Acts 28

CHAPTER 28

Ashore on Malta (28:1-10)

1-2 After everyone had reached shore, they learned that they had landed on Malta, a small island south of Italy. Although the people living there were not civilized, they showed great kindness to everyone who had been on the ship. If even uncivilized people know how to be hospitable, how much more should we who call ourselves Christians practice hospitality, especially to those in need.

3-4 Paul was a great man, but he was always ready to help in a small work—such as gathering sticks for the fire. But along with the sticks, Paul unknowingly picked up a poisonous snake. As Paul placed the sticks on the fire, the heat caused the snake to crawl out from the sticks and bite Paul on the hand. Seeing this, the inhabitants of the island concluded that Paul must be a murderer, because although he had escaped from the sea, the gods had found another way to punish him!

5-6 But Paul didn’t suffer any harm (see Mark 16:18). Therefore, the islanders changed their minds and decided that Paul must be a god instead! How quickly men change their opinions! Paul had seen people change their minds like this before—particularly in Lystra, where men one moment were worshiping him as a god and the next moment were stoning him like a dog (Acts 14:11-19).

7-10 God had been with Paul at sea; now He was still with Paul on land. Because of Paul, everyone on the ship had survived. Now, because of Paul, everyone on Malta was being healed.

To show their gratitude for being healed, the people of Malta honored Paul and his companions in many ways (verse 10), that is, by giving many gifts. (Perhaps Luke also, himself a doctor, had helped in healing people.) Paul did not reject the gifts, but accepted them gratefully. Even though it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35), there are many times when it is also good to graciously receive the gifts and help of others.

Arrival at Rome (28:11-16)

11 After spending three months in Malta, Paul and his companions boarded another ship from Alexandria which had wintered in Malta, and sailed toward Rome.

On the prow at the front of the ship was a carved wooden statue of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. In the time of the Roman Empire, sailors believed that these twin gods gave them special help at sea.

12-14 On the way to Rome the ship stopped at Syracuse, the main port of Sicily, a large island situated just south of Italy. Then the ship sailed to Rhegium, a city on the southernmost tip of Italy. From there Paul and his companions sailed northward to Puteoli, which was a port near the present-day city of Naples. From there, in the company of the soldiers, they journeyed on foot to Rome.

15 Some Christians from Rome had walked forty miles south to meet Paul and his companions. How glad Paul was to see them! For many years Paul had wanted to visit the church in Rome. Three years earlier he had written to the Roman Christians to say that he was hoping soon to come to Rome and meet them (Romans 1:9-13; 15:23-24). Nowfinally he had arrived—not as a free man, but as a prisoner.

16 In Rome, even though he was a prisoner, Paul was allowed to live in his own rented house (verse 30). But there was always a soldier with him, and Paul was bound to the soldier by a chain (verse 20).

Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard (28:17-31)

17-20 As he had done in every other city, so in Rome also Paul first sought out the Jews. He wasn’t free to go to their synagogue, but he was free to invite them to his house.

Paul first assured the Jews in Rome that he had not committed any crime against the Jews in Jerusalem. Paul had appealed to Caesar not to oppose the Jews but only to establish his own innocence. He was a prisoner now because of the hope of Israel (verse 20)—that is, because of his belief in Jesus Christ. Because he preached Christ, the Jews had brought charges against him (Acts 26:6-7). Paul feared that the Jews in Rome had heard bad reports about him. Indeed, one of the main reasons he wanted to meet with them was to refute any false information they might have heard from the Jews in Jerusalem.

21-22 It turned out, however, that the Jews of Rome had heard nothing bad about Paul from their Jewish brethren in Jerusalem and Judea. However, they had heard bad reports about a new sect made up of followers of Christ (verse 22). Ten years earlier some Christian preachers had caused a great division and disturbance among the Jews in Rome and, as a result, the Roman emperor Claudius had expelled all the Jews from Rome (see Acts 18:2). Because of this, the Jews of Rome harbored ill feelings toward the Christians.

But these Jews had also heard some good things about the Christians, because the Roman Christians’ faith [was] being reported all over the world (Romans 1:8). Therefore, the Jews wanted to hear from Paul more about this new Christian “sect.”

23-24 Just as Paul had preached to Jews in other places (Acts 13:16-41), so he spoke to the Jews of Rome. He taught them from their own Scriptures, the Law of Moses and the Prophets, that Jesus Christ was the Savior, the Messiah of Israel. Some Jews believed, but most did not.

