NETBible KJV GRK-HEB XRef Names Arts Hymns

Discovery Box

Acts 27:9--28:31

Context

Caught in a Violent Storm

27:9 Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous¹ because the fast² was already over,³ Paul advised them,⁴ 27:10 “Men, I can see the voyage is going to end⁵ in disaster⁶ and great loss not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”⁷ 27:11 But the centurion⁸ was more convinced⁹ by the captain¹⁰ and the ship’s owner than by what Paul said.¹¹ 27:12 Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided¹² to put out to sea¹³ from there. They hoped that¹⁴ somehow they could reach¹⁵ Phoenix,¹⁶ a harbor of Crete facing¹⁷ southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 27:13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought¹⁸ they could carry out¹⁹ their purpose, so they weighed anchor²⁰ and sailed close along the coast²¹ of Crete. 27:14 Not long after this, a hurricane-force²² wind called the northeaster²³ blew down from the island.²⁴ 27:15 When the ship was caught in it²⁵ and could not head into²⁶ the wind, we gave way to it and were driven²⁷ along. 27:16 As we ran under the lee of²⁸ a small island called Cauda,²⁹ we were able with difficulty to get the ship’s boat³⁰ under control. 27:17 After the crew³¹ had hoisted it aboard,³² they used supports³³ to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run aground³⁴ on the Syrtis,³⁵ they lowered the sea anchor,³⁶ thus letting themselves be driven along. 27:18 The next day, because we were violently battered by the storm,³⁷ they began throwing the cargo overboard,³⁸ 27:19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s gear³⁹ overboard with their own hands. 27:20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and a violent⁴⁰ storm continued to batter us,⁴¹ we finally abandoned all hope of being saved.⁴²

27:21 Since many of them had no desire to eat,⁴³ Paul⁴⁴ stood up⁴⁵ among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me⁴⁶ and not put out to sea⁴⁷ from Crete, thus avoiding⁴⁸ this damage and loss. 27:22 And now I advise⁴⁹ you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost.⁵⁰ 27:23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong⁵¹ and whom I serve⁵² came to me⁵³ 27:24 and said,⁵⁴ ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before⁵⁵ Caesar,⁵⁶ and God has graciously granted you the safety⁵⁷ of all who are sailing with you.’ 27:25 Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God⁵⁸ that it will be just as I have been told. 27:26 But we must⁵⁹ run aground on some island.”

27:27 When the fourteenth night had come, while we were being driven⁶⁰ across the Adriatic Sea,⁶¹ about midnight the sailors suspected they were approaching some land.⁶² 27:28 They took soundings⁶³ and found the water was twenty fathoms⁶⁴ deep; when they had sailed a little farther⁶⁵ they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms⁶⁶ deep. 27:29 Because they were afraid⁶⁷ that we would run aground on the rocky coast,⁶⁸ they threw out⁶⁹ four anchors from the stern and wished⁷⁰ for day to appear.⁷¹ 27:30 Then when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and were lowering the ship’s boat into the sea, pretending⁷² that they were going to put out anchors from the bow, 27:31 Paul said to the centurion⁷³ and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you⁷⁴ cannot be saved.” 27:32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes⁷⁵ of the ship’s boat and let it drift away.⁷⁶

27:33 As day was about to dawn,⁷⁷ Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense⁷⁸ and have gone⁷⁹ without food; you have eaten nothing.⁸⁰ 27:34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important⁸¹ for your survival.⁸² For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.” 27:35 After he said this, Paul⁸³ took bread⁸⁴ and gave thanks to God in front of them all,⁸⁵ broke⁸⁶ it, and began to eat. 27:36 So all of them were encouraged and took food themselves. 27:37 (We were in all two hundred seventy-six⁸⁷ persons on the ship.)⁸⁸ 27:38 When they had eaten enough to be satisfied,⁸⁹ they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat⁹⁰ into the sea.

Paul is Shipwrecked

27:39 When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed⁹¹ a bay⁹² with a beach,⁹³ where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 27:40 So they slipped⁹⁴ the anchors⁹⁵ and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage⁹⁶ that bound the steering oars⁹⁷ together. Then they hoisted⁹⁸ the foresail⁹⁹ to the wind and steered toward¹⁰⁰ the beach. 27:41 But they encountered a patch of crosscurrents¹⁰¹ and ran the ship aground; the bow stuck fast and could not be moved, but the stern was being broken up by the force¹⁰² of the waves. 27:42 Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners¹⁰³ so that none of them would escape by swimming away.¹⁰⁴ 27:43 But the centurion,¹⁰⁵ wanting to save Paul’s life,¹⁰⁶ prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land,¹⁰⁷ 27:44 and the rest were to follow,¹⁰⁸ some on planks¹⁰⁹ and some on pieces of the ship.¹¹⁰ And in this way¹¹¹ all were brought safely to land.

