You will look and look. But you will not see anything.’

27These people do not really want to understand. They are like people who have shut their ears. They are like people who have shut their eyes. If they did want to look, then they would really see. If they did want to listen, then they would really hear. They would understand my message. They would turn back to me and they would obey me. Then I would forgive them and I would make them well.” ’

28Paul then said to the Jews there, ‘You do not want to listen to God's message. But the Gentiles will listen! They will understand how God will save them.’

29[After Paul had said this, the Jews left. They were still arguing with each other.]