18 who, awhen they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death.
19 But when the Jews spoke against it,aI was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation.
20 For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because afor the hope of Israel I am bound with bthis chain.”
21 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.
22 But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that ait is spoken against everywhere.”
23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, ato whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus bfrom both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And asome were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,
26 saying, a‘Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
27 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” ’
28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent ato the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”
291And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.
30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him,
31apreaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
Because of the hope of Israel (eineken thv elpidov tou Israel). Genitive with preposition eineken. The hope of the Messiah is his point as in Acts 26:6.
I am bound with this chain (thn alusin tauthn perikeimai). This old verb means to lie around as in Luke 17:2; Hebrews 12:1. But it is also used as the passive of peritiqhmi, to place around with the accusative of peritiqhmi retained. It is a transitive passive. Paul does not lie around the chain, but the chain lies around him, a curious reversal of the imagery (Robertson, Grammar, p. 815).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 28:20:
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