Paul on Malta

28:1 After we had safely reached shore,¹¹² we learned that the island was called Malta.¹¹³ 28:2 The local inhabitants¹¹⁴ showed us extraordinary¹¹⁵ kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain¹¹⁶ and was cold. 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood¹¹⁷ and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 28:4 When the local people¹¹⁸ saw the creature hanging from Paul’s¹¹⁹ hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself¹²⁰ has not allowed him to live!”¹²¹ 28:5 However,¹²² Paul¹²³ shook¹²⁴ the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 28:6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up¹²⁵ or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited¹²⁶ a long time and had seen¹²⁷ nothing unusual happen¹²⁸ to him, they changed their minds¹²⁹ and said he was a god.¹³⁰

28:7 Now in the region around that place¹³¹ were fields belonging to the chief official¹³² of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days. 28:8 The father¹³³ of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him¹³⁴ and after praying, placed¹³⁵ his hands on him and healed¹³⁶ him. 28:9 After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick¹³⁷ also came and were healed.¹³⁸ 28:10 They also bestowed many honors,¹³⁹ and when we were preparing to sail,¹⁴⁰ they gave¹⁴¹ us all the supplies we needed.¹⁴²

Paul Finally Reaches Rome

28:11 After three months we put out to sea¹⁴³ in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the “Heavenly Twins”¹⁴⁴ as its figurehead.¹⁴⁵ 28:12 We put in¹⁴⁶ at Syracuse¹⁴⁷ and stayed there three days. 28:13 From there we cast off¹⁴⁸ and arrived at Rhegium,¹⁴⁹ and after one day a south wind sprang up¹⁵⁰ and on the second day we came to Puteoli.¹⁵¹ 28:14 There¹⁵² we found¹⁵³ some brothers¹⁵⁴ and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome.¹⁵⁵ 28:15 The brothers from there,¹⁵⁶ when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius¹⁵⁷ and Three Taverns¹⁵⁸ to meet us. When he saw them,¹⁵⁹ Paul thanked God and took courage. 28:16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live¹⁶⁰ by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

Paul Addresses the Jewish Community in Rome

28:17 After three days¹⁶¹ Paul¹⁶² called the local Jewish leaders¹⁶³ together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers,¹⁶⁴ although I had done¹⁶⁵ nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors,¹⁶⁶ from Jerusalem¹⁶⁷ I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans.¹⁶⁸ 28:18 When¹⁶⁹ they had heard my case,¹⁷⁰ they wanted to release me,¹⁷¹ because there was no basis for a death sentence¹⁷² against me. 28:19 But when the Jews objected,¹⁷³ I was forced to appeal to Caesar¹⁷⁴ – not that I had some charge to bring¹⁷⁵ against my own people.¹⁷⁶ 28:20 So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel.”¹⁷⁷ 28:21 They replied,¹⁷⁸ “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there¹⁷⁹ and reported or said anything bad about you. 28:22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know¹⁸⁰ that people¹⁸¹ everywhere speak against¹⁸² it.”

28:23 They set¹⁸³ a day to meet with him,¹⁸⁴ and they came to him where he was staying¹⁸⁵ in even greater numbers.¹⁸⁶ From morning until evening he explained things¹⁸⁷ to them,¹⁸⁸ testifying¹⁸⁹ about the kingdom of God¹⁹⁰ and trying to convince¹⁹¹ them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets. 28:24 Some were convinced¹⁹² by what he said,¹⁹³ but others refused¹⁹⁴ to believe. 28:25 So they began to leave,¹⁹⁵ unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors¹⁹⁶ through the prophet Isaiah 28:26 when he said,

‘Go to this people and say,

“You will keep on hearing,¹⁹⁷ but will never understand,

and you will keep on looking,¹⁹⁸ but will never perceive.

28:27 For the heart of this people has become dull,¹⁹⁹

and their ears are hard of hearing,²⁰⁰

and they have closed their eyes,

so that they would not see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and understand with their heart

and turn,²⁰¹ and I would heal them.”’²⁰²

28:28 “Therefore be advised²⁰³ that this salvation from God²⁰⁴ has been sent to the Gentiles;²⁰⁵ they²⁰⁶ will listen!”

28:29 [[EMPTY]]²⁰⁷

28:30 Paul²⁰⁸ lived²⁰⁹ there two whole years in his own rented quarters²¹⁰ and welcomed²¹¹ all who came to him, 28:31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ²¹² with complete boldness²¹³ and without restriction.²¹⁴

[27:9] ¹tn Or “unsafe” (BDAG 383 s.v. ἐπισφαλής). The term is a NT hapax legomenon.

[27:9] ²sn The fast refers to the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. It was now into October and the dangerous winter winds would soon occur (Suetonius, Life of Claudius 18; Josephus, J. W. 1.14.2-3 [1.279-281]).

[27:9] ³tn The accusative articular infinitive παρεληλυθέναι (parelhluqenai) after the preposition διά (dia) is causal. BDAG 776 s.v. παρέρχομαι 2 has “διὰ τὸ τὴν νηστείαν ἤδη παρεληλυθέναι because the fast was already over Ac 27:9.”

[27:9] ⁴tn Grk “Paul advised, saying to them.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated. On the term translated “advised,” see BDAG 764 s.v. παραινέω, which usually refers to recommendations.

[27:10] ⁵tn Grk “is going to be with disaster.”

[27:10] ⁶tn Or “hardship,” “damage.” BDAG 1022 s.v. ὕβρις 3 states, “fig. hardship, disaster, damage caused by the elements…w. ζημία Ac 27:10.”

[27:10] ⁷tn Grk “souls” (here, one’s physical life).

[27:11] ⁸sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:11] ⁹tn Or “persuaded.”

[27:11] ¹⁰tn BDAG 456 s.v. κυβερνήτης 1 has “one who is responsible for the management of a ship, shipmaster…W. ναύκληρος, the ‘shipowner’…Ac 27:11” See further L. Casson, Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World, 316-18.

[27:11] ¹¹tn Grk “than by what was said by Paul.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.

