Acts 22
1“Brothers and fathers,a listen now to my defense.”
2When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic,b they became very quiet.
Then Paul said: 3“I am a Jew,c born in Tarsusd of Cilicia,e but brought up in this city. I studied underf Gamalielg and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.h I was just as zealousi for God as any of you are today. 4I persecutedj the followers of this Wayk to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,l 5as the high priest and all the Councilm can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associatesn in Damascus,o and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.p 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
8“ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,q whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9My companions saw the light,r but they did not understand the voices of him who was speaking to me.
10“ ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’t 11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.u
12“A man named Ananias came to see me.v He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.w 13He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14“Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestorsx has chosen you to know his will and to seey the Righteous Onez and to hear words from his mouth. 15You will be his witnessa to all people of what you have seenb and heard. 16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptizedc and wash your sins away,d calling on his name.’e
17“When I returned to Jerusalemf and was praying at the temple, I fell into a tranceg 18and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’
19“ ‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprisonh and beati those who believe in you. 20And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’j
21“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”k
Paul the Roman Citizen
22The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him!l He’s not fit to live!”m
23As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaksn and flinging dust into the air,o 24the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.p He directedq that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”r
26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
28Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”
“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29Those who were about to interrogate hims withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen,t in chains.u
Paul Before the Sanhedrin
30The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews.v So the next day he released himw and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrinx to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
Acts 23
1Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrina and said, “My brothers,b I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good consciencec to this day.” 2At this the high priest Ananiasd ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.e 3Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!f You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”g
4Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”
5Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”h
6Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadduceesi and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers,j I am a Pharisee,k descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.”l 7When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection,m and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)
9There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Phariseesn stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,”o they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”p 10The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.q
11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage!r As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”s
The Plot to Kill Paul
12The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracyt and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.u 13More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.v 15Now then, you and the Sanhedrinw petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”
16But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracksx and told Paul.
17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18So he took him to the commander.
The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner,y sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”
19The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”
20He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrinz tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.a 21Don’t give in to them, because more than fortyb of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him.c They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”
22The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
Paul Transferred to Caesarea
23Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesaread at nine tonight.e 24Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”f
25He wrote a letter as follows:
26Claudius Lysias,
To His Excellency,g Governor Felix:
Greetings.h
27This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him,i but I came with my troops and rescued him,j for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen.k 28I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin.l 29I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law,m but there was no charge against himn that deserved death or imprisonment. 30When I was informedo of a plotp to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusersq to present to you their case against him.
31So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32The next day they let the cavalryr go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.s 33When the cavalryt arrived in Caesarea,u they delivered the letter to the governorv and handed Paul over to him. 34The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,w 35he said, “I will hear your case when your accusersx get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guardy in Herod’s palace.
Acts 24
Paul’s Trial Before Felix
1Five days later the high priest Ananiasa went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their chargesb against Paul before the governor.c 2When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. 3Everywhere and in every way, most excellentd Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. 4But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.
5“We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riotse among the Jewsf all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazareneg secth 6and even tried to desecrate the temple;i so we seized him. [7] 8By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”
9The other Jews joined in the accusation,j asserting that these things were true.
10When the governork motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11You can easily verify that no more than twelve daysl ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple,m or stirring up a crowdn in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.o 14However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestorsp as a follower of the Way,q which they call a sect.r I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,s 15and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrectiont of both the righteous and the wicked.u 16So I strive always to keep my conscience clearv before God and man.
17“After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poorw and to present offerings. 18I was ceremonially cleanx when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.y 19But there are some Jews from the province of Asia,z who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.a 20Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin— 21unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’ ”b
22Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way,c adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.” 23He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guardd but to give him some freedome and permit his friends to take care of his needs.f
24Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.g 25As Paul talked about righteousness, self-controlh and the judgmenti to come, Felix was afraidj and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” 26At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.
27When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus,k but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews,l he left Paul in prison.m
Acts 25
Paul’s Trial Before Festus
1Three days after arriving in the province, Festusa went up from Caesareab to Jerusalem, 2where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.c 3They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.d 4Festus answered, “Paul is being helde at Caesarea,f and I myself am going there soon. 5Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.” Photo
6After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the courtg and ordered that Paul be brought before him.h 7When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him,i but they could not prove them.j
8Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the templek or against Caesar.”
9Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor,l said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”m
10Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews,n as you yourself know very well. 11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”o
12After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
Festus Consults King Agrippa
13A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesareap to pay their respects to Festus. 14Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.q 15When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against himr and asked that he be condemned.
