Acts 28:6

Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen Better (with R.V.) "But they expected that he would have swollen." Such being the usual effect of the viper's bite, and making itself apparent in a very short time.

but after they had looked a great while [R. V."but when they were long in expectation."] The verb is the same as in the first clause of the verse, and does not express merely the gazing upon Paul, but the thought in their minds of what was to come. The pluperfect of the A.V. is the better English. So read "when they had been long in expectation."

saw no harm [R.V."beheld nothing amiss."] The adjective is the same which is used, Luke 23:41, "This man hath done nothing amiss," and can be applied to anything abnormal, whether it be as there a breach of a law, or as here a change of condition.

and said that he was a god Compare the conduct of the Lycaonians in Lystra (Acts 14:11 seqq.), whose behaviour afterwards shews that the opinion quickly formed was unstable, and liable to change as suddenly as it came.