Acts 28:30
Paul stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to visit him.
Paul stayed there
The phrase "Paul stayed there" indicates a period of residence and stability for the Apostle Paul. The Greek word used here is "ἔμεινεν" (emeinen), which means to remain or abide. This suggests a sense of divine appointment and purpose in Paul's life, as he was not merely passing through but was intentionally placed by God in Rome. Historically, this period marks a significant time in Paul's ministry, as he was able to continue his work despite being under house arrest. It reflects the sovereignty of God in using circumstances that might seem limiting to further His kingdom.

two full years
The duration of "two full years" is significant in the biblical narrative. The Greek phrase "διετίαν ὅλην" (dietian holen) emphasizes the completeness of this time period. In biblical numerology, the number two often signifies confirmation or witness. During these two years, Paul was able to bear witness to the gospel in Rome, the heart of the Roman Empire. This time frame also allowed for the writing of several of Paul's epistles, which continue to impact the Christian faith profoundly.

in his own rented house
The phrase "in his own rented house" highlights Paul's living situation. The Greek word "μισθώματι" (misthomati) refers to a rented dwelling. This detail underscores the provision of God, as Paul, though a prisoner, was granted the freedom to live in a private residence rather than a prison cell. This arrangement allowed him to continue his ministry effectively. Archaeologically, this reflects the Roman practice of allowing certain prisoners to live under house arrest, which provided Paul with a unique opportunity to preach and teach.

welcoming all who came to visit him
The phrase "welcoming all who came to visit him" speaks to Paul's openness and hospitality. The Greek word "ἀπεδέχετο" (apedecheto) means to receive or accept warmly. This reflects the heart of Paul's ministry, which was inclusive and inviting. Despite his circumstances, Paul continued to share the gospel with anyone who sought him out. This openness is a testament to the transformative power of the gospel, which breaks down barriers and extends grace to all. Scripturally, this aligns with the Great Commission, as Paul continued to make disciples and teach them, even while confined.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul
The Apostle Paul, a key figure in the early Christian church, known for his missionary journeys and epistles. At this point, he is under house arrest in Rome.

2. Rome
The capital of the Roman Empire, a significant center for early Christianity. Paul's presence here marks the spread of the Gospel to the heart of the empire.

3. Paul's Rented House
A place where Paul lived under house arrest, yet he continued his ministry by welcoming visitors and teaching them about Jesus Christ.

4. Visitors
Individuals who came to see Paul, including both believers and seekers, whom Paul taught and encouraged in the faith.

5. Two Full Years
The duration of Paul's house arrest in Rome, during which he continued his ministry despite his confinement.
Teaching Points
Perseverance in Ministry
Despite being under house arrest, Paul continued to minister and teach. This teaches us the importance of perseverance in our own ministry efforts, regardless of circumstances.

Hospitality and Openness
Paul welcomed all who came to him. We are encouraged to be hospitable and open to sharing the Gospel with others, regardless of their background.

Utilizing Opportunities
Paul used his time in confinement to further the Gospel. We should look for opportunities to serve and witness in every situation we find ourselves in.

Faithfulness in Adversity
Paul's faithfulness during his imprisonment is a model for us to remain steadfast in our faith, even when facing trials.

Impact of Personal Witness
Paul's personal interactions with visitors in Rome demonstrate the powerful impact of one-on-one ministry and personal witness.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Paul's example of ministry during his house arrest challenge our own approach to sharing the Gospel in difficult circumstances?

2. In what ways can we practice hospitality and openness in our daily lives, following Paul's example in Rome?

3. What are some current "chains" or limitations in your life that you can turn into opportunities for ministry?

4. How can we remain faithful and steadfast in our faith when facing adversity, as Paul did during his time in Rome?

5. Reflect on a time when a personal interaction or witness had a significant impact on your faith journey. How can you be that influence for someone else?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Philippians 1:12-14
Paul writes about how his imprisonment has actually served to advance the Gospel, showing that his time in Rome was fruitful for the spread of Christianity.

