Read Part One HERE
A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS
PART XXVIII - VI
"I, Paul, looked at the people in front of me... They were the Jewish leaders who had gathered at my home here in Rome... I could see that they were quietly listening to what I had begun to share with them.... I had invited them to my home because, as a prisoner of Caesar, I am not free to go out and about ... However, I am free to invite anyone I choose to my home...So I arranged this meeting three days after my arrival in Rome...I began to share with these Jewish leaders that, though I had not done anything wrong against our people, I had been arrested by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem... Afterwards, I had been handed over to the Romans.... However, the Roman leaders in charge of my case had not found me guilty... So they had wanted to release me...But the Jews objected.... Consequently, I had no choice but to appeal to Caesar... That's why I am here.... I do want to people in front of me to know as well that I do not bring any charge against my own people...In fact, I know that I am really here because the Lord wants me to testify about Him here in Rome....He has been using the circumstances in my life.... As well as the people.... Be they Jews or Gentiles... To bring me here...I have no doubt that I will have opportunity to testify about Him.... Who knows.... I may have opportunity this very day to do so."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn details of Paul's meeting with the Jewish leaders in Rome....
ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS
PART XXVIII - VI
Paul let the Jewish leaders living in Rome who are meeting with him, know that he has not been found guilty of anything he has been accused of as you can read in Acts 28:18
"They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death."
He then shares with them the reason for his being in Rome as you can read in Acts 28:19
"But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar - not that I had any charge to bring against my own people."
Paul does not tell the Jewish leaders, who are visiting him, that he is in Rome because the Lord has told him he is to testify here just as he has done in Jerusalem. Instead, this time he uses as his reason the fact that the Jews objected to his release. No doubt, he is choosing his words carefully and he knows that talking to them about the visit of the Lord to him when he was in the barracks in Jerusalem will not help him in presenting his case in a clear and acceptable manner.
Read Part Twenty HERE
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