[27:12] ¹²tn BDAG 181-82 s.v. βουλή 2.a, “β. τίθεσθαι (Judg 19:30; Ps 12:3) decide 27:12 (w. inf. foll.).”

[27:12] ¹³tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:12] ¹⁴tn Grk “from there, if somehow” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun here in the translation and the introductory phrase “They hoped that” supplied (with the subject, “they,” repeated from the previous clause) to make a complete English sentence.

[27:12] ¹⁵tn Grk “if somehow, reaching Phoenix, they could…” The participle καταντήσαντες (katanthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:12] ¹⁶sn Phoenix was a seaport on the southern coast of the island of Crete. This was about 30 mi (48 km) further west.

[27:12] ¹⁷tn Or “a harbor of Crete open to the southwest and northwest.”

[27:13] ¹⁸tn Grk “thinking.” The participle δόξαντες (doxante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:13] ¹⁹tn Or “accomplish.” L&N 68.29, for κρατέω, has “to be able to complete or finish, presumably despite difficulties – ‘to accomplish, to do successfully, to carry out.’ …‘thinking that they could carry out their purpose’ Ac 27:13.”

[27:13] ²⁰tn Or “departed.”

[27:13] ²¹tn L&N 54.8, “παραλέγομαι: (a technical, nautical term) to sail along beside some object – ‘to sail along the coast, to sail along the shore.’…‘they sailed along the coast of Crete’ Ac 27:13.” With the addition of the adverb ἆσσον (asson) this becomes “sailed close along the coast of Crete.”

[27:14] ²²tn Grk “a wind like a typhoon.” That is, a very violent wind like a typhoon or hurricane (BDAG 1021 s.v. τυφωνικός).

[27:14] ²³sn Or called Euraquilo (the actual name of the wind, a sailor’s term which was a combination of Greek and Latin). According to Strabo (Geography 1.2.21), this was a violent northern wind.

[27:14] ²⁴tn Grk “from it”; the referent (the island) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:15] ²⁵tn Or “was forced off course.” Grk “The ship being caught in it.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle συναρπασθέντος (sunarpasqento") has been taken temporally; it could also be translated as causal (“Because the ship was caught in it”).

[27:15] ²⁶tn BDAG 91 s.v. ἀντοφθαλμέω states, “Metaph. of a ship τοῦ πλοίου μὴ δυναμένοι ἀ. τῷ ἀνέμῳ since the ship was not able to face the wind, i.e. with its bow headed against the forces of the waves Ac 27:15.”

[27:15] ²⁷sn Caught in the violent wind, the ship was driven along. They were now out of control, at the mercy of the wind and sea.

[27:16] ²⁸tn BDAG 1042 s.v. ὑποτρέχω states, “run or sail under the lee of, nautical t.t.…Ac 27:16.” The participle ὑποδραμόντες (Jupodramonte") has been taken temporally (“as we ran under the lee of”). While this could also be translated as a participle of means (“by running…”) this might suggest the ship was still under a greater degree of control by its crew than it probably was.

[27:16] ²⁹sn Cauda. This island was located south of Crete, about 23 mi (36 km) from where they began. There are various ways to spell the island’s name (e.g., Clauda, BDAG 546 s.v. Κλαῦδα).

[27:16] ³⁰sn The ship’s boat was a small rowboat, normally towed behind a ship in good weather rather than stowed on board. It was used for landings, to maneuver the ship for tacking, and to lay anchors (not a lifeboat in the modern sense, although it could have served as a means of escape for some of the sailors; see v. 30). See L. Casson, Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World, 248f.

[27:17] ³¹tn Grk “After hoisting it up, they…”; the referent (the ship’s crew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:17] ³²tn The participle ἄραντες (arantes) has been taken temporally.

[27:17] ³³tn Possibly “ropes” or “cables”; Grk “helps” (a word of uncertain meaning; probably a nautical technical term, BDAG 180 s.v. βοήθεια 2).

[27:17] ³⁴tn BDAG 308 s.v. ἐκπίπτω 2 states, “drift off course, run aground, nautical term εἴς τι on someth….on the Syrtis 27:17.”

[27:17] ³⁵tn That is, on the sandbars and shallows of the Syrtis.

[27:17] ³⁶tn Or perhaps “mainsail.” The meaning of this word is uncertain. BDAG 927 s.v. σκεῦος 1 has “τὸ σκεῦος Ac 27:17 seems to be the kedge or driving anchor” while C. Maurer (TDNT 7:362) notes, “The meaning in Ac. 27:17: χαλάσαντες τὸ σκεῦος, is uncertain. Prob. the ref. is not so much to taking down the sails as to throwing the draganchor overboard to lessen the speed of the ship.” In spite of this L&N 6.1 states, “In Ac 27:17, for example, the reference of σκεῦος is generally understood to be the mainsail.” A reference to the sail is highly unlikely because in a storm of the force described in Ac 27:14, the sail would have been taken down and reefed immediately, to prevent its being ripped to shreds or torn away by the gale.

[27:18] ³⁷tn BDAG 980 s.v. σφόδρῶς states, “very much, greatly, violently…σφ. χειμάζεσθαι be violently beaten by a storm Ac 27:18.”

[27:18] ³⁸tn Or “jettisoning [the cargo]” (a nautical technical term). The words “the cargo” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[27:19] ³⁹tn Or “rigging,” “tackle”; Grk “the ship’s things.” Here the more abstract “gear” is preferred to “rigging” or “tackle” as a translation for σκεῦος (skeuos) because in v. 40 the sailors are still able to raise the (fore)sail, which they could not have done if the ship’s rigging or tackle had been jettisoned here.

