Acts 28 29

Acts 28:29 kjv

And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.

Acts 28:29 nkjv

And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.

Acts 28 verses

Acts 28 29 Meaning

Acts 28:29 describes the immediate reaction of the Jewish leaders and their companions in Rome after hearing Paul's extensive teaching and his final pronouncement regarding their rejection of the Gospel and God's turning to the Gentiles. It states that after Paul had spoken, the Jews departed from the gathering, not in agreement or uniform understanding, but engaged in significant, perhaps contentious, discussion among themselves about what they had heard. This verse highlights the deep division and internal debate that Paul's message, especially his stark words from Isaiah and the declaration of Gentile inclusion, stirred within the Jewish community.

Acts 28 29 Context

Acts 28:29 concludes a pivotal meeting between the apostle Paul and the leading Jews in Rome, occurring around 60-62 AD. Having arrived under arrest, Paul initiated contact with the Jewish leaders, seeking to explain his situation and present the Gospel. He addressed their expectations, clarified his blamelessness concerning Jewish traditions, and boldly testified concerning Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. Paul's discourse extended from morning till evening, encompassing persuasive arguments from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. Crucially, at the end of this extensive dialogue, seeing that some believed but others did not, Paul delivered a weighty prophecy from Isa 6:9-10. This passage highlights Israel's long-standing spiritual blindness and unwillingness to perceive God's truth, asserting that because of their unbelief, God's salvation would now decisively go to the Gentiles. It is immediately following this pointed and conclusive declaration in Acts 28:28 that the Jews in the verse under analysis departed, wrestling intensely with Paul's challenging words and their profound implications for their identity and God's plan.

Acts 28 29 Word analysis

• And when he had said these words (καὶ ταῦτα αὐτοῦ εἰπόντος - kai tauta autou eipontos):
  • Significance: This phrase connects directly to Paul's preceding discourse, especially his quotation from Isaiah (Acts 28:26-27) and his definitive statement about God's salvation being sent to the Gentiles (Acts 28:28). It emphasizes that their subsequent reaction was a direct response to Paul's final, challenging message.
• the Jews (οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι - hoi Ioudaioi):
  • Meaning: Refers to the Jewish leaders and those of their company whom Paul had invited and preached to. This is the common Lucan term for the ethnic Jewish people.
  • Significance: Paul always sought out his own people first, but this final meeting in the capital of the Roman Empire demonstrates the ongoing pattern of division among them in response to the Gospel, despite his fervent desire for their salvation.
• departed (ἀπῆλθον - apēlthon):
  • Meaning: Aorist active indicative of ἀπέρχομαι (aperchomai), meaning "they went away," "they left."
  • Significance: Indicates a physical separation from Paul and the meeting place. While a natural consequence of the meeting ending, in the context of the subsequent "great reasoning," it suggests a turning away not necessarily from outright hostility but certainly from unified acceptance, setting the stage for their internal deliberation.
• and had great reasoning (πολλὴν συζήτησιν ἔχοντες - pollēn syzētēsin echontes):
  • great (πολλὴν - pollēn):
    • Meaning: "much," "many," "great," "intense."
    • Significance: Not merely a casual discussion but a significant, profound, and possibly heated debate, indicating the depth of the issue for them.
  • reasoning (συζήτησιν - syzētēsin):
    • Meaning: "disputation," "contention," "debate," "argument." From the verb συζητέω (syzēteō), meaning "to dispute together," "to discuss earnestly or contentiously."
    • Significance: This term often implies a thorough, sometimes divisive, inquiry or argument over doctrine or interpretation, often reflecting unresolved tensions. Examples include the apostles' debates in Acts 15:7 and Paul's own arguments in synagogues (e.g., Acts 17:17, 19:8-9). This highlights that Paul's message caused profound internal division and forced them to grapple with the implications.
  • had (ἔχοντες - echontes):
    • Meaning: Present participle of ἔχω (echō), "having," "possessing."
    • Significance: Denotes an ongoing state or activity—they continued to have or engage in this intense reasoning.

• Words-group Analysis:
  • "And when he had said these words, the Jews departed..." This opening clause highlights Paul's authority in delivering God's message, especially the severe indictment from Isaiah. Their departure signifies the end of direct engagement with Paul and the beginning of internal processing. It underlines the pattern throughout Acts where Jewish responses to the Gospel were often mixed, leading to division.
  • "...and had great reasoning among themselves." This phrase reveals the internal turmoil and disunity among the Jewish audience. Paul's message was too impactful to simply ignore. The "great reasoning" points to intense deliberation, perhaps some acknowledging the truth of his words while others fiercely resisted, mirroring the divisions seen earlier in the book (e.g., Acts 23:7-10). It signifies the ongoing struggle within the Jewish community to reconcile their traditions and expectations with the claims of the Messiah and the broader reach of God's salvation to the Gentiles. This reasoning underscores the deep spiritual conflict generated by the Gospel.

Acts 28 29 Bonus section

It is important to note a significant textual variation concerning Acts 28:29. Many of the oldest and most reliable Greek manuscripts, including Codex Vaticanus (B), Codex Sinaiticus (א), and Codex Alexandrinus (A), do not contain this verse. This suggests that it may not have been part of Luke's original writing. It is present in later manuscripts, notably those from which the Textus Receptus (on which the King James Version largely relies) was derived.

Scholars debate its authenticity:

• Argument for Omission: Its absence in key early witnesses strongly suggests it was likely a later scribal addition. Such additions were often glosses or marginal notes intended to provide context or clarify an obvious reaction.
• Argument for Inclusion (or its plausibility): Even if not original, the content of the verse (the Jews debating among themselves after hearing a challenging message) is highly consistent with other descriptions of Jewish reactions to the Gospel throughout the book of Acts. It logically follows Paul's strong indictment and the split reaction ("some believed, and some believed not") mentioned in the preceding verse (Acts 28:24). It serves as a natural narrative bridge.

Ultimately, while the verse's originality is subject to textual criticism, its description of the Jewish reaction aligns with the historical pattern depicted throughout Acts and provides a fitting narrative close to this encounter before the book's concluding verses.

Acts 28 29 Commentary

Acts 28:29 offers a final, concise glimpse into the mixed, yet deeply influential, impact of Paul's ministry upon the Jewish people. After patiently reasoning from the Scriptures concerning Jesus as the Messiah, Paul concluded his presentation with the dire prophecy from Isaiah 6, attributing spiritual blindness to a segment of Israel, and declared God's definitive turning to the Gentiles. This strong declaration acted as a catalyst, preventing a casual dismissal of his message. The departure of the Jews was followed by intense "reasoning" or "disputation" among themselves. This "great reasoning" indicates that Paul's words were not simply ignored or unanimously rejected but ignited profound internal debate and division within the Jewish community in Rome. It was a wrestling match over profound theological implications—the nature of their Messiah, their unique covenantal status, and God's plan for the Gentiles. This internal contention testifies to the powerful and divisive nature of the Gospel message when confronted by those who must weigh their traditions against divine truth. This division foreshadows the ongoing theme of a partial hardening of Israel leading to the advancement of Gentile mission, a theme Paul expands upon in his Epistle to the Romans.