Acts 28:21

21 And they sayde vnto him: We nether receaved letters out of Iewry pertayninge vnto ye nether came eny of the brethren that shewed or spake eny harme of the.

Acts 28:21 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 28:21

And they said unto him
That is, the chief men of the Jews at Rome, whom Paul had called together, replied; either in a lying and dissembling way, or as expressing matter of fact; which last may be allowed:

we neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee:
which was very much, that the high priest and sanhedrim had not wrote to the principal men of their religion at Rome; giving an account of the apostle, and his case unto them, in order to prejudice them against him, and to furnish them with charges and accusations; which if they could not prevail by them, so as to get him condemned by the emperor, yet might be a means of preventing any of their nation giving heed unto him, and embracing his sentiments and notions concerning Jesus of Nazareth:

neither any of the brethren that came [from] Jerusalem;
or any part of Judea, to Rome; meaning not the Christian Jews, for these they would not call brethren; but those who were of the same religion as well as nation, whom it was usual with the Jews to call brethren:

shewed or spake any harm of thee;
so that it looks as if they did make mention of him, but did not charge him with anything that was wicked and criminal: this they said, to show that they were not prejudiced against him by any person or means; and which carried in it a very considerable testimony of the apostle's innocence.

Acts 28:21 In-Context

19 But when ye Iewes cryed cotrary I was constrayned to appeale vnto Cesar: not because I had ought to accuse my people of.

20 For this cause have I called for you eve to se you and to speake with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bounde with this chayne.

21 And they sayde vnto him: We nether receaved letters out of Iewry pertayninge vnto ye nether came eny of the brethren that shewed or spake eny harme of the.

22 But we will heare of the what thou thynkest. For we have hearde of this secte that every wheare it is spoken agaynst.

23 And when they had apoynted him a daye ther came many vnto him into his lodgynge. To whom he expounded and testifyed the kyngdome of God and preached vnto the of Iesu: both out of the lawe of Moses and also out of the prophetes even from mornynge to nyght.