Bible Commentaries

when they were = having.

escaped. Greek. diasozo. Same as in Acts 27:43, Acts 27:44. See Matthew 14:36.

they. The texts read "we".

knew. Greek. epiginosko App-132.

island. Greek. nesos. See Acts 27:26.

Melita = Malta It was in the jurisdiction of the Praetor of Sicily St. Paul's Bay, the traditional scene of the shipwreck, fulfils all the conditions.

barbarous people. Greek. barbaros. Elsewhere, Acts 28:4. Romans 1:14. 1 Corinthians 14:11. Colossians 3:11. The Greeks called all people who did not speak Greek barbarians, The Maltese were Phoenicians.

no = not. Greek. ou. App-105.

little = ordinary, as in Acts 19:11.

kindness. Greek. philanthropia. App-135.

kindled = having kindled. Greek. anapto. Only here, Luke 12:49. James 3:5.

fire. Greek. pura. Only here, and in Acts 28:3.

received. Greek. proslambano. See Acts 17:5.

because of. Greek. dia. App-104. Acts 28:2.

present. Greek. ephistemi. Literally to come upon, as in Luke 2:9.

cold. Greek. psuchos. Only here, John 18:18. 2 Corinthians 11:27.

gathered. Greek. sustrepho. Only here.

bundle = multitude. Greek. plethos.

sticks. Greek. phruganon Only here.

viper. Greek. echidna. Only here, Matthew 3:7; Matthew 3:12, Matthew 3:34; Matthew 23:33. Luke 3:7.

out of. Greek. ek. App-104. but the texts read apo (App-104.)

heat. Greek. therme. Only here.

fastened. Greek. kathapto. Only here.

saw. Greek. eidon. App-133.

beast. Greek. therion. See Acts 11:6.

hang = hanging.

on = from. Greek. ek. App-104.

among themselves = to (Greek. pros. App-104.) one another.

man. Greek. anthropos. App-123.

though he hath. Literally having.

the sea = out of (Greek. ek) the sea.

yet. Omit.

vengeance. Greek. he dike. App-177. The Greeks personified Justice, vengeance, and other ideas; as we do when we speak of Nemesis.

And he = He then indeed.

shook off. Greek. apotinasso. Only here, and Luke 9:5.

felt = suffered.

no = nothing. Greek. oudeis.

harm = evil. Greek. kakos. App-128.

Howbeit = But.

looked = were expecting, or watching in expectation. Greek. prosdokao. App-133.

when = that.

should have = was about to.

swollen = swell. Greek. pimpremi Only here.

fallen down. See Acts 26:1, Acts 26:4.

dead = a corpse. Greek. nekros. App-139.

suddenly. See Acts 2:2.

a great while = for (Greek. epi. App-104.) much (time).

saw. Greek. theoreo. App-133.

no = nothing. Greek. medeis.

harm = amiss. Greek. atopos. Only here, Luke 23:41. 2 Thessalonians 3:2.

changed their minds. Greek. metaballomai. Only here.

god. App-98.

In, &c. = Now in (Greek. en) the parts about (Greek. peri. App-104.) that place.

were. Greek. huparcho. See Luke 9:48.

possessions = lands. Greek. chorion. See Matthew 26:36.

chief man = first. Greek. protos. This title has been found on an inscription.

whose name was = by name.

received. Greek. anadechomai. Only here and Hebrews 11:17.

lodged. Greek. xenizo. See Acts 10:6; Acts 21:16.

courteously. Greek. philophronos. Only here. Compare Acts 27:3, and 1 Peter 3:8.

sick of = taken with. Greek. sunecho. See Luke 4:38.

a fever = fevers. Greek. puretos. Elsewhere Matthew 8:15. Mark 1:31. Luke 4:38, Luke 4:39. John 4:52. Always in singular. But found in plural in medical works. Perhaps to convey the idea of severity which is expressed by "great" in Luke 4:38. or of their recurrence bloody flux. Greek. duaenteria. Hence Engl, dysentery. Only here

prayed. Greek. proseuchomai. App-134.

healed. Greek. iaomai. See Luke 6:17.

