The Jewish leaders in Rome were divided — some believed Paul's message, while others did not, and they left in disagreement after Paul declared salvation was going to the Gentiles.
Acts 28 records that Paul spent from morning until evening explaining the kingdom of God and persuading those Jewish leaders concerning Jesus. Some believed the things spoken, but others did not, and the group could not agree among themselves. After Paul quoted Isaiah and announced that the salvation of God would go to the Gentiles, the Jewish leaders departed with great reasoning among themselves.
Acts 28:24 — This verse directly records the divided response of the Jewish leaders: some believed and some did not.
Acts 28:25-28 — This passage records Paul's final statement to the Jewish leaders after they could not agree, including the Isaiah quotation and the announcement that salvation would go to the Gentiles.
Acts 28:29 — This verse shows the Jewish leaders leaving with great reasoning among themselves after Paul's words.
Acts 28:23-29 presents the response of the Jewish leaders in Rome. When they had appointed Paul a day, many came to him in his lodging, and "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." Verse 24 gives the divided result: "some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not."
In Acts 28, Paul called the Jewish leaders in Rome together and told them he was bound with a chain for the hope of Israel. Les explains that by this time Paul had finished his missionary journeys and was in prison in Rome. Paul went over all the Old Testament covenant promises that had been presented to Israel, but they rejected them when they crucified their Messiah. The Jewish leaders left in discord and disagreement because they could not believe Paul's message. When Paul said, "the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles," Les clarifies that Paul did not say every Gentile would be saved, "no way" — but they would hear it, and "we know from Scripture that they have."
Acts 28:24 says "some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not." The very next verse says "when they agreed not among themselves, they departed" after Paul quoted Isaiah's prophecy about a people who would hear but not understand. Les comments that these Jewish leaders left in discord and disagreement because they could not believe Paul's message about Israel's rejection of the covenant promises and Messiah.
Paul's final word to the Jewish leaders was, "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it" (Acts 28:28). Les emphasizes that Paul did not say every Gentile would be saved, "no way" — but they would hear it, and Scripture shows they have. After he said these words, the Jews departed, having great reasoning among themselves.
Les demonstrates from Acts 22 that Paul's Jewish audiences would listen with rapt silence and attention until he said the word "Gentile." At that word they lifted up their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth: it is not fit that he should live." Les explains that Israel had been blinded to her true calling to be God's vehicle to the Gentiles, and she detested the thought of Gentiles being included.
Paul's Appeal to the Jewish Leaders at Rome
Les shows Paul calling the chief Jews in Rome and explaining that he was a prisoner for the hope of Israel, setting up the meeting where they would hear his message.
Ishmael vs. Isaac: The Allegory of Law and Grace Explained
And he rehearses everything that had taken place up through Jewish history, and how that Christ died, and so on and so forth. But anyway, he gets to the place where he quotes Jesus as saying, "...depart from Jerusalem, they will not hear you concerning me." And then he goes on another statement or two, and then he repeats what Jesus said again. He said, "...
The Riot at the Word 'Gentile'
Les explains that Paul's Jewish listeners heard him out until he said the word "Gentile," at which point they rioted and cried that he was not fit to live, revealing Israel's hardened opposition.
Does God Harden Hearts? Romans 9:18-24 and the Potter's Clay
�And I saw him saying unto me, Make haste, get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they, the Jews, will not receive thy testimony concerning me.� Verse 19, �And I said, Lord, they know that I am present, and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee. And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death.
The Jewish Crowd's Rejection of Paul's Gentile Commission
Les points out that even as Paul was recounting the Lord's commission to send him to the Gentiles, the crowd listened in rapt silence until the word "Gentile," then demanded his death.
Jewish Believers' Pressure on Paul's Gentile Ministry
Les explains that Jewish believers in Jerusalem wanted to stop Paul's ministry to the Gentiles, and if they had succeeded there would have been no salvation for us, but Paul withstood the pressure.
The Jewish Leaders in Rome Depart in Unbelief
Les directly explains the Acts 28 meeting: the Jewish leaders heard all the covenant promises had been rejected, could not believe it, left in discord, and were told that salvation was now going to the Gentiles.
Israel's Difficulty Accepting the Gentiles
Les notes that Jews were upset at Paul going to Gentiles because for nearly two thousand years God had made Israel His separated people, and it took time to get that out of their system.
Acts 28:23: 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.
This verse records the setting of Paul's presentation and the Jewish leaders' hearing of his testimony.
Acts 28:24: And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
This is the direct verse answering the question: the Jewish leaders were divided in their reaction.
Acts 28:25: And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
This shows that the leaders could not reach agreement and left after Paul's final quotation from Isaiah.
Acts 28:26: Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
Paul quotes Isaiah's prophecy that Israel would hear the message but not understand it.
Acts 28:27: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
The prophecy describes the hardened heart, dull ears, and closed eyes of the people.
Acts 28:28: Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Paul announces that because of Israel's rejection, salvation is now sent to the Gentiles.
Acts 28:29: And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
This verse records the Jewish leaders leaving with great reasoning among themselves after Paul's declaration.
Yes — Acts 28:24 says "some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not." They could not agree among themselves, and left after Paul's final words.
The Bible says they "agreed not among themselves" (Acts 28:25). Les says they left in discord and disagreement because they could not believe what Paul said about Israel's rejection of the covenant promises and the message going to the Gentiles.
Les explains that for nearly two thousand years God had made Israel His separated people, and they had lost sight of their calling to be the vehicle to reach the Gentiles. When Paul used the word "Gentile," his Jewish audiences rioted and demanded his death.
Watch the Teaching: Paul's Gospel of Grace: From Acts to Romans Explained