And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.
Ver. 21. We neither received letters] Not because the priests and elders were now grown better minded toward Paul than they were wont to be (for malice is like the crocodile, that groweth as long as it liveth; and, as we used to say of cheeze, the older it is, the stronger), but that they could not so well deal with him at such a distance; and besides, being so far off them, he could be no such eye sore to them.