Lesson for August 27, 2025
Paul the Apostle
Lesson 14
Paul in Rome
Acts 28:11-31
“After three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had the Twin Brothers for its figurehead. 12 After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind came up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers and sisters and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and that is how we came to Rome. 15 And from there the brothers and sisters, when they heard about us, came as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.17 After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, ‘Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem. 18 And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there were no grounds for putting me to death. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation. 20 For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, since I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.’ 21 They said to him, ‘We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor has any of the brothers come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for regarding this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”
On his way to Rome, the ship Paul was traveling on had wrecked off the island of Malta, but all 276 persons on board were saved. It’s amazing what happens when we follow God’s instructions. God could have saved only Paul but chose to save the entire crew and passengers. We are not told if any or all of those on board believed in Christ as their Savior, but I’m confident that Paul shared the Gospel with those who would listen.
Once on the island, we see God working miracles immediately. There must have been positive volition among the people of this island wanting to know God. The first miracle was a snake from a pile of wood that attached itself to Paul’s hand. At first the people, being superstitious, assumed Paul was a murderer and was being punished for his crime with a snake bite. However, God delivered Paul without harm, and he simply shook off the snake. Once this occurred, the people began to call Paul “a god.” This was how Paul’s evangelistic ministry in Malta began. The miracles were, of course, to draw attention to his message, not to primarily alleviate suffering, which was a secondary consideration.
The next miracle was the healing of the father of Publius, leader of the island. The man was afflicted with fever and dysentery and when Paul arrived to see him, he prayed, and the man was healed. Then the word spread and everyone who had a disease came to Paul to be cured. The Greek word for healingis “iaomai,” which means being made well by the laying on of hands by someone with the spiritual gift of healing. However, the Greek word for cured is “therapeuo,” which is a medical term meaning to treat or care for the sick. Remember who was traveling with Paul – Doctor Luke. And Luke was able to treat these people, medically. So, we learn that God healed by miracles in the earlier church, but He also used medical doctors like Luke to accomplish healing.
After three months, Paul and his companions boarded a ship named the Twin Brothers. The twin brothers were Castor and Pollux, the twin sons of Zeus in Greek mythology. They were regarded as good luck for sailors. They sailed from Malta to Rome. After three days, Paul called his first meeting with the Jews. Paul assumed incorrectly that the word of his many trials before the Jews and the Romans had reached Rome. Paul was still under arrest and was taken by a guard and allowed to stay in a house with a soldier as his guard. So, after three days, Paul called together the Jews for a meeting. Paul then began his explanation of why he was in Rome under house arrest. Even though the Jews in Rome were not aware of his previous encounters in Jerusalem and Caesarea, Paul used the opportunity to present the Gospel to them by recounting the stories. The Jews in Rome knew little of Christianity. To their credit, these Jews wanted to hear Paul’s view on Christianity, which he was happy to share.
We have a good analogy in this passage of Paul as the “prisoner of the Lord.” Even though Paul was bound by chains upon arrival in Rome, the truth was that he was there by the sovereignty of God. He was under house arrest awaiting trial but had a lot of freedom as well. In Ephesians 3:1, Paul called himself the prisoner of Jesus Christ and in Ephesians 4:1, the prisoner of the Lord. Paul had dedicated his life to the service of God, and considered himself to be a prisoner of Christ.
Verses 23-28
“When they had set a day for Paul, people came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. 24 Some were being persuaded by the things said by Paul, but others would not believe. 25 And when they disagreed with one another, they began leaving after Paul said one parting statement: ‘The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, 26 saying, ‘Go to this people and say, ‘You will keep on hearing, and will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, and will not perceive;27 for the hearts of this people have become insensitive, and with their ears they hardly hear, and they have closed their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.’ 28 Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.’”
Paul presented the Gospel from a source that these men would understand – the Old Testament. True witnessing relies on accuracy of content rather than persuasiveness of speech. Paul presented truth morning until evening. Paul kept going through various passages of the Old Testament in presenting the information about Jesus Christ from Isaiah 6:8-10. The truth often divides, as in this case. Paul was using this passage in Isaiah to pronounce his intention to go to the Gentiles with the Gospel, since the Jews, for the most part, had rejected him. They had rejected Jesus Christ (Jehovah), the message of the Gospel. God would now send his message to the Gentiles and the Gentiles would be the recipients of the Gospel. And the Gentiles would become the new client nations to God and communicators of the Word of God.
Verse 29
“When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.” This verse is not found in the original text of Scripture and is deleted in many of the more recent translations of the Bible.
Verses 30-31
“Now Paul stayed two full years in his own rented lodging and welcomed all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching things about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.”
Paul had two years in Rome and the freedom to share the Gospel and teach Bible doctrine to all who came to him. He had gone to the Jews first but was generally rejected, so he had turned his ministry to the Gentiles.
In 65 A.D., Paul finally made his fourth missionary journey after being freed by Nero. From Rome he travelled west to Spain. (Romans 15:24-28) From Spain, Paul returned to Ephesus, where he left Timothy as the pastor. Then Paul went from Ephesus to Macedonia, where he wrote to Timothy and Titus. Then Paul went to Nicopolis where he wintered in Nicopolis in 67-68 A.D. In the spring of 68 A.D., the Romans arrested Paul and transported him to Rome for his second Roman imprisonment and his second trial before Nero. This time Nero, who hated Christians, had Paul put to death.