Acts 28:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

NIV: He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ--with all boldness and without hindrance!

NASB: preaching the kingdom of God and teaching things about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.

CSB: proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

NLT: boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.

KJV: Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

NKJV: preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

Paul is under house arrest in Rome, waiting for his case to be tried before Caesar's court. He is chained to a Roman guard and cannot leave his apartment. Ironically, this status as a prisoner means he has never been safer. The Jews are ignoring him. The Sanhedrin can't reach him. The Roman government thinks he practices Judaism, which is an authorized religion. He has no fear of robbers or hurricanes or assassination plots.

In addition, although Paul can't leave, his visitors face no restriction in coming or going. He probably sees the people mentioned in Romans 16 frequently. He also sees Tychicus (Ephesians 6:21), Timothy (Philippians 1:1), Aristarchus, Justus, Epaphras, Luke, Demas—and even reconciles with Mark (Colossians 4:10–14). He dictates letters to the churches in Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae, as well as one to his old friend Philemon. In addition, the guards chained to him bring Jesus' message to Caesar's household (Philippians 4:22).

Most ironically, while imprisoned under the shadow of Caesar, Paul spreads the message about Jesus the King and the coming kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is the reality that God is sovereign over all creation. As King, He reigns in His follower's hearts and gives or withdraws blessings from the people and creation, over which He has authority. The kingdom will come into full reality when God's followers dwell with Him in eternity.

Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace or Daniel in the lions' den (Daniel 3; 6), Paul knows God can keep him safe in the presence of his enemies (Psalm 23:5). After two years, when Paul's accusers apparently refuse to appear with their non-existent evidence of his crimes, he will be freed to take Jesus' offer of forgiveness on the road again.

Luke's account stops here, however. Luke doesn't record Paul's fourth missionary journey or his final arrest and imprisonment. Church historian Eusebius wrote that shortly after Paul dictated his second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:6–8), Nero had Paul beheaded. As a Roman citizen, he had the privilege of a swift and painless death.

At the point the book of Acts ends, however, Paul is spreading the gospel throughout Rome, his friends coming and going, and, possibly, Luke writing his book in a corner, asking questions about Paul's long ministry.

Acts 28:30–31 is Luke's epilogue to the book of Acts. Paul is under house arrest, awaiting trial before Caesar for crimes he didn't commit. He spends his time teaching anyone who is willing to visit him and writing to some of the churches he has planted over the years. Luke gives us no details. After two years, Paul is released. We have some of Paul's letters from after that time that infer he went on another missionary journey before being arrested again and condemned to die (2 Timothy 4:6–7). Tradition says he was beheaded in AD 67.

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.