25-27 Then, as a warning to the non-believing Jews, Paul quoted from the prophecy of Isaiah written in Isaiah 6:910. Here Isaiah says, concerning the Jews, that they hear God’s word but don’t understand it, and they look at God’s truth but don’t really perceive it. The reason for this, says Isaiah, is that the Jews’ hearts have become calloused (verse 27). They do not want to understand and perceive. Therefore, God has left them in their unbelief. Let the unbelieving Jews take heed! Those who reject God’s light and God’s word are blind and deaf indeed! (see Matthew 13:13-17; Mark 4:12; Romans 11:8 and comments).

28-29 Because most Jews rejected Christ, the Gospel of salvation was given to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46; 18:6). Christ came to that which was his own (the Jews), but his own did not receive him (John 1:11). Even up to the present time, the number of Jews who accept Christ remains very small.¹¹⁸

30-31 Paul arrived in Rome in 60 A.D. While in Rome, he wrote his New Testament letters to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians, and to Philemon. Boldly and without hindrance Paul preached for two years about the kingdom of God and about Jesus Christ. Paul preached to the whole palace guard (Philippians 1:12-14). He even preached in Caesar’s household (Philippians 4:22).

On this victorious note, Luke brings his history to an end. What happened to Paul after that is not known. Some say he was set free for a time and then later put in prison again. Some say Paul was not set free. But according to all ancient historians, Paul was eventually put to death by the emperor Nero during the great persecution of Christians in 64-68 A.D.

Paul’s work was finished. He had laid the foundation for the church of Christ throughout the whole Roman Empire. 250 years later the Roman emperor Con-stantine accepted Christ, and Christianity then became the main religion of the Roman Empire.

Such is the history of Christianity. It began with a carpenter from a small town in Israel. It spread initially through the work of twelve mostly uneducated apostles and, later, through the work of the Apostle Paul and his colleagues. It is this history which Luke has presented in his Gospel and in the book of Acts. But although the book of Acts is known as the “Acts of the Apostles,” it could even more accurately be called the “Acts of the Holy Spirit.” Because whatever the Apostles did, they did through the power of the Holy Spirit. And this same Holy Spirit is continuing to work through-out the world right up to tliis present day. The book of Acts is not finished.

 

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¹ The book of Acts is often called the “Acts of the Apostles.” The apostles were the early leaders of the church, most of whom had known or at least seen Jesus, and whom Jesus had appointed to preach the Gospel and establish His church. These apostles included Jesus’ original twelve disciples (except for Judas Iscariot), Paul, James, and several others. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, these apostles did many great works.

² Jerusalem is one of the main cities of the modern Middle Eastern nation of Israel. In New Testament times it was the capital ofJudea, the southern province ofIsrael. Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life; the Jewish temple was located there. Jesus was crucified near Jerusalem.

³ Judea was the southernmost province of Israel, and Samaria was the province just north of it. North of Samaria was the province of Galilee.

⁴ The Sabbath (Saturday) was the Jewish day of rest, set apart for the worship of God. According to the Jewish law, a Jew was not supposed to do any kind of work on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11). To walk more than three quarters of a mile was considered “work.”

⁵ The twelve tribes of Israel were descended from the twelve sons of Jacob, who was the grandson of Abraham, the father of the Jews.

⁶ The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language. In New Testament times, Greek was commonly spoken by educated people in the Middle East. For further discussion, see footnote to comment on Acts 2:4.

⁷ Some Bible scholars believe that only Jesus’ twelve main disciples were present in that house on the day of Pentecost, because in verse 7 it says: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?” But among the one hundred and twenty other believers in Jerusalem at that time (Acts 1:15) there were many from Galilee. Therefore, most scholars believe that in addition to Jesus’ twelve main disciples there were also other followers of Jesus present in that house when the Holy Spirit came, and that all of them received the baptism of the Spirit.

⁸ When the New Testament writers mention “other languages” (or tongues), they mean either spiritual languages or earthly languages that the speaker has never learned. The point is that those who speak in other languages or tongues have been given a supernatural gift which enables them to speak in that language—whether that language is “spiritual” or “earthly.”

⁹ Greek was the language spoken by the people of Greece, an important country of southern Europe located on the northern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. However, Greek was commonly spoken by the educated people of most of the other Mediterranean countries as well.

