Acts 28:20-31
20I did it for Israel. I asked you to come and listen to me today to make it clear that I''m on Israel''s side, not against her. I''m a hostage here for hope, not doom."
21They said, "Nobody wrote warning us about you. And no one has shown up saying anything bad about you.
22But we would like very much to hear more. The only thing we know about this Christian sect is that nobody seems to have anything good to say about it."
23They agreed on a time. When the day arrived, they came back to his home with a number of their friends. Paul talked to them all day, from morning to evening, explaining everything involved in the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them all about Jesus by pointing out what Moses and the prophets had written about him.
24Some of them were persuaded by what he said, but others refused to believe a word of it.
25When the unbelievers got cantankerous and started bickering with each other, Paul interrupted: "I have just one more thing to say to you. The Holy Spirit sure knew what he was talking about when he addressed our ancestors through Isaiah the prophet:
26Go to this people and tell them this: "You''re going to listen with your ears, but you won''t hear a word; You''re going to stare with your eyes, but you won''t see a thing.c
27These people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won''t have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won''t have to look, so they won''t have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them."d
28"You''ve had your chance. The non-Jewish outsiders are next on the list. And believe me, they''re going to receive it with open arms!"e
29
30Paul lived for two years in his rented house. He welcomed everyone who came to visit.
31He urgently presented all matters of the kingdom of God. He explained everything about Jesus Christ. His door was always open.f