16“I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.s 17When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.t 18When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19Instead, they had some points of disputeu with him about their own religionv and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.w 21But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”x
22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”
He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”y
Paul Before Agrippa
26:12-18pp — Ac 9:3-8; 22:6-11
23The next day Agrippa and Bernicez came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish communitya has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.b 25I found he had done nothing deserving of death,c but because he made his appeal to the Emperord I decided to send him to Rome. 26But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. 27For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”
Acts 26
1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”a
So Paul motioned with his handb and began his defense: 2“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before youc today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,d 3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customse and controversies.f Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4“The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,g from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long timeh and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest secti of our religion, living as a Pharisee.j 6And now it is because of my hopek in what God has promised our ancestorsl that I am on trial today. 7This is the promise our twelve tribesm are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night.n King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me.o 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?p
9“I too was convincedq that I ought to do all that was possible to opposer the name of Jesus of Nazareth.s 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s peoplet in prison,u and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.v 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished,w and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.
12“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voicex saying to me in Aramaic,,y ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16‘Now get up and stand on your feet.z I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.a 17I will rescue youb from your own people and from the Gentiles.c I am sending you to them 18to open their eyesd and turn them from darkness to light,e and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sinsf and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’g
19“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedienth to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus,i then to those in Jerusalemj and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles,k I preached that they should repentl and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.m 21That is why some Jews seized men in the temple courts and tried to kill me.o 22But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happenp— 23that the Messiah would sufferq and, as the first to rise from the dead,r would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”s
24At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind,t Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learningu is driving you insane.”
25“I am not insane, most excellentv Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things,w and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”x
29Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”y
30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernicez and those sitting with them. 31After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”a
32Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set freeb if he had not appealed to Caesar.”c
Acts 27
Paul Sails for Rome
1When it was decided that wea would sail for Italy,b Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.c 2We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia,d and we put out to sea. Aristarchus,e a Macedonianf from Thessalonica,g was with us. Map: Paul’s Journey to Rome c. ad 59–60 (Ac 27:1—28:16)
3The next day we landed at Sidon;h and Julius, in kindness to Paul,i allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.j 4From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.k 5When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicial and Pamphylia,m we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6There the centurion found an Alexandrian shipn sailing for Italyo and put us on board. 7We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course,p we sailed to the lee of Crete,q opposite Salmone. 8We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
9Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement.,r So Paul warned them, 10“Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.”s 11But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 12Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete,t facing both southwest and northwest.
The Storm
13When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14Before very long, a wind of hurricane force,u called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboatv secure, 17so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run agroundw on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.x 19On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
21After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advicey not to sail from Crete;z then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22But now I urge you to keep up your courage,a because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23Last night an angelb of the God to whom I belong and whom I servec stood beside med 24and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar;e and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’f 25So keep up your courage,g men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.h 26Nevertheless, we must run agroundi on some island.”j
The Shipwreck
27On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. 29Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboatk down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”l 32So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.”m 35After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke itn and began to eat. 36They were all encouragedo and ate some food themselves. 37Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.p
39When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach,q where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40Cutting loose the anchors,r they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.s
42The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s lifet and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.u
Acts 28
Paul Ashore on Malta
1Once safely on shore, wea found out that the islandb was called Malta. 2The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand,c they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.”d 5But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.e 6The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.f
7There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer,g placed his hands on himh and healed him.i 9When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10They honored usj in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
Paul’s Arrival at Rome
11After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian shipk with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14There we found some brothers and sistersl who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15The brothers and sistersm there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.n
Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard
17Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders.o When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers,p although I have done nothing against our peopleq or against the customs of our ancestors,r I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18They examined mes and wanted to release me,t because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death.u 19The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar.v I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. 20For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israelw that I am bound with this chain.”x
21They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our peopley who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”z
23They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God,a and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophetsb he tried to persuade them about Jesus.c 24Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.d 25They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he saide through Isaiah the prophet:
26“ ‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
27For this people’s heart has become calloused;f
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’,g
28“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvationh has been sent to the Gentiles,i and they will listen!” [29]
30For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31He proclaimed the kingdom of Godj and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldnessk and without hindrance!
2 23:23 The meaning of the Greek for this word is uncertain.
1 24:6-8 Some manuscripts include here him, and we would have judged him in accordance with our law. 7But the commander Lysias came and took him from us with much violence, 8ordering his accusers to come before you.
1 27:9 That is, Yom Kippur
3 27:27 In ancient times the name referred to an area extending well south of Italy.
4 27:28 Or about 37 meters
5 27:28 Or about 27 meters
2 28:29 Some manuscripts include here After he said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.
22:2 Aramaic. See note on 21:40. Speaking in Aramaic rather than in the common Greek language would have captured the attention of the Jewish crowd.
