Acts 28:24 kjv
And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
Acts 28:24 nkjv
And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
Acts 28:24 niv
Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.
Acts 28:24 esv
And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved.
Acts 28:24 nlt
Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe.
Acts 28 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 4:7 | If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door... | Choice of righteousness leads to acceptance or sin. |
| Deut 30:19 | I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life... | God presents two clear paths: life/death, blessing/curse. |
| Isa 6:9-10 | ...Go and tell this people: “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.” Make the heart of this people callous... | Prophecy of hardening hearts and lack of understanding (quoted later by Paul). |
| Zech 7:11-12 | But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint... | Israel's history of stubborn refusal to hear God's word. |
| Mt 13:14-15 | Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘You will indeed hear but never understand... their ears dull, and their eyes they have closed...’” | Jesus' explanation of parable reception, fulfilling Isa 6. |
| Lk 2:34 | And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed...” | Jesus as a divisive figure, causing fall and rising. |
| Lk 12:51-53 | Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided... | Christ's message brings division, even within families. |
| Jn 1:11-12 | He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God... | Jesus' rejection by some, but acceptance by others leading to sonship. |
| Jn 3:18-21 | Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already... because they did not believe in the name of the only Son of God... | Belief leads to no condemnation; disbelief leads to present condemnation. |
| Jn 5:39-40 | You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. | Rejecting Jesus despite searching the Scriptures that testify of Him. |
| Jn 8:43 | Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. | Unwillingness to hear Christ's words. |
| Acts 13:42-46 | As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath... And after the meeting broke up, many of the Jews... followed Paul... but the Jews who were not persuaded.. | Dual response to Paul's preaching, leading to the turn to Gentiles. |
| Acts 14:1-4 | Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the Gentiles... | Division within a city in response to the Gospel, resulting in persecution. |
| Acts 17:32-34 | Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, but others said, "We will hear you again about this." And some believed... | Mixed reaction to the resurrection message, from scorn to belief. |
| Acts 19:8-9 | And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly... But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew... | Paul's withdrawal due to hardening and active opposition to the Gospel. |
| Rom 1:16 | For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. | Gospel's power depends on belief, for both Jews and Gentiles. |
| Rom 10:16-21 | But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us?” ...All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. | Jewish unbelief prophesied and presented as disobedience to the Gospel. |
| 2 Cor 2:15-16 | For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. | The Gospel's contrasting effect: leading to salvation for some, perdition for others. |
| 1 Cor 1:22-24 | For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified... but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. | Christ's message is a stumbling block to some, but God's power to others. |
| Heb 3:18-19 | And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. | Disobedience and unbelief preventing entry into God's rest (drawing from Old Testament). |
| 1 Pet 2:7-8 | So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” | Christ as a precious cornerstone to believers, but a stumbling block to unbelievers. |
Acts 28 verses
Acts 28 24 Meaning
Acts 28:24 describes the common and enduring reaction to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: a divided response of belief and disbelief. When Paul explained the kingdom of God and testified concerning Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets, some were persuaded and accepted his message, while others remained unconvinced and rejected it. This division highlights the principle that God's truth is received according to the condition of the hearer's heart.
Acts 28 24 Context
This verse is found near the very end of the Book of Acts, describing Paul's final recorded ministry activity in the narrative. Paul, having arrived in Rome as a prisoner, invited the leading Jews of the city to meet with him. He explained his circumstances and then spent an entire day expounding to them the kingdom of God, seeking to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets (Acts 28:23). Acts 28:24 reports the immediate outcome of this extensive teaching session. This division mirrors a consistent theme throughout Acts, where the Gospel message is initially proclaimed to Jewish communities, eliciting a mixed response of some belief and significant opposition, which often leads Paul to then focus more explicitly on Gentile outreach (Acts 28:28). Historically, Rome at this time was the heart of the Roman Empire, and Jewish communities there held diverse views on messianic expectation and the nature of God's kingdom. Paul's message, proclaiming a crucified Messiah who brought a spiritual kingdom rather than an earthly one, challenged deeply held traditions and political aspirations, leading to the observed division. The following verses (Acts 28:25-28) detail Paul's poignant conclusion about the Jewish people's resistance, quoting Isaiah 6 to explain their lack of spiritual perception.
Acts 28 24 Word analysis
- And (καὶ - kai): A common Greek conjunction, simply linking this result to Paul's previous action of teaching.
- some (οἳ μὲν - hoi men): The Greek phrase "hoi men... hoi de" ("some indeed... but others") is a classic construction used to present two contrasting groups or actions, highlighting the duality of the response.
- were convinced (ἐπείθοντο - epeithonto): This verb is in the imperfect indicative, middle or passive voice, from peithō. It means "to be persuaded," "to be convinced," or "to come to believe." The imperfect tense suggests an ongoing or continuous process of being persuaded throughout Paul's extensive teaching. It implies an internal assent and acceptance of the message presented.
- by what he said (τοῖς λεγομένοις - tois legomenois): Literally, "by the things being said" or "by the things spoken." This is a dative plural participle from legō (to say, speak), acting as an instrumental dative. It signifies that the basis for their conviction was the content of Paul's proclamation concerning the kingdom of God and Jesus.
- but others (οἳ δὲ - hoi de): Part of the contrasting "some...but others" construction. It introduces the second, opposing group.
- disbelieved (ἠπίστουν - ēpistoun): Also in the imperfect indicative, active voice, from apisteō. This verb means "to disbelieve," "to be faithless," or "to not be convinced." The imperfect tense indicates an active and continued state of disbelief or unwillingness to be persuaded, even in the face of thorough teaching. It conveys a rejection of the message.
- Word-group analysis: The contrasting phrases "were convinced by what he said" and "disbelieved" present the fundamental human choice in response to divine revelation. The Gospel's truth, while offered universally, requires a receptive heart for belief, contrasting sharply with those who actively choose to remain unpersuaded or to reject it. This reflects the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit in opening hearts alongside human responsibility in responding to the call.
Acts 28 24 Bonus section
This verse encapsulates a recurring pattern throughout redemptive history: God's word elicits a divergent response of belief and disbelief (as seen from Cain and Abel onwards). For the book of Acts, this verse marks a climactic point, as the Jewish leadership in the imperial capital offers the same divided response that has often characterized their reception of the Gospel across the empire. It validates Paul's earlier mission strategy, which repeatedly saw him turning from resistant Jewish audiences to receptive Gentiles. Moreover, this verse serves as a crucial theological bridge to Paul's quotation of Isaiah 6:9-10 in the subsequent verses (Acts 28:26-27), providing a prophetic framework for understanding this division, linking their contemporary unbelief to ancient prophecies about spiritual blindness. It reinforces that salvation is a matter of heart reception, not merely intellectual presentation.
Acts 28 24 Commentary
Acts 28:24 is a concise yet profound summary of the Gospel's impact. Despite Paul's lengthy and compelling presentation, rooted in their own Scriptures, the hearers sorted themselves into two categories: those who embraced the truth and those who resisted it. This outcome underscores the reality that divine truth is not universally embraced, even when presented clearly and convincingly. It sets the stage for Paul's concluding declaration in Acts, affirming the historical pattern of some Jewish rejection, while simultaneously reiterating the good news will continue to advance to the Gentiles (Acts 28:28). The division here is a testament to the fact that while God draws people to Himself, humanity retains the responsibility to respond in faith or unbelief.