‘And when we had escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melita.' Once ashore having escaped the sea they learned that the island on which they had landed was Malta. Malta, also called Melita (meaning refuge) which it was for many a sailor, lies about 60 miles south of the island of Sicily... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the barbarians showed us no common kindness, for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.' There the people of the island welcomed them with extraordinary kindness, coming out into the appalling weather and kindling a fire for them to gath... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out as a result of the heat, and fastened on his hand.' The able ones among the rescued no doubt busied themselves in doing what they could for the others. And as usual Paul was busy seeking to serve, and he assi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when the barbarians saw the venomous creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice (dike) has not allowed to live.” ' It was of a type known to the islanders to be venomous, and the barbarian in... [ Continue Reading ]
‘However that may be he shook off the creature into the fire, and took no harm.' But whatever the barbarians thought he shook off the creature into the fire and took no harm. We note that he did not take it into his hand on the grounds that Jesus had said that believers could do so (Mark 16:18). He... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But they expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly. But when they were long in expectation and beheld nothing amiss came to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.' The barbarians, however, stood around watching him and waiting for the signs of the poison... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now in the neighbourhood of that place were lands belonging to the first man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and entertained us three days courteously.' The title ‘first man of the island' is known from archaeology to have been the title given to the Roman governor of Malta. His nam... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And it was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fevers and dysentery, to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying his hands on him healed him.' While they were there Paul learned that Publius' father was ill with intermittent fevers (plural) and dysentery and he went to his sick room and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came, and were cured, who also honoured us with many honours, and when we sailed, they put on board such things as we needed.' The natural result of this was that many people on the island brought their sick and they were all hea... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And after three months we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose figurehead was ‘The Sons of Zeus' (The Twin Brothers). And touching at Syracuse, we tarried there three days. And from there we weighed anchor (or ‘took a circuitous route'), and arrived at Rhegium, a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And on the second day we came to Puteoli, where we found brethren, and were entreated to tarry with them seven days. And so we came to Rome.' Sailing time was good and on the second day they arrived at Puteoli which competed with Ostia as the main grain terminal for Rome. There they found a group... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And from there the brethren, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns, whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.' Even more joyous was it to be met on the last part of the journey, as they travelled along the Via Appia, by other brethre... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when we entered into Rome, Paul was allowed to abide by himself with the soldier that guarded him.' Thus entering Rome in humble triumph the King's representative was allowed to live by himself (with his companions) with a soldier guarding him. The Apostolate had at last entered Rome, and was... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And it came about, that after three days he called together those who were the chief of the Jews, and when they were come together, he said to them, “I, brethren, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of... [ Continue Reading ]
“But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar; not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation.” But, he added, the Jews in Jerusalem had spoken against it, with the result that he had had to appeal to Caesar. It was not because he wanted to bring a charge against... [ Continue Reading ]
“This is the reason why I entreated you to see and to speak with me, for because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” And it was the reason why he had called them together to see him and speak to him. Because he wanted them to know that he was not an apostate. It was for the hope of I... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judaea concerning you, nor did any of the brethren come here and report or speak any harm of you.” ' They then informed him that no letters had arrived at the synagogues concerning him, nor had any visitors come and reported anything or... [ Continue Reading ]
“ But we desire to hear from you what you think, for as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.” Meanwhile the Jewish leaders expressed their desire to hear his views, for they did know of the Christians and claimed that no one had any good to say about them. T... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when they had appointed him a day, they came to him into his lodging in great number, to whom he expounded the matter, testifying the Kingly Rule of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.' Then having appointed a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.' As we might expect some believed what he spoke, and some disbelieved. Compare Acts 13:42; Acts 17:32. They were divided among themselves..... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after that Paul had spoken one word, “Well spoke the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, Go you to this people, and say, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no wise understand, and seeing you will see, and wi... [ Continue Reading ]
“Be it known therefore to you, that this salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles. They will also hear.” Meanwhile let them know, (and he wanted to provoke them to jealousy by this - Romans 11:11) that this salvation of God available through the Messiah is sent to the Gentiles who will hear it, jus... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he abode two whole years in his own rented dwelling (or ‘at his own expense'), and received all that went in to him, preaching the Kingly Rule of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him.' These final summaries have a twofold purpose.... [ Continue Reading ]