Acts 28:30

Two whole years

(διετιαν ολην). Only here in N.T. and Acts 24:27 which see. During these busy years in Rome Paul wrote Philippians, Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians, Epistles that would immortalize any man, unless, forsooth, one or more of them was written from Ephesus or Caesarea, which has not yet been proven.In his own hired dwelling

(εν ιδιω μισθωματ). Old word, here only in N.T., that which is hired for a price (from μισθοω and that from μισθος, hire).Received

(απεδεχετο). Imperfect middle of αποδεχομα, received from time to time as they came, all that came (εισπορευομενους) from time to time.Preaching

(κερυσσων),teaching

(διδασκων), the two things that concerned Paul most, doing both as if his right hand was not in chains, to the amazement of those in Rome and in Philippi (Philippians 1:12-14).None forbidding him

(ακωλυτως). Old adverb from α privative and the verbal adjective κωλυτος (from κωλυω, to hinder), here only in the N.T. Page comments on "the rhythmic cadence of the concluding words." Page rejects the notion that the book is an unfinished work. It closes with the style of a concluded work. I agree with Harnack that Luke wrote the Acts during this period of two years in Rome and carried events no further because they had gone no further. Paul was still a prisoner in Rome when Luke completed the book. But he had carried Paul to "Rome, the capital of the world, Urbi et Orbi" (Page). The gospel of Christ has reached Rome. For the fate of Paul we must turn elsewhere. But Luke had the presence of Paul while he carried the Acts to its triumphant conclusion. Ramsay can give a good deal in proof of his claim that Luke is the greatest of all historians. Beyond a doubt his rank is high and the world can never repay its debt to this cultured physician who wrote the Gospel and the Acts.