Acts 28 21

Acts 28:21 kjv

And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.

Acts 28:21 nkjv

Then they said to him, "We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you.

Acts 28:21 niv

They replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you.

Acts 28:21 esv

And they said to him, "We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you.

Acts 28:21 nlt

They replied, "We have had no letters from Judea or reports against you from anyone who has come here.

Acts 28 verses

Acts 28 21 Meaning

Acts 28:21 records the response of the leading Jews in Rome to Paul's invitation to meet. They state that they have received no official letters or personal reports from Judea regarding Paul or any accusation against him. This means they were not aware of any specific charges or condemnation of Paul from their brethren back in Jerusalem, thus giving Paul an opening to present his case.

Acts 28 21 Context

Paul arrived in Rome under Roman custody, fulfilling his appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11-12). Despite his imprisonment, he was granted relatively lenient house arrest (Acts 28:16), allowing him to meet with visitors. His first action was to summon the leading Jews in Rome (Acts 28:17) to explain why he, "a prisoner for the hope of Israel," was there (Acts 28:20). He preemptively clarified that he had done nothing against their people or their ancestral customs (Acts 28:17), aiming to remove any immediate prejudice before he presented the Gospel. This verse (28:21) is their reply, demonstrating that the Jerusalem authorities, for various reasons, had not yet sent formal charges or hostile reports ahead of Paul's arrival. This cleared a path for Paul to share his message about Christ, focusing on the hope of Israel.

Acts 28 21 Word analysis

• And (δὲ - de): A common conjunction, indicating a natural sequence or transition; here, linking Paul's explanation to their response.
• they (αὐτῷ - autō): Referring to the leading Jews Paul had gathered. It implies their collective voice and consensus.
• said (ἔφησαν - ephēsan): Aorist indicative of phēmi, "to say, speak." Indicates a direct, straightforward response.
• to (πρὸς - pros): A preposition indicating direction or relation, here "to him," meaning Paul.
• him, (αὐτὸν - auton): Paul.
• “We (ἡμεῖς - hemeis): Emphatic "we," distinguishing themselves from other Jews in Judea.
• have received (οὔτε γράμματα παρελάβομεν - oute grammata parelabomen): From paralambanō, meaning "to receive alongside, to take over." The aorist tense denotes a completed action (or lack thereof). "Have received" conveys the result of this action in their current state. The "οὔτε" (neither...nor) signifies an absolute absence of official communication.
• neither (οὔτε - oute): A negative correlative, meaning "neither...nor," used to stress the absolute absence of communication.
• letters (γράμματα - grammata): Plural of gramma, meaning "a letter (of the alphabet), a written document, dispatches." Here, it refers to official written communications or accusations that would normally be sent ahead for such an important prisoner, implying no formal complaint had arrived from the Sanhedrin or Roman provincial authorities in Judea.
• from (ἀπὸ - apo): Preposition indicating origin or source.
• Judea (τῆς Ἰουδαίας - tēs Ioudaias): The Roman province of Judea, where the Jewish Sanhedrin was based and where the accusations against Paul originated.
• concerning (περὶ - peri): A preposition meaning "about, concerning, relating to."
• you, (σοῦ - sou): Referring directly to Paul.
• nor (οὔτε - oute): Reiterates the negation.
• have any (τις - tis): "Anyone, somebody." The indefinite pronoun emphasizes that no one among them had.
• of (τῶν - tōn): The article.
• the (ἀδελφῶν - adelphōn): Plural of adelphos, meaning "brother, fellow countryman, kinsman." Here referring to fellow Jews.
• brethren (ἐληλυθότων - elēluthotōn): Perfect active participle of erchomai, "to come, go." Denotes those who have come and are present. The perfect tense implies they are still there or the effect of their coming is continuous.
• who (ἀγγελῶν - angelōn): Present active participle of angellō, "to announce, report." Indicates the action of reporting.
• came (ἢ λαλοῦντες - ē lalousas): From laleō, "to speak, talk." Paired with "reporting" to cover both formal and informal communication.
• report (περί - peri): "Concerning."
• or (καὶ - kai): Conjunction, "and," here serving to link the two negated actions.
• speak (τι - ti): "Anything."
• any (λέγοντες - legontes): Present active participle of legō, "to say, speak." Again emphasizing spoken words.
• evil (πονηρὸν - ponēron): Meaning "bad, evil, harmful, wicked." The implication is that they had received no information of a harmful or accusatory nature against Paul.
• of (περὶ - peri): "Concerning."
• you.” (σοῦ - sou): Paul.

Words-group Analysis:

• “We have received neither letters from Judea concerning you”: This phrase, "οὔτε γράμματα παρελάβομεν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας περὶ σοῦ" (oute grammata parelabomen apo tēs Ioudaias peri sou), is critical. It underscores the surprising lack of formal communication. This indicates that either the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem did not bother to send official documents or that any such documents were not routed directly to the Roman Jewish community but only to Roman authorities, or perhaps they lost interest after Paul appealed to Caesar. For the Roman Jewish leaders, this absence meant no basis for prejudgment.
• “nor have any of the brethren who came report or speak any evil of you”: This second part of the statement, "οὔτε ἀγγελῶν τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐληλυθότων ἢ λαλοῦντες περί σου τι πονηρὸν" (oute angelōn tis tōn adelphōn elēluthotōn ē lalousas peri sou ti ponēron), extends the denial to informal communication. Not only were there no official letters, but even traveling Jews who might have come from Judea had not brought or spoken ill reports about Paul. This suggests either a strategic silence on the part of Jerusalem (not wanting to officially involve the Diaspora synagogues in a Roman imperial case) or that their direct influence waned significantly after Paul's appeal to Caesar and departure. It effectively neutralizes any potential hearsay that could have biased the Roman Jewish community against Paul.

Acts 28 21 Bonus section

• The silence from Judea's Jewish authorities could signify their resignation regarding Paul's case after his appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11). They might have felt it was no longer their jurisdiction or simply gave up pursuing him once he was in the imperial system, especially if they perceived it as a lost cause after successive Roman officials in Judea had found him largely innocent (e.g., Acts 23:29, 25:25, 26:31-32).
• The phrase "any of the brethren who came" implies that there was regular communication and travel between Jewish communities in Judea and Rome, making the absence of negative reports about Paul even more significant. It underscores a strategic gap in their opponents' efforts.
• This verse sets up the powerful narrative in the following verses (28:23-28) where Paul, free from immediate accusation, openly preaches the Kingdom of God and persuades many about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets, highlighting the opportunity afforded by this clear slate.

Acts 28 21 Commentary

Acts 28:21 is a pivotal statement, revealing a remarkable vacuum of negative information concerning Paul among the Roman Jewish leaders. Despite Paul being a high-profile prisoner who had caused significant stir in Judea, Jerusalem had sent neither official written charges nor emissaries with damaging reports to Rome. This absence of formal or informal accusation from their homeland brethren was crucial for Paul. It essentially cleared the ground for him to present his case directly, unimpeded by pre-existing bias stemming from specific complaints. Their claim demonstrates that Paul's accusers in Judea had either abandoned their pursuit following his appeal to Caesar, or more likely, entrusted the matter entirely to the Roman legal system, believing Paul would be convicted without their further intervention with the local Jewish community in Rome. This situation presented a divine providence for Paul, allowing him an unfettered platform to proclaim the hope of Israel, which is Jesus Christ, without being immediately entangled in defending against specific slanderous accusations before the Roman Jewish community. It effectively validates his legal status in their eyes and offers him a pristine opportunity to evangelize.