22:3 born in Tarsus. Paul had citizenship in Tarsus (21:39) as well as being a Roman citizen. “No ordinary city” (21:39) was also used by Euripides to describe Athens. Tarsus was 10 miles inland on the Cydnus River and 30 miles from the mountains, which were cut by a deep, narrow gorge called the Cilician Gates. It was an important commercial center, university city and crossroads of travel. brought up in this city. Paul may have come to Jerusalem with his family as a child, or he may have come to Jerusalem when he was old enough to begin training under Gamaliel. Gamaliel. The most honored rabbi of the first century. Possibly he was the grandson of Hillel (see also 5:34–40 and note on 5:34).
22:4 I persecuted the followers. See 9:1–4. this Way. See 9:2 and note.
22:5 high priest. Caiaphas, the high priest over 20 years earlier, was now dead, and Ananias was high priest (see 23:2 and note); but the records of the high priest would show Paul’s testimony to be true. Council. The Sanhedrin (see Mk 14:55 and note).
22:6–21 The fact that the account of Paul’s conversion occurs three times in Acts (9:1–22; here; 26:9–18) confirms its importance for Luke. See note on Ge 24:34–49 for this common feature of ancient storytelling.
22:8 Who are you, Lord? See note on 9:5. persecuting. See note on 9:4.
22:9 did not understand the voice. They heard the sound (9:7) but did not understand what was said.
22:12 Ananias . . . devout observer of the law. Important to this audience (see note on Lk 1:6).
22:14 to see the Righteous One. Cf. 3:14; Lk 23:47 and notes. To see the resurrected Jesus was all-important to Paul (26:16; 1Co 9:1; 15:8). It was that experience that had convinced him of the truth of the gospel and that became the foundation of his theology.
22:17 When I returned to Jerusalem. Refers to the visit described in 9:26; Gal 1:17–18. at the temple, I fell into a trance. See Peter’s trance (10:10; 11:5; cf. 2Co 12:3). Paul did not disparage the temple but continued to honor it.
22:20 giving my approval. Does not necessarily mean that Paul had to be a member of the Sanhedrin, though some have thought so (see note on 26:10). He could show his approval by allowing them to put their cloaks at his feet.
22:24 commander. See note on 21:31. barracks. See note on 21:37. that he be flogged. Not with the rod, as at Philippi (16:22–24), but with the scourge, a merciless instrument of torture. It was legal to use it to force a confession from a slave or foreigner but never from a Roman citizen. The scourge consisted of a whip of leather thongs with pieces of bone or metal attached to the ends (cf. Mk 15:15 and note).
22:25 they stretched him out. The Greek word used for tying a person to a post for whipping. centurion. See note on 10:1. Roman citizen. According to Roman law, all Roman citizens were assured exclusion from the most degrading forms of punishment: beating with rods, scourging, crucifixion.
22:28 pay a lot of money. There were three ways to obtain Roman citizenship: (1) receive it as a reward for some outstanding service to Rome; (2) be born into a family of Roman citizens; or, as in this case, (3) pay a large bribe. How Paul’s father or an earlier ancestor had gained citizenship, no one knows. By 171 bc a large number of Jews were citizens of Tarsus, and in the time of Pompey (106–48) some of these could have received Roman citizenship as well.
22:29 alarmed. Cf. the same reaction of the magistrates in Philippi (16:38).
22:30 he released him. Paul was no longer bound, and presumably he would have been free completely if the Sanhedrin had not wished to detain him. chief priests. Those of the high priestly line of descent (mainly Sadducees; see note on Mt 2:4), but the Sanhedrin now included a considerable number of Pharisees. These men constituted the ruling body of the Jews. The Jewish court was respected by the Roman governor, whose approval had to be obtained before sentencing to capital punishment.
23:2 Ananias. High priest ad 47–59, son of Nebedaeus. He is not to be confused with the high priest Annas (ad 6–15; see note on Lk 3:2). Ananias was noted for cruelty and violence. When the revolt against Rome broke out, he was assassinated by his own people.
23:3 whitewashed wall! Having an attractive exterior but filled with unclean contents, such as tombs holding dead bodies (Mt 23:27); or walls that look substantial but fall before the winds (Eze 13:10–12). It is a metaphor for a hypocrite.
23:5 I did not realize that he was the high priest. Explained in different ways: (1) Paul had poor eyesight (suggested by such passages as Gal 4:15; 6:11 [see note there]) and failed to see that the one who presided was the high priest. (2) He failed to discern that the one who presided was the high priest because on some occasions others had sat in his place. (3) He was using pure irony: A true high priest would not give such an order. (4) He refused to acknowledge that Ananias was the high priest under these circumstances.
23:6 Sadducees. See note on 4:1. They denied the resurrection, as well as the existence of angels and spirits (v. 8). Pharisees. See notes on Mt 3:7; Mk 2:16; Lk 5:17.
23:12 bound themselves with an oath. These men were probably from the Zealots or the “terrorists” (see 21:38 and note) later responsible for revolt against Rome.
23:22 Don’t tell anyone. For the young man’s own safety and because of the commander’s plans to transfer Paul under cover of night (v. 23).