[27:20] ⁴⁰tn Grk “no small storm” = a very great storm.

[27:20] ⁴¹tn Grk “no small storm pressing on us.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ἐπικειμένου (epikeimenou) has been translated as parallel to the previous genitive absolute construction (which was translated as temporal). BDAG 373 s.v. ἐπίκειμαι 2.b states, “of impersonal force confront χειμῶνος ἐπικειμένου since a storm lay upon us Ac 27:20.” L&N 14.2, “‘the stormy weather did not abate in the least’ or ‘the violent storm continued’ Ac 27:20.” To this last was added the idea of “battering” from the notion of “pressing upon” inherent in ἐπίκειμαι (epikeimai).

[27:20] ⁴²tn Grk “finally all hope that we would be saved was abandoned.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation. This represents a clearly secular use of the term σῴζω (swzw) in that it refers to deliverance from the storm. At this point those on board the ship gave up hope of survival.

[27:21] ⁴³tn Or “Since they had no desire to eat for a long time.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ὑπαρχούσης (Juparcoush") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle. It could also be translated temporally (“When many of them had no desire to eat”). The translation of πολλῆς (pollhs) as a substantized adjective referring to the people on board the ship (“many of them”) rather than a period of time (“for a long time”; so most modern versions) follows BDAG 143 s.v. ἀσιτία, which has “πολλῆς ἀ. ὑπαρχούσης since almost nobody wanted to eat because of anxiety or seasickness…Ac 27:21.” This detail indicates how turbulent things were on board the ship.

[27:21] ⁴⁴tn Here τότε (tote) is redundant (pleonastic) according to BDAG 1012-13 s.v. τότε 2; thus it has not been translated.

[27:21] ⁴⁵tn Grk “standing up…said.” The participle σταθείς (staqeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:21] ⁴⁶tn L&N 36.12 has “πειθαρχήσαντάς μοι μὴ ἀνάγεσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς Κρήτης ‘you should have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete’ Ac 27:21.”

[27:21] ⁴⁷tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[27:21] ⁴⁸tn The infinitive κερδῆσαι (kerdhsai) has been translated as resultative.

[27:22] ⁴⁹tn The same verb is used for Paul’s original recommendation in Ac 27:9.

[27:22] ⁵⁰tn Grk “except the ship.” Here “but” is used to translate the improper preposition πλήν (plhn; see BDAG 826 s.v. πλήν 2) since an exception like this, where two different categories of objects are involved (people and a ship), is more naturally expressed in contemporary English with an adversative (“but”). The words “will be lost” are also supplied for clarity.

[27:23] ⁵¹tn Grk “of whom I am.” The relative clause with its possessive was translated following L&N 15.86 s.v. παρίσταμαι.

[27:23] ⁵²tn Or “worship.”

[27:23] ⁵³tn Or “stood by me.” BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.a.α states, “approach, come τινί (to) someone…Ac 9:39; 27:23.”

[27:24] ⁵⁴tn Grk “came to me saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:24] ⁵⁵tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.a.α states, “Also as a t.t. of legal usage appear before, come before…Καίσαρι σε δεῖ παραστῆναι you must stand before the Emperor (as judge) Ac 27:24.” See Acts 23:11. Luke uses the verb δεῖ (dei) to describe what must occur.

[27:24] ⁵⁶tn Or “before the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[27:24] ⁵⁷tn Grk “God has graciously granted you all who are sailing with you.” The words “the safety of” have been supplied to clarify the meaning of the verb κεχάρισται (kecaristai) in this context.

[27:25] ⁵⁸tn BDAG 817 s.v. πιστεύω 1.c states, “w. pers. and thing added π. τινί τι believe someone with regard to someth….W. dat. of pers. and ὅτι foll…. πιστεύετέ μοι ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρί J 14:11a. Cp. 4:21; Ac 27:25.”

[27:26] ⁵⁹tn This is another use of δεῖ (dei) to indicate necessity (see also v. 24). Acts 28:1 shows the fulfillment of this.

[27:27] ⁶⁰tn Here “being driven” has been used to translate διαφέρω (diaferw) rather than “drifting,” because it is clear from the attempt to drop anchors in v. 29 that the ship is still being driven by the gale. “Drifting” implies lack of control, but not necessarily rapid movement.

[27:27] ⁶¹sn The Adriatic Sea. They were now somewhere between Crete and Malta.

[27:27] ⁶²tn Grk “suspected that some land was approaching them.” BDAG 876 s.v. προσάγω 2.a states, “lit. ὑπενόουν προσάγειν τινά αὐτοῖς χώραν they suspected that land was near (lit. ‘approaching them’) Ac 27:27.” Current English idiom would speak of the ship approaching land rather than land approaching the ship.

[27:28] ⁶³tn Grk “Heaving the lead, they found.” The participle βολίσαντες (bolisante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. See also BDAG 180 s.v. βολίζω. Although the term is used twice in this verse (and thus is technically not a NT hapax legomenon), it occurs nowhere else in the NT.

[27:28] ⁶⁴sn A fathom is about 6 feet or just under 2 meters (originally the length of a man’s outstretched arms). This was a nautical technical term for measuring the depth of water. Here it was about 120 ft (36 m).

[27:28] ⁶⁵tn L&N 15.12, “βραχὺ δὲ διαστήσαντες ‘when they had gone a little farther’ Ac 27:28.”