Ephesians 6:19-20
Paul requests prayer for boldness in proclaiming the Gospel, even while he is in chains, highlighting his unwavering commitment to his mission.

2 Timothy 2:9
Paul speaks of being chained like a criminal, but emphasizes that God's word is not chained, reflecting his experience in Rome.
Paul in RomeAlexander MaclarenActs 28:30
Panel's Visitors At RomeJ. Stalker, D. D.Acts 28:16-31
Paul At RomeA. Mitchell, D. D.Acts 28:16-31
Paul At RomeS. L. B. Spears.Acts 28:16-31
Paul At RomeJ. H. Masom.Acts 28:16-31
Paul At RomeD. J. Burrell, D. D.Acts 28:16-31
Paul At RomeWilliam H. Davis.Acts 28:16-31
Paul At RomeA. Barnes, D. D.Acts 28:16-31
Paul WatchedActs 28:16-31
Rome as Seen by PaulDean Howson.Acts 28:16-31
St. Paul At RomeJ. Hampton Gurney, M. A.Acts 28:16-31
The Arrival of Paul At Rome in its Decisive ImportanceK. Gerok.Acts 28:16-31
The New SphereW. M. Taylor, D. D.Acts 28:16-31
A Type and a Model of the Christian PreacherP.C. Barker Acts 28:30, 31
Christ's Finished and Unfinished WorkA. Maclaren, D. D.Acts 28:30-31
Concerning Christ and His KingdomW. Clarkson Acts 28:30, 31
Patti's SituationArchdeacon Farrar.Acts 28:30-31
Paul a Prisoner At Rome Today as He was Eighteen Hundred Years AgoK. Gerok.Acts 28:30-31
Paul At RomeK. Gerok.Acts 28:30-31
Paul's Preaching At RomeE. Johnson Acts 28:30, 31
Paul's Two Years in RomeJ. Parker, D. D.Acts 28:30-31
Paul's Two Years' Ministry in His Own Hired HouseD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 28:30-31
Paul's Two Years' Residence At RomeJ. Bennett, D. D.Acts 28:30-31
The Acts no FragmentK. Gerok.Acts 28:30-31
The Close of The ActsD. Thomas, D. D.Acts 28:30-31
The Prison Literature of the Christian ChurchW. M. Taylor, D. D.Acts 28:30-31
The Quiet Disappearance of Paul At the Close of the Apostolic HistoryK. Gerok.Acts 28:30-31
The Watchman Upon the Walls of JerusalemR.A. Redford Acts 28:30, 31
People
Esaias, Isaiah, Paul, Publius
Places
Alexandria, Forum of Appius, Jerusalem, Judea, Malta, Puteoli, Rhegium, Rome, Syracuse, Three Taverns
Topics
Abode, Dwelling, Dwelt, Entire, Expense, Full, Fully, Hired, Lodging, Paul, Quarters, Received, Receiving, Rented, Space, Stayed, Talk, Welcomed, Welcoming
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Acts 28:17-31

     7703   apologetics

Acts 28:30-31

     4263   Rome
     5108   Paul, life of
     5340   house
     7726   evangelists, ministry
     8427   evangelism, kinds of

Library
After the Wreck
'And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 2. And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 3. And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The Last Glimpse of Paul
'And it came to pass, that, after three days, Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans; 18. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. 19. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Paul in Rome
And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31. Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.' --ACTS xxviii. 30, 31. So ends this book. It stops rather than ends. Many reasons might be suggested for closing here. Probably the simplest is the best, that nothing more is said for nothing more had yet been done. Probably the book was written during these two years.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

On Faith
"Without faith it is impossible to please him." Heb. 11:6. 1. But what is Faith? It is a divine "evidence and conviction of things not seen;" of things which are not seen now, whether they are visible or invisible in their own nature. Particularly, it is a divine evidence and conviction of God, and of the things of God. This is the most comprehensive definition of faith that ever was or can be given; as including every species of faith, from the lowest to the highest. And yet I do not remember any
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