¹⁰ In Christ’s time, most of the common people living in the Middle East spoke the Aramaic language. Christ also spoke Aramaic. Today, however, Aramaic is spoken by only a few people in the Middle East.

¹¹ In New Testament times, most of the countries of Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East had fallen under the control of the Roman Empire. The capital of the Roman Empire was Rome, which is today the capital of the modern European nation of Italy.

¹² In place of the words nine in the morning, some versions of the Bible say, “the third hour.” According to Jewish custom, the time was reckoned from sunrise, that is, approximately 6 A.M.

¹³  Nazareth was the town in the province of Galilee where Jesus grew up.

¹⁴ According to Roman custom, the usual method of executing criminals was to nail them to a cross. For further discussion, see Word List: Cross.

¹⁵ Because Israel in New Testament times was a province under the control of the Roman Empire, the leaders of Israel (the Jewish leaders) were not allowed to carry out the death penalty themselves. Only the Roman officials could legally put a man to death.

¹⁶ The Jewish Scriptures are contained in the Old Testament.

¹⁷ The word Christ is a Greek word meaning “anointed one.” In Hebrew, the Jewish language, the word for “anointed one” is “Messiah.” Thus “Christ” and “Messiah” have the same meaning.

¹⁸ In many churches, Christian parents have their children baptized at a very young age before they are able to have true faith of their own. However, when such children get older, they must believe in Christ for themselves, or their baptism will have no meaning.

¹⁹ Infant baptism is not under discussion here; that is a separate subject (see General Article: Water Baptism).

²⁰ For further discussion of the significance of baptism, see General Article: Water Baptism.

²¹ These Christians believe that the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit is something different from the ordinary receiving of the Spirit that all Christians experience when they first believe. They say that the “baptism” of the Spirit is a special experience that not all Christians have, but one that all Christians should desire and ask God for. For further discussion, see General Article: Holy Spirit Baptism.

²² They probably did not turn their houses over to the apostles, because in verse 46 Luke says that they broke bread in their homes. However, they surely made their homes available to meet any need. They considered that their homes, along with all their other possessions, belonged not to themselves but to God.

²³ It is not a sin to have possessions; it is a sin to love possessions (see Matthew 6:24; 1 John 2:15 and comments).

²⁴ In place of the words at three in the afternoon, some versions of the Bible say, “at the ninth hour,” which is a literal translation of the Greek text.

²⁵ There are many preachers today who have with them plenty of “silver and gold,” but who do not have the power of Christ!

²⁶ There were nine gates leading into the inner part of the Jewish temple. One of them was called Beautiful.

²⁷ The Jews believed that one day a Messiah (Christ) would come and restore everything—in particular, their nation Israel. In New Testament times, Israel had lost its independence and had fallen under the control of the Roman Empire.

²⁸ The Sadducees were a sect of the Jews who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Most of the Jewish chief priests were Sadducees. For further discussion, see Word List: Sadducee.

²⁹ In counting groups of people, the Jews usually counted only the men. Besides the five thousand men, there were also many women who believed.

³⁰ They couldn’t find Jesus’ corpse, because there was no corpse. Jesus had risen!

³¹ Jesus Himself, through the Holy Spirit, worked with His apostles to heal the crippled man (Mark 16:20). The actual healer was the Holy Spirit.

³² The Greek word for Anointed One is “Christ.” In the Hebrew (Jewish) and Aramaic languages the word for Anointed One is “Messiah.”

³³ Throughout the Roman Empire there were a number of these “puppet rulers,” who had been given limited authority by the Romans to rule over their local area. King Herod was the ruler of the province of Galilee (see Luke 23:6-7; Acts 12:1 and comments).

³⁴ In the Aramaic language (which was Peter’s language), the word used in this verse for life can also mean “salvation” (see Acts 13:26).

³⁵ According to Jewish law, the bodies of executed criminals were hung on a tree so that all could see their disgrace (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). Therefore, to be crucified—which was like being hung on a “tree”—was a very great disgrace in Jewish eyes.

³⁶ The Pharisees were a party of the Jews. The Apostle Paul, before he became a Christian, had been a very strict Pharisee, and the Gamaliel mentioned here had been his teacher (Acts 22:3). For further discussion, see Word List: Pharisee.

³⁷ Hebrew and Aramaic are separate, though closely related, languages. Hebrew was the special language of the Jews, while Aramaic was the common language of most of the Middle Eastern people (including Jews).

³⁸ Greek was the language most commonly spoken by educated people throughout the Roman Empire—except in Italy, where Latin was spoken. (Latin was the official language of the Roman government.)