[27:28] ⁶⁶sn Here the depth was about 90 ft (27 m).

[27:29] ⁶⁷tn Grk “fearing.” The participle φοβούμενοι (foboumenoi) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[27:29] ⁶⁸tn Grk “against a rough [rocky] place.” L&N 79.84 has “φοβούμενοί τε μή που κατὰ τραχεῖς τόποις ἐκπέσωμεν ‘we were afraid that we would run aground on the rocky coast’ Ac 27:29.”

[27:29] ⁶⁹tn Grk “throwing out…they.” The participle ῥίψαντες (rJiyante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:29] ⁷⁰tn BDAG 417 s.v. εὔχομαι 2 states, “wish…τὶ for someth.…Foll. by acc. and inf….Ac 27:29.” The other possible meaning for this term, “pray,” is given in BDAG 417 s.v. 1 and employed by a number of translations (NAB, NRSV, NIV). If this meaning is adopted here, then “prayed for day to come” must be understood metaphorically to mean “prayed that they would live to see the day,” or “prayed that it would soon be day.”

[27:29] ⁷¹tn Grk “and wished for day to come about.”

[27:30] ⁷²tn BDAG 889 s.v. πρόφασις 2 states, “προφάσει ὡς under the pretext that, pretending that…Ac 27:30.” In other words, some of the sailors gave up hope that such efforts would work and instead attempted to escape while pretending to help.

[27:31] ⁷³sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:31] ⁷⁴sn The pronoun you is plural in Greek.

[27:32] ⁷⁵sn The soldiers cut the ropes. The centurion and the soldiers were now following Paul’s advice by cutting the ropes to prevent the sailors from escaping.

[27:32] ⁷⁶tn Or “let it fall away.” According to BDAG 308 s.v. ἐκπίπτω 1 and 2 the meaning of the verb in this verse could be either “fall away” or “drift away.” Either meaning is acceptable, and the choice between them depends almost entirely on how one reconstructs the scene. Since cutting the boat loose would in any case result in it drifting away (whether capsized or not), the meaning “drift away” as a nautical technical term has been used here.

[27:33] ⁷⁷tn BDAG 160 s.v. ἄχρι 1.b.α has “ἄ. οὗ ἡμέρα ἤμελλεν γίνεσθαι until the day began to dawn 27:33.”

[27:33] ⁷⁸tn Or “have waited anxiously.” Grk “waiting anxiously.” The participle προσδοκῶντες (prosdokwnte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:33] ⁷⁹tn Or “continued.”

[27:33] ⁸⁰tn Grk “having eaten nothing.” The participle προσλαβόμενοι (proslabomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb (with subject “you” supplied) due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:34] ⁸¹tn Or “necessary.” BDAG 873-74 s.v. πρός 1 has “πρ. τῆς σωτηρίας in the interest of safety Ac 27:34”; L&N 27.18 has “‘therefore, I urge you to take some food, for this is important for your deliverance’ or ‘…for your survival’ Ac 27:34.”

[27:34] ⁸²tn Or “deliverance” (‘salvation’ in a nontheological sense).

[27:35] ⁸³tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[27:35] ⁸⁴tn Grk “taking bread, gave thanks.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:35] ⁸⁵tn Or “before them all,” but here this could be misunderstood to indicate a temporal sequence.

[27:35] ⁸⁶tn Grk “and breaking it, he began.” The participle κλάσας (klasas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:37] ⁸⁷tc One early ms (B) and an early version (sa) read “about seventy-six.” For discussion of how this variant probably arose, see F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles, 465.

[27:37] ⁸⁸sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[27:38] ⁸⁹tn Or “When they had eaten their fill.”

[27:38] ⁹⁰tn Or “grain.”

[27:39] ⁹¹tn Or “observed,” “saw.”

[27:39] ⁹²tn Or “gulf” (BDAG 557 s.v. κόλπος 3).

[27:39] ⁹³sn A beach would refer to a smooth sandy beach suitable for landing.

[27:40] ⁹⁴tn That is, released. Grk “slipping…leaving.” The participles περιελόντες (perielonte") and εἴων (eiwn) have been translated as finite verbs due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:40] ⁹⁵tn The term is used of a ship’s anchor. (BDAG 12 s.v. ἄγκυρα a).

[27:40] ⁹⁶tn Grk “bands”; possibly “ropes.”

[27:40] ⁹⁷tn Or “rudders.”

[27:40] ⁹⁸tn Grk “hoisting…they.” The participle ἐπάραντες (eparante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[27:40] ⁹⁹tn Grk “sail”; probably a reference to the foresail.

[27:40] ¹⁰⁰tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατέχω 7 states, “hold course, nautical t.t., intr….κατεῖχον εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλόν they headed for the beach Ac 27:40.”

[27:41] ¹⁰¹tn Grk “fell upon a place of two seas.” The most common explanation for this term is that it refers to a reef or sandbar with the sea on both sides, as noted in BDAG 245 s.v. διθάλασσος: the “τόπος δ. Ac 27:41 is a semantic unit signifying a point (of land jutting out with water on both sides).” However, Greek had terms for a “sandbank” (θῖς [qis], ταινία [tainia]), a “reef” (ἑρμα [Jerma]), “strait” (στενόν [stenon]), “promontory” (ἀρωτήρον [arwthron]), and other nautical hazards, none of which are used by the author here. NEB here translates τόπον διθάλασσον (topon diqalasson) as “cross-currents,” a proposal close to that advanced by J. M. Gilchrist, “The Historicity of Paul’s Shipwreck,” JSNT 61 (1996): 29-51, who suggests the meaning is “a patch of cross-seas,” where the waves are set at an angle to the wind, a particular hazard for sailors. Thus the term most likely refers to some sort of adverse sea conditions rather than a topographical feature like a reef or sandbar.