23:23 soldiers . . . horsemen . . . spearmen. Heavily armed infantry, cavalry and lightly armed soldiers. The commander assigned 470 men to protect Paul, the Roman citizen (cf. 22:25–29)—but the Greek for “spearmen” is an obscure word that could perhaps be translated “additional mounts and pack animals” (see NIV text note).
23:24 Governor Felix. See note on v. 34.
23:27 for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. Inserted to gain the commander’s favor with Rome, but not a true statement, because the commander did not learn of Paul’s citizenship until he was about to scourge him to gain information.
23:29 Cf. the false charge made against Paul before Gallio in Corinth (18:13–16).
23:30 ordered his accusers to present to you their case. He anticipated that the order would be given by the time the letter was delivered.
23:31 Antipatris. Rebuilt by Herod the Great and named for his father (Antipater). It was a military post between Samaria and Judea—30 miles from Jerusalem.
23:33 Caesarea. The headquarters of Roman rule for Samaria and Judea—28 miles from Antipatris (see note on 8:40).
23:34 The governor. Antonius Felix. The emperor Claudius had appointed him governor of Judea c. ad 52, a time when Felix’s brother was the emperor’s favorite minister. The brothers had formerly been slaves, then Freedmen, then high officials in government. The historian Tacitus said of Felix, “He held the power of a tyrant with the disposition of a slave.” He married three queens in succession, one of whom was Drusilla (see note on 24:24). from Cilicia. If Paul had come from a province nearby, Felix might have turned him over for trial under another’s jurisdiction.
23:35 Herod’s palace. Erected as a royal residence by Herod the Great but now used as a Roman praetorium—the headquarters of the local Roman governor. Praetoria were located in Rome (Php 1:13), Ephesus, Jerusalem (Jn 18:28; see note there), Caesarea and other parts of the empire.
24:1 Five days later. After the departure from Jerusalem. This would allow just enough time for a messenger to go from Caesarea to Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin to appoint their representatives, and the appointees to make the return journey to Caesarea. Ananias. See note on 23:2. The high priest himself made the 60-mile journey to supervise the case personally. elders. The Sanhedrin was made up of 71 elders. The designation was used of both the religious and the political councils. See notes on Ex 3:16; 2Sa 3:17; Joel 1:2; Mt 15:2. lawyer. Greek rhētoros, a person with rhetorical skill. In a court trial one trained in forensic rhetoric would serve as an attorney at law. Tertullus. A common variant of the name Tertius. Possibly he was a Roman but more likely a Hellenistic Jew familiar with the procedures of the Roman court.
24:2–3 long period of peace . . . with profound gratitude. The expected eulogy with which to introduce a speech before a judge. In his six years in office Felix had eliminated bands of robbers, thwarted organized assassins and crushed a movement led by an Egyptian (see note on 21:38). But in general his record was not good. He was recalled by Rome two years later because of misrule. His reforms and improvements are hard to identify historically.
24:5 troublemaker . . . ringleader of the Nazarene sect. To excite dissension in the empire was treason against Caesar. To be a leader of a religious sect without Roman approval was contrary to law. Nazarene sect. Christianity.
24:6 tried to desecrate the temple. The charge is now qualified as merely an attempt (see 21:28 and note).
24:10 Paul’s reserved introduction lacks the flattery employed by Tertullus (vv. 2–4).
24:11 twelve days ago. Paul answers each accusation. He was not a troublemaker, and he had not been involved in disturbances. He had but recently arrived in Jerusalem. He had spent five days in Caesarea and nearly seven in Jerusalem.
24:14 worship . . . God . . . as a follower of the Way. Paul admits to his part in the Way, but he still believes the Law and the Prophets. He shares the same hope as most of the Jews (but not Sadducees)—resurrection and judgment (v. 15).
24:17 to bring my people gifts for the poor. The only explicit reference in Acts to the collection that was so important to Paul (see note on 20:4). to present offerings. May refer to Paul’s help in sponsoring those who were fulfilling their vows (see 21:24 and note). He also may have intended to present offerings for himself.
24:19 Jews from the province of Asia. See 21:27–29. The absence of these Asian Jews would seem to suggest that they could not substantiate their accusations.
24:21 concerning the resurrection. Paul again introduces the point of contention between the Pharisees and Sadducees (see 23:6–8; see also chart).
24:22 well acquainted with the Way. Felix could not have governed Judea and Samaria for six years without becoming familiar with the place and activities of the Christians.
24:23 to give him some freedom. Perhaps Paul was under house arrest similar to what he would experience while awaiting trial in Rome (28:30–31)—in recognition of the fact that he was a Roman citizen who had not been found guilty of any crime.
