28:17 After three days ¹  Paul ²  called the local Jewish leaders ³  together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, ⁴  although I had done ⁵  nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, ⁶  from Jerusalem ⁷  I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. ⁸  28:18 When ⁹  they had heard my case, ¹⁰  they wanted to release me, ¹¹  because there was no basis for a death sentence ¹²  against me. 28:19 But when the Jews objected, ¹³  I was forced to appeal to Caesar ¹⁴  – not that I had some charge to bring ¹⁵  against my own people. ¹⁶  28:20 So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel.” ¹⁷  28:21 They replied, ¹⁸  “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there ¹⁹  and reported or said anything bad about you. 28:22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know ²⁰  that people ²¹  everywhere speak against ²²  it.”