[27:41] ¹⁰²tn Or “violence” (BDAG 175 s.v. βία a).

[27:42] ¹⁰³sn The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners. The issue here was not cruelty, but that the soldiers would be legally responsible if any prisoners escaped and would suffer punishment themselves. So they were planning to do this as an act of self-preservation. See Acts 16:27 for a similar incident.

[27:42] ¹⁰⁴tn The participle ἐκκολυμβήσας (ekkolumbhsa") has been taken instrumentally.

[27:43] ¹⁰⁵sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[27:43] ¹⁰⁶tn Or “wanting to rescue Paul.”

[27:43] ¹⁰⁷tn BDAG 347 s.v. I. ἔξειμι has “ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν get to land Ac 27:43.”

[27:44] ¹⁰⁸tn The words “were to follow” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. They must be supplied to clarify the sense in contemporary English.

[27:44] ¹⁰⁹tn Or “boards” according to BDAG 913 s.v. σανίς.

[27:44] ¹¹⁰tn Grk “on pieces from the ship”; that is, pieces of wreckage from the ship.

[27:44] ¹¹¹tn Grk “And in this way it happened that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[28:1] ¹¹²tn Grk “We having been brought safely through” [to land] (same verb as 27:44). The word “shore” is implied, and the slight variations in translation from 27:44 have been made to avoid redundancy in English. The participle διασωθέντες (diaswqente") has been taken temporally.

[28:1] ¹¹³sn Malta is an island (known by the same name today) in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily. The ship had traveled 625 mi (1,000 km) in the storm.

[28:2] ¹¹⁴tn Although this is literally βάρβαροι (barbaroi; “foreigners, barbarians”) used for non-Greek or non-Romans, as BDAG 166 s.v. βάρβαρος 2.b notes, “Of the inhabitants of Malta, who apparently spoke in their native language Ac 28:2, 4 (here β. certainly without derogatory tone…).”

[28:2] ¹¹⁵tn BDAG 1019 s.v. τυγχάνω 2.d states, “δυνάμεις οὐ τὰς τυχούσας extraordinary miracles Ac 19:11. Cp. 28:2.”

[28:2] ¹¹⁶tn Or “because it was about to rain.” BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 4 states, “διὰ τ. ὑετὸν τὸν ἐφεστῶτα because it had begun to rain Ac 28:2…But the mng. here could also be because it threatened to rain (s. 6).”

[28:3] ¹¹⁷tn Or “sticks.”

[28:4] ¹¹⁸tn Although this is literally βάρβαροι (barbaroi; “foreigners, barbarians”) used for non-Greek or non-Romans, as BDAG 166 s.v. βάρβαρος 2.b notes, “Of the inhabitants of Malta, who apparently spoke in their native language Ac 28:2, 4 (here β. certainly without derogatory tone…).”

[28:4] ¹¹⁹tn Grk “his”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:4] ¹²⁰tn That is, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live. BDAG 250 s.v. δίκη 2 states, “Justice personified as a deity Ac 28:4”; L&N 12.27, “a goddess who personifies justice in seeking out and punishing the guilty – ‘the goddess Justice.’ ἡ δίκη ζῆν οὐκ εἴασεν ‘the goddess Justice would not let him live’ Ac 28:4.” Although a number of modern English translations have rendered δίκη (dikh) “justice,” preferring to use an abstraction, in the original setting it is almost certainly a reference to a pagan deity. In the translation, the noun “justice” was capitalized and the reflexive pronoun “herself” was supplied to make the personification clear. This was considered preferable to supplying a word like ‘goddess’ in connection with δίκη.

[28:4] ¹²¹sn The entire scene is played out initially as a kind of oracle from the gods resulting in the judgment of a guilty person (Justice herself has not allowed him to live). Paul’s survival of this incident without ill effects thus spoke volumes about his innocence.

[28:5] ¹²²tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 4 indicates the particle has an adversative sense here: “but, however.”

[28:5] ¹²³tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:5] ¹²⁴tn Grk “shaking the creature off…he suffered no harm.” The participle ἀποτινάξας (apotinaxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6] ¹²⁵tn Or “going to burn with fever.” According to BDAG 814 s.v. πίμπρημι, either meaning (“swell up” or “burn with fever”) is possible for Acts 28:6.

[28:6] ¹²⁶tn The participle προσδοκώντων (prosdokwntwn) has been taken temporally.

[28:6] ¹²⁷tn The participle θεωρούντων (qewrountwn) has been taken temporally.

[28:6] ¹²⁸tn Grk “happening.” The participle γινόμενον (ginomenon) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6] ¹²⁹tn Grk “changing their minds.” The participle μεταβαλόμενοι (metabalomenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:6] ¹³⁰sn And said he was a god. The reaction is like Acts 14:11-19 where the crowd wanted to make Paul and Barnabas into gods. The providence of God had protected Paul again.

[28:7] ¹³¹tn BDAG 798 s.v. περί 2.a.γ states, “of nearby places…τὰ περὶ τὸν τὸπον the region around the place Ac 28:7.” The presence of ἐκεῖνον (ekeinon) results in the translation “that place.”