24:24 Drusilla. Felix’s third wife, daughter of Herod Agrippa I. At age 15 she married Azizus, king of Emesa, but deserted him for Felix a year later. Her son, also named Agrippa, died in the eruption of Vesuvius (ad 79).
24:25 Felix was afraid. Hearing of “righteousness, self-control and the judgment” (cf. Jn 16:7–11 and notes), Felix looked at his past life and was filled with fear. He had a spark of sincerity and concern. When I find it convenient. Lust, pride, greed and selfish ambition make it inconvenient to change.
24:26 offer him a bribe. Felix supposed that Paul had access to considerable funds. He had heard of his bringing an offering to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (see v. 17 and note). So he wanted Paul to give him money in order to secure his release. Paul no longer had the money, nor would he offer a bribe if he had it (cf. 1Ti 6:9–10, 17–19).
24:27 Felix was succeeded by . . . Festus. Felix was recalled to Rome in ad 59/60 to answer for disturbances and irregularities in his rule, such as his handling of riots between Jewish and Syrian inhabitants. Festus is not mentioned in existing historical records before his arrival in Judea. He died in office after two years, but his record for that time shows wisdom and honesty superior to both his predecessor, Felix, and his successor, Albinus. to grant a favor to the Jews. Felix did not want to incite more anger among the Jews, whom he would be facing in Roman court shortly. To release Paul from prison would do just that.
25:1 from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Sixty miles, a two-day trip. Festus was anxious to go immediately to the center of Jewish rule and worship.
25:2 chief priests and the Jewish leaders. The Sanhedrin (see note on Mk 14:55).
25:3 ambush. Probably the same group that had earlier made a vow to take Paul’s life (see 23:12 and note).
25:6 convened the court. To make his decision binding as a formal ruling.
25:7 charges . . . they could not prove. Again, as in the first hearing, Paul’s adversaries produced no witnesses or evidence of any kind (24:2–9).
25:8 nothing . . . against the Jewish law. Paul had respect for the law (see Ro 7:12; 8:3–4; 1Co 9:20 and note). against the temple. See notes on 21:28–29. Paul had not defied its customs by taking Trophimus into forbidden areas (21:29). Jesus had prophesied its destruction, but he was not responsible for its plight (Lk 21:5–6). against Caesar. Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God, but not as a political rival of Rome (cf. 17:6–7). He advocated respect for law and order (Ro 13:1–7) and prayer for civil rulers (1Ti 2:1–2).
25:9 Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem . . . ? Obviously not. Festus had said that the trial would be before him; so Paul insisted that he was then standing in the Roman civil court (v. 10). He wanted to keep his trial there rather than suffer at the hands of a Jewish religious court. As a Roman citizen, he could refuse to go to a local provincial court; instead, he looked to a higher Roman court.
25:11 I appeal to Caesar! Nero had become the emperor (Caesar) by this time (see photo; see also photo). It was the right of every Roman citizen to have his case heard before Caesar himself (or his representative) in Rome. This was the highest court of appeal. Nero’s pogrom against Christians would not begin until ad 64. Between ad 54–64, he was not particularly worse than other Roman emperors had been, and Paul could well have hoped for justice.
25:12 his council. The officials and legal experts who made up the advisory council for the Roman governor.
25:13 King Agrippa. Herod Agrippa II. He was 17 years old at the death of his father in ad 44 (12:23). Being too young to succeed his father, he was replaced by Roman governors. Eight years later, however, a gradual extension of territorial authority began. Ultimately he ruled over territory north and northeast of the Sea of Galilee, over several Galilean cities and over some cities in Perea. At the Jewish revolt, when Jerusalem fell, he was on the side of the Romans. He died c. ad 100—the last of the Herods. Bernice. The oldest daughter of Agrippa I, she was 16 years old at his death. When only 13, she married her uncle, Herod of Chalcis, and had two sons. When Herod died, she lived with her brother, Agrippa II. To silence rumors that she was living in incest with her brother, she married Polemon, king of Cilicia, but left him soon afterward to return to Agrippa. She became the mistress of the emperor Vespasian’s son Titus but was later ignored by him. to pay their respects. It was customary for rulers to pay a complimentary visit to a new ruler at the time of his assignment. It was advantageous to each that they get along (cf. Herod Antipas and Pilate, Lk 23:6–12).
25:19 religion. Or “superstition,” the same word used by Paul in 17:22 (see note there).
25:22 I would like to hear. Agrippa had been wishing to hear Paul (cf. Antipas wanting to see Jesus, Lk 9:9; 23:8).
25:23 audience room. Not the judgment hall, for this was not a court trial. It was in an auditorium appropriate for the pomp of the occasion, with a king, his sister, the Roman governor and the outstanding leaders of both the Jews and the Roman government present. high-ranking military officers. Five regiments were stationed at Caesarea, so their five commanders would have been in attendance (see note on 21:31).
