What does Acts 28:12 mean?
Several months before, the governor of Judea commissioned Julius the centurion to take Paul and Aristarchus, along with several other prisoners, to Caesar's court in Rome; Luke joined them. After an uneventful sail to Myra on the coast of southwest modern-day Turkey, Julius found passage on an Alexandrian ship, likely transporting grain from Egypt to Italy. This was meant to take them across the open waters of the Mediterranean to Rome. The winds shifted, however, and blew them to the southern coast of Crete. Paul warned the ship's owner to stop for the winter, but the owner wished to find a better harbor. In the attempt, strong winds blew the ship into a stronger tempest. After two weeks, the 276 crew members and passengers abandoned ship, barely escaping with their lives as waves pounded the ship to splinters off the coast of Malta (Acts 27).The island proved much more comfortable than the sea. The Holy Spirit empowered Paul to provide healing for the people of Malta and, in return, they provided the castaways with everything they needed for their three-month stay. Now, winter is over, and they've boarded another Alexandrian ship headed north (Acts 28:1–11). Syracuse is a port city on the east coast of Sicily. From here, they will go north to Rhegium on the tip of Italy's coast. Then they will make way through the narrow pass between Sicily and the mainland. Julius and the others will disembark farther north in Puteoli. After spending a week with welcoming believers in Puteoli, the group will traverse the final miles to Rome (Acts 28:13–16).
We don't know why God allowed Paul and his companions to experience such traumatic travels. We do know that Julius always regarded Paul and after Paul was proven right about wintering at Crete, respected him even more. Paul will spend two years under house arrest, constantly under guard. It may be that Julius tells the Roman soldiers what Paul has done. In response, they take Paul's words seriously and salvation is brought to Caesar's own household (Philippians 4:22).