[28:7] ¹³²tn That is, the chief Roman official. Several inscriptions have confirmed the use of πρῶτος (prwtos) as an administrative title used on the island of Malta for the highest Roman official. See further BDAG 852 s.v. Πόπλιος.

[28:8] ¹³³tn Grk “It happened that the father.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[28:8] ¹³⁴tn Grk “to whom Paul going in.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by a personal pronoun (“him”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation. The participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:8] ¹³⁵tn The participle ἐπιθείς (epiqeis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:8] ¹³⁶sn And healed him. Here are healings like Luke 9:40; 10:30; 13:13; Acts 16:23.

[28:9] ¹³⁷tn BDAG 142 s.v. ἀσθένεια 1 states, “ἔχειν ἀ. be ill Ac 28:9.”

[28:9] ¹³⁸sn Many…also came and were healed. Again, here is irony. Paul, though imprisoned, “frees” others of their diseases.

[28:10] ¹³⁹tn Or “they also honored us greatly”; Grk “they also honored us with many honors” (an idiom).

[28:10] ¹⁴⁰tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.” In this case the simpler English “sail” is more appropriate. The English participle “preparing” has also been supplied, since the provisioning of the ship would take place some time before the actual departure.

[28:10] ¹⁴¹tn BDAG 384 s.v. ἐπιτίθημι 1.b has “give τινί τι someth. to someone…ἀναγομένοις τὰ πρὸς τὰς χρείας when we sailed they gave us what we needed Ac 28:10.”

[28:10] ¹⁴²sn They gave us all the supplies we needed. What they had lost in the storm and shipwreck was now replaced. Luke describes these pagans very positively.

[28:11] ¹⁴³tn BDAG 62 s.v. ἀνάγω 4, “as a nautical t.t. (ἀ. τὴν ναῦν put a ship to sea), mid. or pass. ἀνάγεσθαι to begin to go by boat, put out to sea.”

[28:11] ¹⁴⁴tn Or “the ‘Twin Gods’”; Grk “the Dioscuri” (a joint name for the pagan deities Castor and Pollux).

[28:11] ¹⁴⁵tn Or “as its emblem.”

[28:12] ¹⁴⁶tn Grk “And putting in.” The participle καταχθέντες (katacqente") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. On the meaning of the participle, BDAG 516 s.v. κατάγω states, “Hence the pass., in act. sense, of ships and seafarers put in εἴς τι at a harbor…εἰς Συρακούσας Ac 28:12.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[28:12] ¹⁴⁷sn Syracuse was a city on the eastern coast of the island of Sicily. It was 75 mi (120 km) from Malta.

[28:13] ¹⁴⁸tc A few early mss (א* B Ψ [gig] {sa [bo]}) read περιελόντες (perielonte", “[From there we] cast off [and arrived at Rhegium]”; cf. Acts 27:40). The other major variant, περιελθόντες (perielqonte", “[we] sailed from place to place”), is found in Ì⁷⁴ א² A 066 1739 Ï lat sy. Although περιελόντες is minimally attested, it is found in the better witnesses. As well, it is a more difficult reading, for its meaning as a nautical term is uncertain, requiring something like “τὰς ἀγκύρας be supplied = ‘we weighed anchor’” (BDAG 799 s.v. περιαιρέω 1). It thus best explains the rise of the other readings.

[28:13] ¹⁴⁹sn Rhegium was a city on the southern tip of Italy. It was 80 mi (130 km) from Syracuse.

[28:13] ¹⁵⁰tn Grk “after one day, a south wind springing up, on the second day.” The genitive absolute construction with the participle ἐπιγενομένου (epigenomenou) has been translated as a clause with a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:13] ¹⁵¹sn Puteoli was a city on the western coast of Italy south of Rome. It was in the Bay of Naples some 220 mi (350 km) to the north of Rhegium. Here the voyage ended; the rest of the journey was by land.

[28:14] ¹⁵²tn Grk “where.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“where”) has been replaced with the demonstrative pronoun (“there”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[28:14] ¹⁵³tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeurontes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:14] ¹⁵⁴sn That is, some fellow Christians.

[28:14] ¹⁵⁵map For location see JP4 A1.

[28:15] ¹⁵⁶sn Mention of Christian brothers from there (Rome) shows that God’s message had already spread as far as Italy and the capital of the empire.

[28:15] ¹⁵⁷sn The Forum of Appius was a small traveler’s stop on the Appian Way about 43 mi (71 km) south of Rome (BDAG 125 s.v. ᾿Αππίου φόρον). It was described by Horace as “crammed with boatmen and stingy tavernkeepers” (Satires 1.5.3).

[28:15] ¹⁵⁸sn Three Taverns was a stop on the Appian Way 33 mi (55 km) south of Rome.

[28:15] ¹⁵⁹tn Grk “whom, when he saw [them], Paul.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.

[28:16] ¹⁶⁰tn Or “to stay.”

[28:17] ¹⁶¹tn Grk “It happened that after three days.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[28:17] ¹⁶²tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:17] ¹⁶³tn L&N 33.309 has “‘after three days, he called the local Jewish leaders together’ Ac 28:17.”

[28:17] ¹⁶⁴tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[28:17] ¹⁶⁵tn The participle ποιήσας (poihsas) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[28:17] ¹⁶⁶tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:17] ¹⁶⁷map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[28:17] ¹⁶⁸tn Grk “into the hands of the Romans,” but this is redundant when παρεδόθην (paredoqhn) has been translated “handed over.”