³⁹ False witnesses don’t usually speak complete lies. Usually they take the truth and then twist it. In this way they are able to persuade many people that what they say is the truth. Satan is very clever! Let us remember, however, that a truth that is twisted is the same as a lie. To deliberately twist the truth is just as bad in God’s sight as to speak an outright lie.

⁴⁰ Most of the kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh, just as the Roman emperors were called “Caesar.”

⁴¹ In the Old Testament, when God appeared to people, He usually appeared to them in the form of an angel.

⁴² Whenever men deliberately sin against God, God then “gives them over” to the committing of even worse sins (see Romans 1:24,26,28).

⁴³ Ancient Babylon was located where the modern country of Iraq is today.

⁴⁴ In ancient times, the chief officials of kings and queens were often eunuchs. It was thought that a castrated man, more than other men, could be trusted with affairs of state, because he was not likely to usurp power for himself. He was also not likely to trouble the women of the royal family.

⁴⁵ Ethiopia is a large African nation located to the south of Egypt.

⁴⁶ A chariot is a horse-drawn, two-wheeled cart. It was used in ancient times by soldiers and government officials as a means of transportation.

⁴⁷ There are two main texts of the Old Testament: one in the Hebrew language, and the other in the Greek language. The Old Testament was written originally in Hebrew, the language of the Jews. Then, several hundred years before Christ, the Hebrew version was translated into Greek. There are a number of small differences between these Greek and Hebrew texts. Most modern translations of the Old Testament are based on the Hebrew text. But some of the New Testament writers, particularly Luke and the writer of Hebrews, used mainly the Greek text when they quoted from the Old Testament. Therefore, when the section of Isaiah quoted here in verses 32-33 is compared with the same passage in Isaiah 53:7-8, one will notice several differences, especially in the second verse.

⁴⁸ Not all ancient manuscripts of Acts contain verse 37.

⁴⁹ Saul is a Hebrew name. Saul’s Roman name was Paul.

⁵⁰ Judea, Galilee and Samaria were the three provinces of Israel in New Testament times.

⁵¹ A centurion in the Roman army was the commander of one hundred men.

⁵² According to Jewish law, Jews were allowed to eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud (Leviticus 11:3).

⁵³ The largest city was Rome, and the second largest was Alexandria in Egypt.

⁵⁴  Cyrene was an important city on the north coast of Africa west of Egypt in what is now modern Libya.

⁵⁵ Other Bible scholars, however, do not agree. These other scholars believe that the trip to Jerusalem mentioned in Galatians 2:1-10 is really a later trip which is described in Acts 15:1-29. It is not possible to say with certainty which of these two opinions is correct.

⁵⁵ The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted for one week (Exodus 12:18). The actual Passover fell on the first day of that week, but the Jews commonly referred to the entire week as the “Passover.”

⁵⁶ This is the Mark who wrote the second Gospel. He also witnessed Christ’s arrest (Mark 14:51-52). He was a cousin of Barnabas, and accompanied Barnabas and Saul on part of their first missionary journey (Acts 12:25; 13:5,13; Colossians 4:10).

⁵⁷ Such cysts are not uncommon in Middle Eastern countries.

⁵⁸  Cyrene is a city of northern Africa (see Acts 11:20).

⁵⁹ Christ was actually born in 4 B.C. When the Western calendar was established, the year 1 A.D. was mistakenly placed four years later than Christ’s true birth date.

⁶⁰ In place of the words mighty power, some translations of the Bible say “uplifted arm.” The meaning is the same.

⁶¹ For further discussion, see General Article: Salvation—God’s Choice or Man’s Choice?

⁶²  Lystra and Derbe were located in the district of Lycaonia, which was part of the province of Galatia. Like Pisidian Antioch, Lystra was also a Roman colony.

⁶³ The Jews customarily tore their clothes whenever they heard blasphemy against God (see Mark 14:63). To worship a man as if he was God was blasphemy, because it was making sinful man equal with God. This was an insult to God.

⁶⁴  Judea is the southern province of Israel, in which the city of Jerusalem is located.

⁶⁵ Peter’s other names were Cephas (his name in Aramaic) and Simon, which was his original Jewish name (see John 1:42).