Pastoral and Personal
FOURTH GROUP OF EPISTLES FIRST TIMOTHY. TITUS. SECOND TIMOTHY. THE PLACE OF THE EPISTLES +When Written.+--It is generally agreed among scholars that no place can be found for the writing of First Timothy, Titus, and Second Timothy in the period covered by Luke in his narrative in Acts. Agreeing with the tradition of the church, however, the opinion of many eminent scholars is that Paul was released from the first Roman imprisonment (Acts 28:16, 30), that he again took up his missionary work, and
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

The Supremacy of Christ
THIRD GROUP OF EPISTLES COLOSSIANS. PHILEMON. EPHESIANS. PHILIPPIANS. THE QUESTION AT ISSUE +The Supremacy of Christ.+--These Epistles mark a new stage in the writings of Paul. The great question discussed in the second group of Epistles was in regard to the terms of salvation. The question now at issue (in Colossians, Ephesians, Philippian+The Reason for the Raising of this Question+ was the development of certain false religious beliefs among which were, "asceticism, the worship of angels,
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

The Apostle's Position and Circumstances
PHILIPPIANS i. 12-20 Disloyal "brethren"--Interest of the paragraph--The victory of patience--The Praetorian sentinel--Separatism, and how it was met--St Paul's secret--His "earnest expectation"--"Christ magnified"--"In my body" St Paul has spoken his affectionate greeting to the Philippians, and has opened to them the warm depths of his friendship with them in the Lord. What he feels towards them "in the heart of Christ Jesus," what he prays for them in regard of the growth and fruit of their
Handley C. G. Moule—Philippian Studies

The New Name of Methodism
Sunday, 9.--I declared to about ten thousand, in Moorfields, what they must do to be saved. My mother went with us, about five, to Kennington, where were supposed to be twenty thousand people. I again insisted on that foundation of all our hope, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved." From Kennington I went to a society at Lambeth. The house being filled, the rest stood in the garden. The deep attention they showed gave me a good hope that they will not all be forgetful hearers. Sunday,
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

Wesley in Wales
Monday, 15.--Upon a pressing invitation, some time since received, I set out for Wales. About four in the afternoon I preached on a little green at the foot of the Devauden (a high hill, two or three miles beyond Chepstow) to three or four hundred plain people on "Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." After sermon, one who I trust is an old disciple of Christ, willingly received us into his house: whither many following, I showed them their need of a Saviour from these
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

The Theme of Acts
'The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. 2. Until the day in which He was taken up.'--ACTS i. 1, 2. 'And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31. Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.' --ACTS xxviii. 30, 31. So begins and so ends this Book. I connect the commencement and the close, because I think
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Lix. What was Learned in God's House. Isaiah vi.
NOT SEEN BY EVERYONE THERE.--Isaiah had his eyes opened. The same awful Person had been present before, but had not been seen, and He is still there, but how few of us are conscious of His presence. How differently the church and chapel-goers would look next Sunday morning as they come home, if only they realised what had been going on in the place where they had spent the last hour. I. A LESSON FROM HISTORY.--"In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord." The King of Judah was dead, but
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread

The Church of Jerusalem and the Labors of Peter.
Su hei Petros, kai epi taute petra oikodomeso mou ten ekklesian, kai pulai hadou ou katischusousin autes.--Matt. 16:18. Literature. I. Genuine sources: Acts 2 to 12; Gal. 2; and two Epistles of Peter. Comp. the Commentaries on Acts, and the Petrine Epistles. Among the commentators of Peter's Epp. I mention Archbishop Leighton (in many editions, not critical, but devout and spiritual), Steiger (1832, translated by Fairbairn, 1836), John Brown (1849, 2 vols.), Wiesinger (1856 and 1862, in Olshausen's
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