[28:18] ¹⁶⁹tn Grk “who when.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“who”) has been replaced by the personal pronoun (“they”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.

[28:18] ¹⁷⁰tn Or “had questioned me”; or “had examined me.” BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω 2 states, “to conduct a judicial hearing, hear a case, question.”

[28:18] ¹⁷¹sn They wanted to release me. See Acts 25:23-27.

[28:18] ¹⁷²tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[28:19] ¹⁷³tn That is, objected to my release.

[28:19] ¹⁷⁴tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[28:19] ¹⁷⁵tn BDAG 533 s.v. κατηγορέω 1 states, “nearly always as legal t.t.: bring charges in court.” L&N 33.427 states for κατηγορέω, “to bring serious charges or accusations against someone, with the possible connotation of a legal or court context – ‘to accuse, to bring charges.’”

[28:19] ¹⁷⁶tn Or “my own nation.”

[28:20] ¹⁷⁷sn The hope of Israel. A reference to Israel’s messianic hope. Paul’s preaching was in continuity with this Jewish hope (Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25).

[28:21] ¹⁷⁸tn Grk “they said to him.”

[28:21] ¹⁷⁹tn Or “arrived”; Grk “come” (“from there” is implied). Grk “coming.” The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:22] ¹⁸⁰tn Grk “regarding this sect it is known to us.” The passive construction “it is known to us” has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.

[28:22] ¹⁸¹tn Grk “that everywhere it is spoken against.” To simplify the translation the passive construction “it is spoken against” has been converted to an active one with the subject “people” supplied.

[28:22] ¹⁸²tn On the term translated “speak against,” see BDAG 89 s.v. ἀντιλέγω 1.

[28:23] ¹⁸³tn Grk “Having set.” The participle ταξάμενοι (taxamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:23] ¹⁸⁴tn Grk “Having set a day with him”; the words “to meet” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[28:23] ¹⁸⁵tn Or “came to him in his rented quarters.”

[28:23] ¹⁸⁶tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.β.ב states, “(even) more πλείονες in even greater numbers Ac 28:23.”

[28:23] ¹⁸⁷tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[28:23] ¹⁸⁸tn Grk “to whom he explained.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced by the pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.

[28:23] ¹⁸⁹tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “to make a solemn declaration about the truth of someth. testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…God’s kingdom 28:23.”

[28:23] ¹⁹⁰sn Testifying about the kingdom of God. The topic is important. Paul’s preaching was about the rule of God and his promise in Jesus. Paul’s text was the Jewish scriptures.

[28:23] ¹⁹¹tn Or “persuade.”

[28:24] ¹⁹²tn Or “persuaded.”

[28:24] ¹⁹³tn Grk “by the things spoken.”

[28:24] ¹⁹⁴sn Some were convinced…but others refused to believe. Once again the gospel caused division among Jews, as in earlier chapters of Acts (13:46; 18:6).

[28:25] ¹⁹⁵tn The imperfect verb ἀπελύοντο (apeluonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[28:25] ¹⁹⁶tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[28:26] ¹⁹⁷tn Grk “you will hear with hearing” (an idiom).

[28:26] ¹⁹⁸tn Or “seeing”; Grk “you will look by looking” (an idiom).

[28:27] ¹⁹⁹tn Or “insensitive.”

[28:27] ²⁰⁰tn Grk “they hear heavily with their ears” (an idiom for slow comprehension).

[28:27] ²⁰¹sn Note how the failure to respond to the message of the gospel is seen as a failure to turn.

[28:27] ²⁰²sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10.

[28:28] ²⁰³tn Grk “Therefore let it be known to you.”

[28:28] ²⁰⁴tn Or “of God.”

[28:28] ²⁰⁵sn The term Gentiles is in emphatic position in the Greek text of this clause. Once again there is the pattern: Jewish rejection of the gospel leads to an emphasis on Gentile inclusion (Acts 13:44-47).

[28:28] ²⁰⁶tn Grk “they also.”

[28:29] ²⁰⁷tc Some later mss include 28:29: “When he had said these things, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.” Verse 29 is lacking in Ì^74vid א A B E Ψ 048 33 81 1175 1739 2464 pc and a number of versions. They are included (with a few minor variations) in Ï it and some versions. This verse is almost certainly not a part of the original text of Acts, as it lacks the best credentials. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[28:30] ²⁰⁸tn Grk “He”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[28:30] ²⁰⁹tn Or “stayed.”

[28:30] ²¹⁰tn Or perhaps, “two whole years at his own expense.” BDAG 654 s.v. μίσθωμα states, “the customary act. mng. ‘contract price, rent’…is not found in our lit. (Ac) and the pass. what is rented, a rented house is a mng. not found outside it (even Ammonius Gramm. [100 ad] p. 93 Valck. knows nothing of it. Hence the transl. at his own expense [NRSV] merits attention) ἐν ἰδίῳ μισθώματι in his own rented lodgings Ac 28:30 (for the idea cp. Jos., Ant. 18, 235).”

[28:30] ²¹¹tn Or “and received.”

[28:31] ²¹²tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[28:31] ²¹³tn Or “openness.”

[28:31] ²¹⁴sn Proclaiming…with complete boldness and without restriction. Once again Paul’s imprisonment is on benevolent terms. The word of God is proclaimed triumphantly and boldly in Rome. Acts ends with this note: Despite all the attempts to stop it, the message goes forth.