⁶⁶ The command to be circumcised was given by God to Abraham four hundred years before God gave the Jewish law to Moses (Genesis 17:9-11). Paul knew that if he agreed that circumcision was necessary for salvation, then he’d have to agree that the whole Jewish law was also necessary for salvation—and that, he knew, was totally false (see Galatians 5:3). In principle, being circumcised and obeying the law were the same thing. Therefore, Paul rejected the idea that the Gentiles had to be circumcised.

⁶⁷ It is necessary for all Christians to obey the ten commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). In this verse James is talking only about the rules pertaining to Jewish rituals, such as the offering of sacrifices, the eating and washing customs, etc. It is these rules which Christians do not have to follow (see Matthew 5:17-19 and comment).

⁶⁸ Silas (Silvanus) is also mentioned in 2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:12.

⁶⁹ Greece is an important southern European country on the Mediterranean Sea. To the east, it is separated from Turkey by the Aegean Sea; and to the west, it is separated from Italy by the Adriatic Sea. In New Testament times, Greece had fallen under the control of the Roman Empire. For further discussion, see comment on Acts 17:16.

⁷⁰ For further discussion of the subject of Roman citizenship, see Acts 22:25 and comment.

⁷¹ All Roman emperors were called Caesar.

⁷² Today Athens is the capital of the modern nation of Greece.

⁷³ Adam was the first man created by God (Genesis 1:27; 2:7). The name Adam means “man.”

⁷⁴ In place of the words Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, some translations of the Bible say, “Dionysius the Areopagite.” The meaning is the same.

⁷⁵ It is not known who first brought the Gospel to Rome.

⁷⁶  Aquila and Priscilla are also mentioned in Romans 16:3-4; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19.

⁷⁷ The capital of Achaia was Corinth.

⁷⁸ In 62 A.D. Nero married a woman who, though not a Jew by birth, was a follower of the Jewish religion. From that time on, Nero began to persecute the Christians. In 64 A.D. there was a great fire in Rome which destroyed much of the city, and Nero falsely accused the Christians of starting the fire. After that, Nero persecuted the Christians even more fiercely. Paul, Peter, and many other Christian leaders were put to death by Nero.

⁷⁹ The reason the Gentiles disliked the Jews was no doubt because the Jews despised the Gentiles and refused to associate with them.

⁸⁰  Alexandria, situated on the Mediterranean coast, was the main city of Egypt in New Testament times. Today Alexandria is Egypt’s second largest city (after Cairo).

⁸¹ In place of the words with great fervor, some translations of the Bible say, “being fervent in spirit.” The word “spirit” is used in the original Greek text, but it does not refer to the Holy Spirit but rather to Apollos’ human spirit.

⁸² Whenever Luke uses the word “disciple,” he usually means a Christian disciple.

⁸³ In a fourth place, Acts 8:17-18, it is probable that believers spoke in tongues when they received the Holy Spirit, but it is not explicitly stated.

⁸⁴ Paul used to use these handkerchiefs and aprons during his work making tents. Such handkerchiefs were wrapped around one’s forehead to soak up the sweat. The apron was worn to protect one’s ordinary clothes.

⁸⁵ The drachma was a silver coin used in ancient Greece. One drachma was equivalent in value to one day’s wage for an ordinary working man. Thus fifty thousand drachmas was a very large sum.

⁸⁶  Macedonia and Achaia were the northern and southern provinces of Greece respectively.

⁸⁷ The province of Asia was the westernmost province of what is now present-day Turkey. Ephesus was its chief city.

⁸⁸ A man named Alexander is mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20 and 2 Timothy 4:14. It is not certain whether these are all the same man or whether they are different men.

⁸⁹  Syria was a province of the Roman Empire, in which the important New Testament cities of Damascus and Antioch were located (Acts 9:2-3; 11:19-26). Today Syria is a major Middle Eastern nation situated northeast of Israel.

⁹⁰ Of those mentioned in verse 4, Aristarchus is also mentioned in Acts 19:29; 27:2 and Colossians 4:20; Tychicus is also mentioned in Ephesians 6:21-22 and Colossians 4:7-8; Trophimus is also mentioned in Acts 21:29 and 2 Timothy 4:20.

⁹¹ Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire, and was located in what is now the southern European nation of Italy. In New Testament times, Rome was the most important city in the Western world.

⁹² Spain was the westernmost province of the Roman Empire; it is today an important country of western Europe.

⁹³ In English, the word overseer is translated “bishop.”