25:26 I have nothing definite. Festus was required to send Caesar an explicit report on the case when an appeal was made. He hoped for some help from Agrippa in this matter. This was not an official trial but a special hearing to satisfy the curiosity of Agrippa and provide an assessment for Festus. especially before you, King Agrippa. He would be sensitive to differences between Pharisees and Sadducees, expectations of the Messiah, differences between Jews and Christians, and Jewish customs pertinent to these problems (see 26:2–3 and note on 26:3).
26:1 permission to speak. Agrippa gave the permission because Festus yielded control of the hearing to the king.
26:3 well acquainted with all the Jewish customs. Agrippa as king controlled the temple treasury and the investments of the high priest and could appoint the high priest. He was consulted by the Romans on religious matters. This is one of the reasons Festus wanted him to assess Paul (see note on 25:26).
26:6 my hope in what God has promised. Including God’s kingdom, the Messiah and the resurrection (v. 8).
26:8 Paul had been speaking to Agrippa but at this point must have addressed others as well, such as Festus and the commanders (see note on 21:31), who did not believe in the resurrection. Agrippa was also allied with the Sadducees, whom he appointed high priests, and probably rejected both the resurrection of Christ and resurrection in general.
26:10 I cast my vote against them. Does not necessarily mean that Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin (see note on 22:20). He may have been appointed to a commission to carry out the prosecution (v. 12).
26:11 force them to blaspheme. He tried to force them either to curse Jesus or to confess publicly that Jesus is the Son of God, in which case they could be condemned for blasphemy, a sufficient cause for death (Mt 26:63–66).
26:12 I was going to Damascus. Again Paul gives an account of his conversion (see 9:1–19; 22:4–21 and notes).
26:14 I heard a voice. See notes on 9:7; 22:9. to kick against the goads. A Greek proverb for useless resistance—the ox succeeds only in hurting itself.
26:20 demonstrate . . . repentance by . . . deeds. Works do not secure salvation either before or after conversion, but they are a sign of the reality of repentance (cf. 3:19 and note).
26:24 You are out of your mind. See Jn 10:20; cf. 1Co 14:23. The governor felt that Paul’s education and reading of the sacred Scriptures had led him to a mania about prophecy and resurrection.
26:26 not done in a corner. This gospel is based on actual events, lived out in historical times and places. The king must himself attest to the truth of what Paul has affirmed.
26:27 do you believe the prophets? King Agrippa was faced with a dilemma. If he said “Yes,” Paul would press him to recognize their fulfillment in Jesus; if he said “No,” he would be in trouble with the devout Jews, who accepted the message of the prophets as the very word of God.
26:28 in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian? His question is an evasion of Paul’s question and an answer to what he anticipates Paul’s next question will be. His point is that he will not be persuaded by such a brief statement. Christian. See note on 11:26.
26:29 these chains. Paul was still bound as a prisoner.
26:31 not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment. Luke calls attention to the officials’ agreement on Paul’s innocence (cf. Herod’s and Pilate’s agreement on Jesus’ innocence in Lk 23:13–15).
27:1 See map; see also map above. we would sail. The “we” narrative (see note on 16:10) begins again (the last such reference appeared in 21:18). Probably Luke had spent the two years of Paul’s Caesarean imprisonment nearby, and now he joins those ready to sail. centurion named Julius. Otherwise unknown. Perhaps he was given the specific duties of an imperial courier, which included delivering prisoners for trial. Imperial Regiment. The Roman legions were designated by number, and each of the regiments also had designations. The identification “Augustan,” or “Imperial” (belonging to the empire), was common (see note on 10:1).
27:2 Adramyttium. A harbor on the west coast of the province of Asia, southeast of Troas, east of Assos. ports along the coast. At one of these stops Julius would plan to transfer to a ship going to Rome. Aristarchus. See 19:29 and note; see also Phm 24, which indicates that he was in Rome with Paul later.
27:3 Sidon. About 70 miles north of Caesarea.
27:4 the lee of Cyprus. They sought the protecting shelter of the island by sailing north on the eastern side of the island, then west along the northern side. winds were against us. Prevailing winds in summer were westerly.
27:5 Cilicia and Pamphylia. Adjoining provinces on the southern shore of Asia Minor. From Sidon to Myra along this coast would normally be a voyage of 10 to 15 days. Myra in Lycia. The growing importance of the city of Myra was associated with the development of navigation. Instead of hugging the coast from point to point, more ships were daring to run directly from Alexandria in Egypt to harbors like Myra on the southern coast of Asia Minor. It was considerably out of the way on the trip to Rome from Egypt, but the prevailing westerly wind would not allow a direct voyage toward the west. Myra became an important grain-storage city as well.