So = But.

others = the rest. App-124.

diseases. Greek. astheneia. See Matthew 8:17. John 11:4.

healed. Greek. therapeuo. See Luke 6:18 and App-137.

also honoured, &c. = honoured us with many honours also.

departed = sailed. Greek. anago. See "loosed" (Acts 13:13).

laded us with = laid on us.

such things, &c. = the things for (Greek. pros. App-104.) the need (Greek. chreia). The texts read "needs". Compare Philippians 1:4, Philippians 1:16.

ship of Alexandria. Another corn ship.

wintered. Greek. paracheimazo. See Acts 27:12.

whose sign, &c. = with sign the Dioscuri.

sign. Greek. parasemos. Only here. Literally signed or marked.

Castor and Pollux. Greek. Dioskouroi. Literally sons of Zeus. These twin sons of Zeus and Leda were deified and their names given to the bright stars in the constellation Gemini. They were regarded as the patron deities of sailors. The "sign" was carried on the prow of the vessel, after the manner of our "figure-heads".

landing. Greek. katago. See Acts 21:3.

Syracuse. An important town in Sicily (S. E.), still bearing the same name.

tarried. Greek. epimeno. See Acts 10:48.

fetched a compass = having tacked about. Greek. perierchomai. See Acts 19:13. Figure of speech Idioma. App-6.

and came = arrived. Greek. katantao. See Acts 16:1.

Rhegium. Now Reggio, on the Straits of Messina.

the south wind blew, and = a south wind having sprung up. Greek. epiginomai. Only here.

the next day = the second day. Greek. deuteraios. Only here.

Puteoli. On the Bay of Naples. It was here Josephus and his shipwrecked companions were landed. Now Pozzuoli.

desired = entreated. Greek. parakaleo. App-134.

with. Greek. epi. App-104., but the texts read para (xii. 2).

went = came.

toward. Greek. eis. App-104. Rome was used in a more extended sense here than in Acts 28:16.

of us = the things (i.e. the news) concerning (Greek. peri) us.

to meet us. Literally for (Greek. eis) meeting (Greek. apantesis. See Matthew 25:1) us.

Appii forum. The market of Appius, a small town on the Appian Way, forty-three miles from Rome.

The three taverns. About ten miles further on. taverns. Greek. taberne transliterated from Latin. taberna. Only here.

thanked. Greek. eucharisteo. See Acts 27:35.

God. App-98.

courage. Greek. tharsos. Only here. Compare Acts 23:11.

Home. Compare Acts 19:21; Acts 23:11. The purpose was fulfilled, but perhaps not in the way Paul expected.

centurion. Greek. hekatontarchos. See Acts 21:32. Most texts omit this clause.

delivered. Greek. paradidomi. See Acts 3:13.

captain of the guard. Greek. stratopedarches. Only here. Probably the Protect of the Praetorians.

Paul was suffered. Literally it was permitted (Greek. epitrepo. See Acts 26:1) Paul.

dwell. Greek. meno. See p. 1511.

kept = guarded. He was chained by the wrist to the prisoner. Paul speaks of this chain in Acts 28:20. Ephesians 6:20. Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:7, Philippians 1:13, Philippians 1:14, Philippians 1:16. Colossians 4:18. Philemon 1:10, Philemon 1:13.

chief = first, as in Acts 28:7.

unto. Greek. pros. App-104.

Men, &c. See Acts 1:16.

nothing. Greek. oudeis.

people. Greek. laos. See Acts 2:47.

customs of our fathers = the ancestral customs.

customs. Greek. ethos. See Acts 6:14.

of our fathers. Greek. patroos. See Acts 22:3.

prisoner. See Acts 25:14.

examined. Greek. anakrino. App-122.

would have = were wishing to. Greek. boulomai. App-102.

let . . . go. Greek. apoluo. App-174.

cause. Greek. aitia, as in Acts 25:27.

spake against. Greek. antilego. See Acts 13:45.

constrained. Greek. anankazo. See Acts 26:11 (the only other occurance in Acts).

appeal unto. Greek. epikaleomai. See Acts 25:11.

accuse. Greek. kategoreo. See Acts 22:30.

nation. Greek. ethnos.

called for. Greek. parakaleo, as in Acts 28:14.

speak with. Greek. proslaleo. See Acts 13:43.

for. Greek. heneken. First occurance. Matthew 5:10 (for the sake of).

the hope of Israel = the Messiah whom Israel hoped for. Figure of speech Metonymy, App-6.

