Acts 28:1-31
And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, having much dispute among themselves. (v.29) This verse may be new to you depending on the translation that you are reading. The NASB has it, but the ESV does not. The ESV indicates in a footnote that “some manuscripts” add this verse. But, to the point of this verse… Paul has been speaking all day to these Jews who clearly have been open to what he has been saying, even to the point of arguing among themselves – very likely to the possible truth of what Paul has been preaching. We have often heard it said that God’s word never goes out void. Here is the cited Scripture verse: …so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) So yeah, the Jews went out arguing among themselves. And there’s truth in that verse for us. If we’ve been sharing Jesus with an unbeliever, we have not wasted our words. Whatever we have said can be turned over and over in the mind of those who have listened to us – even something as simple as an invitation to church!
And so we finish Acts. On to more of Paul’s epistles…
See also: August 13 / Acts 28:1-10; August 14 / Acts 28:11-16; August 15 / Acts 28:17-31
Just a quick observation… The verse that Fred started with (v. 29) — that “some manuscripts” have and others do not — simply echoes what is said in Acts 28:25, which goes to say that the inclusion or exclusion of v. 29 should not be seen as a “big deal”.