Acts 28:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.

NIV: We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days.

NASB: After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.

CSB: Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days.

NLT: Our first stop was Syracuse, where we stayed three days.

KJV: And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.

NKJV: And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days.

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).

Acts 28:11–16 records the final steps of Paul's arduous journey to Rome. He, Aristarchus, and Luke survived a fierce tempest and a shipwreck before spending three months in the care of the people of Malta (Acts 27:1—28:10). Now Paul and his friends board another ship that takes them to Puteoli, Italy. There, Christ-followers provide a warm welcome. As they walk toward Rome, more believers meet them and give them encouragement for the last few miles. Paul spends two years in Rome, under house arrest, but free to teach anyone who will listen about Jesus (Acts 28:30–31).

Acts 28 records Paul's three-month stay on the island of Malta and two-year house arrest in Rome. On Malta, God empowers Paul to perform healing miracles which endear him to the locals. Once he reaches the shores of Italy, many other believers accompany him on his last leg to Rome. In Rome, he finds the Jews just as accepting of Jesus as elsewhere; some believe, but many don't. Paul reaffirms his mission to the Gentiles and spends his time preaching while under house arrest.

Acts 28 is the end of Luke's story of the witness of Jesus' story (Acts 1:8). After his wrongful imprisonment in Caesarea Maritima, Paul appealed his case to Caesar (Acts 25:1–12). He, Aristarchus, and Luke survived a raging winter storm before finally reaching Rome (Acts 27). Again under house arrest, Paul is able to share Jesus' offer of forgiveness with any who wish to visit. While there, he writes the letters Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. After two years, Paul is released; tradition says he takes one more evangelistic tour before being arrested and eventually martyred around AD 67.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.