⁹⁴ Deacons, however, are different. Deacons are appointed to do many of the works of service in the church, such as taking care of the poor and the sick, and taking responsibility for the financial matters of the church (see Acts 6:2-4; 1 Timothy 3:8 and comments).

⁹⁵ Following Stephen’s death, most of the Greek-speaking Jewish Christians had been driven out of Jerusalem as a result of the persecution stirred up by Paul (Acts 8:1-3). But Mnason had not left Jerusalem. He was willing to provide hospitality for Paul’s Gentile companions. This would have been very difficult for an Aramaic-speaking Jewish Christian to do.

⁹⁶ By sexual immorality, Luke means sexual conduct forbidden by the Jewish law.

⁹⁷ On the gate leading into the inner courtyard of the Jewish temple a warning was posted which said: “Any Gentile who enters through this gate will be put to death.” This gate separated the inner court of the temple from the outer court (called the court of the Gentiles) where Gentiles were permitted to be. Paul wrote about this gate in his letter to the Ephesians, calling it a dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14-18). Christ has broken down that “dividing wall.” Now both Jewish and Gentile believers are members of one family.

⁹⁸  Tarsus was the main city of the Roman province of Cilicia. Tarsus was located in the southern part of what is now the modern country of Turkey (Acts 9:30).

⁹⁹ In New Testament times, Aramaic was the language spoken by most of the common people of Israel and the Middle East.

¹⁰⁰  Gamaliel is mentioned in Acts 5:33-39.

¹⁰¹ The Jews were indeed “zealous,” but their zeal was not based on knowledge (Romans 10:2). Therefore, Jesus could pray for them: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

¹⁰² A Pharisee who became a Christian still remained a Pharisee, in the same way that a Jew who became a Christian still remained a Jew. For example, Paul was a Christian and yet remained both a Jew and a Pharisee. (This is possible only with the Jewish religion; it is not possible for a person to become a Christian and at the same time to remain a follower of any other religion—except for Judaism.) However, in 90 A.D. the Jewish leaders decided that those Jews who believed in Jesus could no longer attend the Jewish synagogues. Therefore, after 90 A.D., it became more and more difficult for Jewish Christians to have close contact or fellowship with other Jews.

¹⁰³ In the Hebrew and Arabic languages, the word for Christian is “Nazarene.”

¹⁰⁴ Not all ancient manuscripts of Acts contain these quoted portions of verses 6 and 7.

¹⁰⁵ Most of the Jewish chief priests and elders were Sadducees. They did not believe in the resurrection (see Acts 23:6-8 and comment).

¹⁰⁶  Drusilla was the daughter of King Herod (Acts 12:1). She was already married to another man when Felix took her as his wife. Therefore, she was an adulteress.

¹⁰⁷ All Roman emperors were called Caesar, but each also had his own personal name. Nero reigned from 54 to 68 A.D. The emperor before Nero was Claudius (Acts 11:28; 18:2).

¹⁰⁸ For further discussion of the persecution under Nero, see comment on Acts 18:14-16 and footnote to comment.

¹⁰⁹ Agrippa’s kingdom included the southern part of present day Lebanon and also the province of Galilee, Israel’s northernmost province.

¹¹⁰ Abraham’s grandson Jacob had twelve sons (Genesis 35:23-26). The twelve tribes of Israel are descended from those twelve sons.

¹¹¹ Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament.

¹¹² Italy is an important country of southern Europe, and its capital is Rome. In New Testament times, Italy and its capital were the center of the Roman Empire.

¹¹³ In New Testament times, all the large ships traveling on the Mediterranean Sea were sailing ships.

¹¹⁴ The Day of Atonement was the one day of the year when the Jewish high priest offered a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:1-34). For further discussion of atonement, see Word List: Atonement.

¹¹⁵ In New Testament times, sailors determined their direction by looking at the position of the stars.

¹¹⁶ Today the Adriatic Sea is only that northern extension of the Mediterranean Sea that lies between Italy and Yugoslavia. But in Paul’s day, the Adriatic Sea was considered to extend well south of Italy.

¹¹⁷ The place where Paul’s ship ran aground was located in a small bay on the island of Malta. Today the bay is still called “Saint Paul’s Bay.” At the entrance of the bay the waves of the sea come in from two directions and, as a result, sand is piled up in the middle. It was in this sandbar that Paul’s ship was stuck. In the Greek text, Luke calls this sandbar the “place of two seas,” because the sandbar divides the bay in two.

¹¹⁸ Not all ancient manuscripts of Acts contain verse 29.