Acts 28:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.

NIV: There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days.

NASB: Now in the neighboring parts of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us warmly for three days.

CSB: Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.

NLT: Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.

KJV: In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.

NKJV: In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days.

276 crewmen and passengers, including Paul, Aristarchus, and Luke, have just survived a horrific storm and shipwreck. They are now stranded on the island of Malta. Weeks before, the ship had moored at Fair Havens on the southern coast of Crete. Paul told the ship's owner and shipmaster they needed to stay for the winter. The sailors countered that Fair Havens, despite its name, did not have an adequate harbor to weather the winter storms. Instead of sailing a few miles east to Lasea, they chose to risk open water and go west to Phoenix. On the way, the winds shifted, the storm arose, and the passengers and crew feared for their lives. Only judicious warnings and divinely guided advice from Paul saved them (Acts 27).

On Malta, extraordinary events provide Paul with a different experience. He has already survived an attack from a snake (Acts 28:3–6). Now, he meets the chief of the island, whose father he will heal from a fever and dysentery; "chief man" is most likely an official title as it is found on engravings on the island. Word will get out, and Paul will have the opportunity to heal the rest of the sick islanders. In response, the locals will provide the survivors with everything they need for their three-month stay (Acts 28:8–11).

The residents of Malta are Phoenician. Such persons are classified as "Barbarians" by the Greeks and Romans because of their harsh-sounding language. Earlier, when Paul encountered the serpent, locals thought he must be a murderer receiving punishment from the gods. Now, the charitable response of the people and the honor shown by the chief man prove "Barbarians" can be kind and welcoming. In fact, these Barbarians are far more agreeable than the Jews Paul will meet in Rome.

Acts 28:7–10 records how Paul, Luke, Aristarchus, and 273 other shipwreck victims find their situation greatly improved. Paul has survived a snake attack, drawing the attention of the leader of the island of Malta. The leader invites Paul's group to stay at his home for a few days and Paul heals the leader's sick father. Before long, every person on the island struck with a disease shows up. Paul heals them, and they provide for their guests for their three-month stay as well as their final voyage to Rome.

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.