And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you.
21. Neither by letters. The priests and scribes did not hold their peace, because they were become more gentle towards Paul, or to the end they might spare him; that proceeded rather of contempt, or else of despair, because they neither knew how to oppress him when he was so far from them, and his carrying into Italy was “Videri poterat,” might seem. to them instead of a grave.
Paul called them together because he wanted to stand right in their opinion and have good understanding between them. He addresses them as men and brethren, signaling he expects to treat and be treated as one of them, for we are members one of another.
AI summary
Commenting on Acts 28:17-22
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...