Quotations from the Old Testament in the New.
1. As it respects inspiration, and consequent infallible authority, the quotations of the New Testament stand on a level with the rest of the apostolic writings. The Saviour's promise was: "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth;" literally, "into all the truth," that is, as immediately explained, all the truth pertaining to the Redeemer's person and work. When, therefore, after the fulfilment of this promise, Peter and the other apostles expounded to their brethren
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Chronology of the Apostolic Age.
See the works quoted in § 20 p. 193, 194, especially Wieseler. Comp. also, Hackett on Acts, pp. 22 to 30 (third ed.). The chronology of the apostolic age is partly certain, at least within a few years, partly conjectural: certain as to the principal events from a.d. 30 to 70, conjectural as to intervening points and the last thirty years of the first century. The sources are the New Testament (especially the Acts and the Pauline Epistles), Josephus, and the Roman historians. Josephus ( b. 37,
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

Mission and Return of the Seventy.
(Probably in Judæa, October, a.d. 29.) ^C Luke X. 1-24. ^c 1 Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others [i. e., other messengers in addition to the twelve apostles], and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. [Luke has told us of the journey through Samaria to Jerusalem, and John has told us what occurred at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. We learn from John also that Jesus was at the Feast of Dedication (John
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Ancient Versions of the Old Testament.
In the present chapter only those versions of the Old Testament are noticed which were made independently of the New. Versions of the whole Bible, made in the interest of Christianity, are considered in the following part. I. THE GREEK VERSION CALLED THE SEPTUAGINT. 1. This is worthy of special notice as the oldest existing version of the holy Scriptures, or any part of them, in any language; and also as the version which exerted a very large influence on the language and style of the New Testament;
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Preaching (iii. ).
Eternal Fulness, overflow to me Till I, Thy vessel, overflow for Thee; For sure the streams that make Thy garden grow Are never fed but by an overflow: Not till Thy prophets with Thyself run o'er Are Israel's watercourses full once more. Again I treat of the sermon. We have looked, my younger Brother and I, at some main secrets and prescriptions for attractive preaching. What shall I more say on the subject of the pulpit? In the first place I will offer a few miscellaneous suggestions, and then
Handley C. G. Moule—To My Younger Brethren

Divine Healing.
The thirty-fifth chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy beautifully extolling the glories and virtues of Christ's redemptive works. "The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." "It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.... Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the
Charles Ebert Orr—The Gospel Day

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prophets and Apostles.
The work of the Holy Spirit in apostles and prophets is an entirely distinctive work. He imparts to apostles and prophets an especial gift for an especial purpose. We read in 1 Cor. xii. 4, 8-11, 28, 29, R. V., "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... For to one is given through the Spirit wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

First Missionary Journey Scripture
STUDY III FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY Scripture, Acts 13:1-14:26 INTRODUCTION TO THE THREE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS Before taking up the study of the first missionary journey, attention is called to certain points which should be considered in regard to all three of them (Acts 13:1-21:17). We have now arrived at what we might call the watershed of the Acts of the Apostles. Hitherto we have had various scenes, characters, personages to consider. Henceforth Paul, his labors, his disputes, his speeches, occupy
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

The Purpose in the Coming of Jesus.
God Spelling Himself out in Jesus: change in the original language--bother in spelling Jesus out--sticklers for the old forms--Jesus' new spelling of old words. Jesus is God following us up: God heart-broken--man's native air--bad choice affected man's will--the wrong lane--God following us up. The Early Eden Picture, Genesis 1:26-31. 2:7-25: unfallen man--like God--the breath of God in man--a spirit, infinite, eternal--love--holy--wise--sovereign over creation, Psalm 8:5-8--in his own will--summary--God's
S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks about Jesus

Interpretation of Prophecy.
1. The scriptural idea of prophecy is widely removed from that of human foresight and presentiment. It is that of a revelation made by the Holy Spirit respecting the future, always in the interest of God's kingdom. It is no part of the plan of prophecy to gratify vain curiosity respecting "the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power." Acts 1:7. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God"--this is its key-note. In its form it is carefully adapted to this great end.
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Epistles of Paul.
1. The apostolic epistles are a natural sequence of the office and work committed by the Saviour to the apostles. They were the primitive preachers of the gospel, and, under Christ, the founders of the Christian church. From the necessity of the case they had a general supervision of all the local churches, and their authority in them was supreme in matters of both faith and practice. It was to be expected, therefore, that they should teach by writing, as well as by oral instruction. It does not
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

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