bound with. Greek. perikeimai. Only here, Mark 9:42. Luke 17:2. Hebrews 5:2; Hebrews 12:1.

neither. Greek. oute.

letters. Greek. gramma, a letter of the alphabet. In plural "writings". This and Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:11 are the only places where it is used of an epistle, the usual word being epistole.

out of = from. Greek. apo. App-104.

concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.

shewed = reported. Greek. apangello. See Acts 4:23.

spake. Greek. laleo. App-121.

any harm = anything evil (Greek. poneros. App-128.)

desire = think it right. Greek. axioo. See Acts 15:38.

of = from. Greek. para. App-104.

as, &c. = concerning this sect indeed.

sect. Greek. hairesis. . See Acts 5:17.

we know = it is known (Greek. gnostos. See Acts 1:19) to us.

appointed = arranged. Greek. tasso. See Acts 13:48.

lodging. Greek. xenia. Only here and Philemon 1:22. Compare Acts 10:6; Acts 21:16.

expounded. Greek. ektithemi. See Acts 7:21.

testified. Greek. diamarturomai. See Acts 2:40. Ninth and last occurance in Acts.

kingdom of God. The Messianic kingdom was the subject. The mention of the Lord Jesus, and the law of Moses, and the prophets, establishes this. See App-114.

persuading. Greek. peitho. App-150.

Jesus. App-98.

Moses. Nineteenth occurance in Acts. See Matthew 8:4.

prophet. App-189.

till. Greek. heos.

evening. Greek. hespera. See Acts 4:3.

believed = were persuaded of. Greek. peitho, as in Acts 28:23.

believed not = were disbelieving. Greek. apisteo. Elsewhere, Mark 16:11, Mark 16:16. Luke 24:11, Luke 24:41. Romans 3:3. 2 Timothy 2:13.

when they agreed not = being out of harmony. Greek. asumphonos. Only here. See Acts 5:9; Acts 15:15.

departed. Literally were being sent away. App-174. The imperfect suggests that the chief men (Acts 28:17) broke up the meeting and sent the rest away lest they should be convinced.

after that, &c. = Paul having spoken.

word Greek. rhama. See Mark 9:32.

Well = Rightly.

the Holy Ghost = the Holy Spirit. App-101.

by = through. Greek. dia. App-104. Acts 28:1.

Esaias = Isaiah. See Acts 8:28, Acts 8:30. The quotation is from Acts 6:9, Acts 6:10. This is the third occasion of the quotation of these words. See Matthew 13:14, Matthew 13:15. John 12:40.

our. The texts read "your".

Hearing = In hearing. Greek. akoe. Compare Acts 17:20.

not = by no means. Greek. ou me. App-105.

understand. Greek. suniemi. Compare App-132.

seeing . . . see. Greek. blepo. App-133.

perceive. Greek. eidon. App-133. Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6.

is waxed gross = has become fat. Greek. pachunomai. Only here and Matthew 13:15.

their ears, &c. = with their ears they hear heavily.

closed. Greek. kammuo. Only here and Matthew 13:15.

lest = lest at any time. Greek. mepote.

be converted = turn again. Greek. epistrepho. See Acts 3:19.

unto = to.

Salvation. Greek. soterion. Elsewhere, Luke 2:30 (which see); Acts 3:6. Ephesians 6:17. The more usual soteria occ Acts 13:26, &c.

is sent = was sent. Greek. apostelo. App-174.

Gentiles. Greek. ethnos.

words = things. The texts omit this verse.

and had = having.

reasoning = disputation. Greek. suzetesis. See Acts 15:2.

dwelt. Greek. meno, as in Acts 28:16, but texts read em-meno (continue) as in Acts 14:22.

two . . . years. Greek. dietia. See Acts 24:27. This was 61-63 A.D.

hired house. Greek. misthoma. Only here. Probably the means for this were provided by the Philippians (Philippians 1:4, Philippians 1:10-20) and other believers.

received = received freely. Greek. apodechomai. See Acts 2:41.

Preaching. Greek. kerusso. App-121.

which concern = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.

the Lord. App-98.

Jesus Christ. App-98.

confidence = boldness. Greek. parrhesia. See Acts 4:13.

no man, &c. = unhindered. Greek. akolutos. Only here.