Paul Meets With the Leading Jews in Rome, 28:17-22.
[17-22] Paul explained why he was in Rome. His only reason for being in such bonds was for the hope of Israel (verse 20). This was the same message he had given before (Acts 23:6; 26:6-7). It was the hope based on the words of the prophets. Paul learned that the Jews at Jerusalem had not sent word to the Jews in Rome.
Acts 28:23-31
23 Paul and the Jewish leaders set a day for a meeting. On that day many more of these Jews met with Paul at his house. Paul spoke to them all day long. He explained to them the truth about the kingdom of God. Using the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets, Paul tried to persuade them about Jesus. 24 Some of the Jews believed the things that Paul said, but others did not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves. The Jewish leaders were ready to leave, but Paul said one more thing to them: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah. He said: 26 ‘Go to this people and tell them: You will certainly hear, but you won’t understand! You will certainly see, but you won’t understand! 27 The heart of this people has become hard. They have ears, but they don’t listen. They have shut their eyes. Otherwise, they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their minds, and then turn. I would heal them.’ ” Isaiah 6:9-10 28 “I want you Jewish leaders to know that God has sent His salvation to non-Jewish people. They will listen!” 29 30 Paul stayed two full years in his own rented house. He welcomed everyone who came to visit him. 31 Paul was preaching about the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. He was very bold. No one tried to stop him from speaking.
A Second Meeting With the Jews, 28:23-29.
[23-29] Paul spent many hours explaining to those Jews the reason for his hope. As was the case in his preaching in the synagogues, some believed, and others rejected his message. Apparently, Paul perceived the hardness of the hearts of those Jews. He felt it necessary to rebuke them severely. He reminded them of the words of Isaiah. Jesus Himself had used these words against the unbelieving Jews in Galilee (Matthew 13:14-15). It was a sharp rebuke, but a true one. Some men’s hearts are hard and will not receive the gospel. Some manuscripts have verse twenty-nine: “And when he had said these things, the Jews left, having a great argument among themselves.”
Time of Imprisonment, 28:30-31.
[30-31] Paul spent two years in prison in Rome. Even in prison, he taught the gospel. With the closing words of verse thirty-one, Luke concluded his account of the activities of Paul’s life. It is likely that the Book of Acts was written by Luke there in Rome. From what is told in some of the other New Testament books, we learn that Paul was later released from prison. After that, he continued his missionary labours for some time.
While in prison in Rome, Paul wrote four books which are called “prison letters”: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
This is a summary of Paul’s life after the Book of Acts closes: It is supposed that he visited Macedonia and Ephesus and wrote First Timothy (see 1 Timothy 1:3). Later he went to Crete, where he left Titus. Later he wrote a letter to Titus, which we have in the New Testament. It seems that he was finally imprisoned again in Rome, and there wrote Second Timothy (see 2 Timothy 1:8, 16-17). Tradition says Paul was beheaded by Nero, emperor of Rome, in the year AD. 67 or 68.
CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS
| Date | Event | References |
| B.C. 6-5 | Birth of Jesus | Matthew 1:18-25 Luke 1:26, 35 |
| B.C. 4 | Death of Herod | Matthew 2:19 |
| A.D. 27 | Baptism of Jesus | Matthew 3:13-17 Luke 3:21-22 |
| 30 | Crucifixion, beginning of the church | Matthew 27-28 Acts 1-2 |
| 31-32 | Stoning of Stephen, dispersion of Christians | Acts 7-8 |
| 33 | Conversion of Saul | Acts 9 |
| 35 | First visit of Saul to Jerusalem | |
| 35-40 | Conversion of household of Cornelius | Acts 10-11 |
| 41 | Herod Agrippa I, King of Judea and Samaria | |
| 43 | Saul brought to Antioch by Barnabas | Acts 11 |
| 44 | Saul and Barnabas visit Jerusalem with famine relief | |
| 44 | Death of Herod | Acts 12 |
| 45-48 | First missionary journey of Saul and Barnabas | Acts 13-14 |
| 49 | Council at Jerusalem | Acts 15 |
| 50-53 | Second missionary journey; expulsion of Jews from Rome | Acts 16-18 |
| 51-52 | Paul at Athens and Corinth | |
| 51 | Epistles to Thessalonians written | |
| 53 | Paul leaves Corinth (in month of March) and visits Jerusalem At Antioch. Epistle to Galatians | |
| 54-57 | Third missionary journey | Acts 19-21 |
| 55 | First epistle to Corinthians written | |
| 56 | Paul leaves Ephesus and visits Macedonia and Corinth | |
| 57 | Epistle to Romans written from Corinth Leaves Corinth for Jerusalem. Arrested in Temple. | Acts 21-23 |
| 58-60 | Paul at Caesarea | Acts 24-26 |
| 60-61 | Voyage to Rome | Acts 27-28 |
| 61-63 | Paul’s imprisonment in Rome | |
| 61-62 | Paul writes Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians and Philippians. | |
| 63 | Paul acquitted in Rome |