27:6 Alexandrian ship. A ship from Egypt (with grain cargo, v. 38) bound for Rome. Paul and the others could have remained on the first ship and continued up the coast to Macedonia, then taken the land route over the Egnatian Way across Greece and on to Rome, entering Italy at the port of Brundisium. But Julius chose to change ships here, accepting the opportunity of a direct voyage to Rome. Some suggest that Aristarchus from Macedonia stayed with the first ship and went to his home area to tell of Paul’s coming imprisonment in Rome. If so, he later joined Paul in Rome (see note on v. 2).
27:7 Cnidus. From Myra to Cnidus at the southwest point of Asia Minor was about 170 miles. The trip probably took another 10 to 15 days. Crete. An island 160 miles long. Rather than cross the open sea to Greece, the ship was forced to bear south, seeking to sail west with the protection of the island of Crete on the north (“to the lee of Crete”). Salmone. A promontory on the northeast point of Crete.
27:8 Fair Havens . . . Lasea. The former was a port about midway on the southern coast of Crete, and the latter was a city about five miles away (see inset map).
27:9 Atonement. The Jewish Day of Atonement fell in the latter part of September or in October. The usual sailing season by Jewish calculation lasted from Pentecost (May-June) to Tabernacles, which was five days after Atonement. The Romans considered sailing after Sept. 15 doubtful and after Nov. 11 suicidal.
27:12 Phoenix. A major city that served as a wintering place, having a harbor with protection against the storms.
27:14 Northeaster. A typhoon-like, east-northeast wind (the Euroquilo), which drove the ship away from its destination (see inset map).
27:16 Cauda. About 23 miles from Crete. This provided enough shelter to make preparation against the storm. to make the lifeboat secure. A small boat was being towed behind the ship. It was interfering with the progress of the ship and with the steering. It may also have been in danger of being crushed against the ship in the wind and the waves. It had to be taken aboard (v. 17).
27:17 passed ropes under the ship. Probably crosswise, in order to keep the ship from being broken apart by the storm. Syrtis. A long stretch of desolate banks of quicksand along northern Africa off the coast of Tunis and Tripoli—still far away, but in such a storm the ship could be driven a great distance. sea anchor. Lowered apparently to keep the ship from running onto the sandbars of Syrtis, but the Greek for this expression could also be rendered “mainsail” (see NIV text note).
27:18 throw the cargo overboard. To lighten the ship. They kept some bags of grain, however (v. 38).
27:19 ship’s tackle. Spars, planks and perhaps the yardarm with the mainsail attached. At times these were dragged behind, serving as a brake.
27:21 should have taken my advice. Although they had not done so, Paul had good news for everyone (vv. 22–26).
27:27 fourteenth night. After leaving Fair Havens. Adriatic Sea. The sea between Italy, Malta, Crete and Greece. In ancient times the Adriatic Sea was viewed as extending as far south as Sicily and Crete (see NIV text note). (Some think this sea included all the area between Greece, Italy and Africa and that it was known as the Adrian, not the Adriatic, Sea.) Today the term refers to a much smaller area between Italy and Greece.
27:28 took soundings. Measured the depth of the sea by letting down a weighted line.
27:30 attempt to escape. Without a port for the ship, the sailors felt their chance for survival was better in the single lifeboat, unencumbered by the many passengers.
27:31 Unless these men stay. The sailors were needed to successfully beach the ship the next day.
27:33 haven’t eaten anything. No provisions had been distributed nor regular meals eaten since the storm began.
27:35 took some bread and gave thanks. Paul gave two good examples: He ate food for physical nourishment and gave thanks to God. To give thanks before a meal was common practice among God’s people (Lk 9:16; 24:30; 1Ti 4:4–5).
27:37 276 of us on board. To note the number on board may have been necessary in preparation for the distribution of food or to know whether all were accounted for after they made it to shore. The number is not extraordinary for the time. Josephus refers to a ship that had 600 aboard (Life, 15).
27:38 lightened the ship. They threw overboard the remaining bags of wheat (v. 18), which had probably been kept for food supply. The lighter the ship, the farther it could sail in to shore.
27:40 untied the ropes that held the rudders. In order to lower the stern rudders into place so the ship could be steered toward the sandy shore. Ancient ships had a steering oar on either side of the stern.
27:42 soldiers planned to kill the prisoners. If a prisoner escaped, the life of his guard was taken in his place. The soldiers did not want to risk having a prisoner escape (see 16:27 and note).
27:43 Once more the centurion (Julius, v. 3; see also note on v. 1) is to be admired for stopping this plan and trusting the prisoners.
28:1 Malta. Known as Melita by the Greeks and Romans. It was included in the province of Sicily and is located 58 miles south of that large island.
28:2 islanders. Or “barbarians”; originally, all non-Greek-speaking people were called this by Greeks. During Roman rule, the term came to be used for all non-Greek and all non-Latin speaking people. Far from being uncivilized tribesmen, the Maltese were Phoenician in ancestry and used a Phoenician dialect but were thoroughly Romanized. raining and cold. It was the end of October or the beginning of November.
