Acts 28:2

Barbarous people. From the Roman point of view, regarding all as barbarians who spoke neither Greek nor Latin. Not necessarily uncivilized. It is equivalent to foreigners.

Compare Romans 1:14; 1 Corinthians 14:11. The inhabitants of Malta were of Carthaginian descent. "Even in the present day the natives of Malta have a peculiar language, termed the Maltese, which has been proved to be essentially an Arabic dialect, with an admixture of Italian" (Gloag).

No little [ο υ τ υ χ ο υ σ α ν]. See on special, ch. 19 11. Rev., much better, "no common kindness."

Kindness [φ ι λ α ν θ ρ ω π ι α ν]. See on the kindred adverb courteously, ch Acts 28:3.

Present rain [υ ε τ ο ν τ ο ν ε φ ε σ τ ω τ α]. Lit., which was upon us, or had set in. No mention of rain occurs up to this point in the narrative of the shipwreck. The tempest may thus far have been unattended with rain, but it is hardly probable.