Acts 28 28

Acts 28:28 kjv

Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

Acts 28:28 nkjv

"Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!"

Acts 28:28 niv

"Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!"

Acts 28:28 esv

Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen."

Acts 28:28 nlt

So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it."

Acts 28 verses

Acts 28 28 Meaning

This verse serves as a pivotal declaration by the Apostle Paul in Rome, marking a profound turning point in the book of Acts. Following his final engagement with the Jewish leaders who largely rejected his message about Jesus, Paul emphatically announces that the message of God’s salvation is now being sent, unequivocally and openly, to the Gentiles. It underscores the divine intention that Gentiles will not only receive this good news but also embrace it, demonstrating God's sovereign plan to extend His saving grace beyond ethnic boundaries, fulfilling ancient prophecies and setting the stage for the universal spread of Christianity.

Acts 28 28 Context

Acts 28 begins with Paul’s shipwreck on Malta, where he miraculously survives a snakebite and heals many, leading the islanders to believe he is a god. After three months, he travels to Rome, where he is granted relative freedom as a prisoner awaiting trial. His first action in Rome, consistent with his practice, is to summon the local Jewish leaders. He explains his innocence regarding any crime against the Jewish people or custom, stressing that he is imprisoned "for the hope of Israel" (Acts 28:20), referring to the resurrection.

The Jewish leaders acknowledge they haven’t received official charges against him but express a desire to hear his views, admitting that "this sect" (Christianity) is "spoken against everywhere." Paul sets a day and explains the kingdom of God and persuades them about Jesus from the Law and the Prophets, from morning till evening. However, "some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved" (Acts 28:24). This division, mirroring similar responses throughout Acts, culminates in Paul's frustrated, yet divinely directed, declaration in Acts 28:25-27, where he quotes Isaiah 6:9-10. This prophecy speaks of spiritual blindness and deafness among God's chosen people. Acts 28:28 directly follows this, serving as a consequence and pivot point – since the Jewish leaders, by and large, refuse to hear, God's message now explicitly moves to those who will listen, the Gentiles.

Acts 28 28 Word analysis

• Therefore (Greek: Oun): This is a strong inferential conjunction, indicating that what follows is a logical consequence or conclusion drawn from the preceding statements. Here, it explicitly links the declaration to the Jewish leaders' rejection and the Isaiah 6 prophecy of their spiritual hardening. It signifies a decisive shift in God's saving initiative in response to human unbelief.
• let it be known to you (Greek: gnoston estō hymin): This is a formal, authoritative, and almost legalistic declaration. It's not a mere suggestion but a solemn announcement of undeniable truth. The use of "known" emphasizes transparency and the public nature of this divine re-direction.
• that the salvation (Greek: hoti to sōtērion):
  • Sōtērion here refers to salvation in its fullest sense – deliverance from sin, reconciliation with God, and eternal life through Christ. It's the comprehensive saving work of God.
  • This is not "a" salvation but "the" salvation, indicating its singular and definitive nature found in Jesus Christ.
• of God (Greek: tou theou): Clearly specifies the divine origin and agency of this salvation. It is God's initiative, His plan, His power, and His gift, underscoring its authoritative and undeniable character. It highlights that the shift is a divine act, not merely a human strategy by Paul.
• has been sent (Greek: apestalē): This verb is in the passive voice, emphasizing that this action originates from God. It highlights divine commission and purposeful dispatch. "Sent" here indicates an intentional, deliberate act of divine sovereignty. It's already in motion.
• to the Gentiles (Greek: tois ethnesin): This is the crux of the verse.
  • Ethnesin means nations, peoples, or non-Jews.
  • This signifies a momentous turning point, where the emphasis of the Gospel's outreach, having faced consistent rejection from the majority of the Jewish people, formally shifts its focus. It points to the universal nature of God’s plan of salvation, always intended for all humanity, but now emphatically directed to non-Jews due to the hardness of heart among many Jews.
• they will also hear it (Greek: autoi kai akousontai):
  • Autoi (they, i.e., the Gentiles)
  • kai (also, indeed) – this particle emphasizes the certainty and effectiveness of their hearing.
  • akousontai (will hear) – future tense, implying not just physical hearing but active reception and belief. This indicates God’s certainty that a willing audience exists among the Gentiles. It is a confident prophetic statement by Paul that despite Jewish unbelief, God’s saving work will continue and flourish among the Gentiles.

Acts 28 28 Bonus section

This verse also implicitly highlights God's justice. The Isaiah 6 passage cited by Paul immediately prior to this verse shows God responding to human stubbornness and unresponsiveness. Paul’s declaration in Acts 28:28 is not an abandonment of the Jewish people but a redirection based on their prevailing spiritual blindness. It illustrates the divine principle that when one group hardens its heart, God's redemptive work shifts its focus to where it will be received. This theme runs through biblical history, where God works with and through various people groups and individuals as they respond to Him. Furthermore, this verse sets the stage for the rest of Paul's ministry (even from prison), and importantly, for the broader church age, characterized by the evangelization and integration of Gentiles into the body of Christ. This turning point marks a profound transition from the largely Jewish beginnings of the early church to its universal expression as the Kingdom of God expands to encompass all peoples.

Acts 28 28 Commentary

Acts 28:28 is the theological climax of the book of Acts. It represents the logical culmination of a pattern seen throughout Luke’s narrative: the Gospel first offered to the Jews, their majority rejection, and the subsequent turning to the Gentiles. This is not to say that all Jews rejected Christ, nor that the door was forever closed to them (as Rom 11 clarifies), but it marked a formal, declared shift in evangelistic strategy from the apostolic perspective, directly sanctioned by divine authority as Paul implies by his quotation from Isaiah 6.

This verse clarifies that God’s saving purpose is ultimately universal. Despite humanity's varied responses, God's mission moves forward, revealing His steadfast love and desire for all to be saved. It demonstrates God's sovereignty over human history and His unwavering commitment to bring forth a people for His name from every tribe and nation. Paul, ever faithful to his call as apostle to the Gentiles, here affirms that God's plan is not thwarted by rejection but takes an expected, broader course. The statement underscores the enduring power of the Gospel and the assurance that it will find fertile ground in the hearts of those whom God calls and who are willing to hear and respond.