28:3 a viper. Must have been known to the islanders to be poisonous.
28:6 to swell up. The usual medical term for inflammation; it is used only by Luke in the NT. said he was a god. Parallel to the Lystrans’ attempt to worship Paul and Barnabas (14:11–18).
28:7 Publius. A Roman name, but the first name and not the family name. It must have been what the islanders called him. chief official. The “first man” of Malta, a technical term for the top authority. Luke’s designation is accurate here, as elsewhere, even though the Greek term used is not a common one. Cf. also “proconsul” (Greek anthypatos, 13:7), “magistrates” (Greek strategoi, 16:20), “city officials” (Greek politarchas, 17:6), “officials of the province” (Greek Asiarchōn, 19:31). for three days. Probably until they could find more permanent housing for the winter (v. 11).
28:11 After three months. They had to remain here until the sailing season opened in late February or early March. figurehead. A carving mounted at the prow of the ship. Castor and Pollux. The two “sons of Zeus” (Greek Dioscuroi), the guardian deities of sailors.
28:12 Syracuse. The leading city on the island of Sicily, situated on the east coast.
28:13 Rhegium. A town on the coast of Italy, near the southwestern tip and close to the narrowest point of the strait separating that country from Sicily, opposite Messina. Around the promontory north of the town was the whirlpool of Charybdis and the rock of Scylla. Coming from his triumph in Judea, the general Titus landed here on his way to Rome. Puteoli. Modern Pozzuoli, almost 200 miles from Rhegium. It was situated in the northern part of the Bay of Naples and was the chief port of Rome, though 75 miles away. The population included Jews as well as Christians.
28:14 spend a week. Either the centurion had business to care for or he was free to delay the journey at Paul’s request (see 27:42–43; see also 27:3). Rome. See map.
28:15 Forum of Appius. A small town 43 miles from Rome, noted for its wickedness. Some Roman Christians came this far to meet Paul. Beyond this they would not be certain of the way he would come. Three Taverns. A town 33 miles from Rome. Other Roman believers met Paul here. The term “tavern” was used to designate any kind of shop.
28:16 live by himself. “In his own rented house” (v. 30). He had committed no flagrant crime and was not politically dangerous. So he was allowed to have his own living quarters, though he had to pay for them, and a guard was with him at all times, perhaps chained to him (Eph 6:20; Php 1:13–14, 17; Col 4:3,18; Phm 10,13).
28:17 Jewish leaders. The decree of the emperor Claudius (see 18:2 and note) had been allowed to lapse when he died in ad 54, and many Jews had returned to Rome with some of their leaders. My brothers. An epithet that recognized the common Jewish blood he shared with them. Cf. the usage in v. 15, referring to brothers (“believers”) in Christ (see note on 11:1).
28:22 we want to hear . . . your views. The Jews in Rome were well aware of the dispute over whether Jesus was the Messiah. They wanted to hear Paul’s presentation, and he was eager to present it before the arrival of adverse opinions from the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem.
28:26–27 This OT passage (Isa 6:9–10; see notes there) was quoted by Jesus (see Mt 13:14–15; Mk 4:12; Lk 8:10; Jn 12:39–40 and notes) to make a similar point. Paul, too, had alluded to it in his letter to the Romans (Ro 11:8). The theme of the rejection of the gospel by many in Israel has been an important one throughout Acts (see note on 13:14–31).
28:28 God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles. The main theme of the book of Acts. The gospel is meant for all. And Paul was a chosen vessel to carry the message to Gentiles as well as to Jews (see 9:15 and note; Ro 1:13; 11:13 and note).
28:30 two whole years. Paul served the Lord (v. 31) during the full period of waiting for his accusers to press the trial in Rome. There are a number of indications that he was released from this imprisonment: (1) Paul wrote to churches expecting to visit them soon, so he must have anticipated a release (Php 2:24; Phm 22). (2) A number of the details in the Pastoral Letters do not fit into the historical setting given in the book of Acts. These details indicate a return to Asia Minor, Crete and Greece after the events at the close of Acts. (3) Tradition indicates that Paul later went to Spain. Even if he did not go, the very fact that a tradition arose suggests a time when he could have taken that journey. See map and accompanying text.
28:31 Acts ends on a triumphant note (just as Luke’s Gospel does; see Lk 24:50–53). Despite being under house arrest, Paul is preaching and teaching in Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire (see 1:8 and note). Luke’s perspective is truly remarkable. Even though Paul is continually chained to a Roman soldier, because he can receive visitors as well as talk to the Roman soldiers who take turns guarding him, Paul’s ministry can be said to be going forward “without hindrance”!