17. After three days Paul called the local Jewish leaders to a meeting. When they had gathered, he said to them, “My fellow-Israelites, even though I did nothing against our people or the customs that we received from our ancestors, I was made a prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
18. After questioning me, the Romans wanted to release me, because they found that I had done nothing for which I deserved to die.
19. But when the Jews opposed this, I was forced to appeal to the Emperor, even though I had no accusation to make against my own people.
20. That is why I asked to see you and talk with you. As a matter of fact, I am bound in chains like this for the sake of him for whom the people of Israel hope.”
21. They said to him, “We have not received any letters from Judea about you, nor have any of our people come from there with any news or anything bad to say about you.
22. But we would like to hear your ideas, because we know that everywhere people speak against this party to which you belong.”
23. So they fixed a date with Paul, and a large number of them came that day to the place where Paul was staying. From morning till night he explained to them his message about the Kingdom of God, and he tried to convince them about Jesus by quoting from the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets.