And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
Near the end of the New Testament book of Acts, Paul — a Jewish scholar who became a Christian missionary and was eventually arrested — is under house arrest in Rome. Jewish leaders from the city arrange a day to come hear him out, and they arrive in large numbers. What follows is remarkable: Paul talks all day long, from morning to evening, explaining that Jesus was the fulfillment of their own ancient scriptures. The "Law of Moses" refers to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible; "the Prophets" refers to writings from figures like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Paul wasn't pitching a brand-new religion — he was arguing that everything they already believed had been pointing toward Jesus all along.
God, give me Paul's patience — the kind that stays at the table till evening, not to prove a point, but because I believe the story of Jesus is worth the whole conversation. Help me trust that you're working even when I can't measure the results. Amen.
All day. Morning to evening. In what was probably a cramped rented apartment, chained to a Roman guard, explaining the same thing from different angles to skeptical men who'd heard troubling rumors about him. No slideshow. No coffee break. Just Paul and a room full of people who weren't convinced — and him staying at it anyway. There's a kind of holy stubbornness here that has nothing to do with winning an argument. It's about believing the thing you're saying is worth the whole day, even when the room stays quiet. Most of us give up long before evening. We float a thought about faith at dinner, get a blank stare, and quietly change the subject before the pasta gets cold. Paul's example isn't a call to corner people or lecture your skeptical sibling until they surrender. It's something quieter: a willingness to keep the conversation going, to not treat one uncomfortable exchange as the final verdict. What would it look like for you to stay at the table a little longer — not to win, but because you genuinely believe what you're saying matters?
Paul used the Hebrew scriptures — the Old Testament — to explain Jesus to Jewish leaders. What does that approach tell you about how he understood the relationship between Judaism and the Christian faith?
Think about a time you tried to explain something you deeply believed to someone who was skeptical or uninterested. What happened, and how did it feel when the conversation didn't go the way you hoped?
Paul spent the entire day trying to "convince" people, and some were persuaded while others weren't. What does that mixed result say about our responsibility in sharing faith versus God's role in what people ultimately decide?
How does the way you talk about your beliefs with people who think differently either strengthen or damage your relationship with them?
Is there a conversation about faith you've been putting off or avoiding? What is one small, honest step you could take toward having it — not to score a point, but to genuinely engage?
And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
Acts 19:8
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Acts 20:7
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
Acts 28:31
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Matthew 13:19
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hebrews 1:1
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
John 1:17
And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Acts 17:2
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
John 3:11
When they had set a day for Paul, they came to his lodging in large numbers. And he carefully explained [Christianity] to them from morning until evening, solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the [writings of the] Prophets.
AMP
When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
ESV
When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.
NASB
They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
NIV
So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.
NKJV
So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening.
NLT
They 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.
MSG