26:20 works befitting repentance. Genuine repentance is inseparably linked to a changed lifestyle (see notes on 2:38; Matt. 3:8; James 2:18).
26:21 the Jews…tried to kill me. See 21:27–32. The true reason in contrast to the lies of the Jewish leaders (24:6).
26:22 the prophets and Moses. See note on 24:14. The term “Moses” is used interchangeably with “law,” since he was the author of the Pentateuch, the 5 books of law.
26:23 Christ would suffer…rise from the dead. Messiah’s suffering (Ps. 22; Is. 53) and resurrection (Ps. 16:10; cf. 13:30–37), the central themes of Paul’s preaching, are clearly taught in the OT.
26:24 you are beside yourself! Festus was astonished that a learned scholar like Paul could actually believe that the dead would live again—something no intelligent Roman would accept. Unable to contain himself, he interrupted the proceedings, shouting that Paul’s tremendous learning had driven him insane (cf. Mark 3:21; John 8:48, 52; 10:20).
26:26 not done in a corner. The death of Jesus and the Christians’ claim that He rose from the dead were common knowledge in Palestine.
26:27 do you believe the prophets? Paul’s shrewd question put Herod in a dilemma. If he affirmed his belief in the prophets, he would also have to admit that what they taught about Jesus’ death and resurrection was true—an admission that would make him appear foolish before his Roman friends. Yet to deny the prophets would outrage his Jewish subjects.
26:28 You almost persuade me. A better translation is “Do you think you can convince me to become a Christian in such a short time?” Recognizing his dilemma, Agrippa parried Paul’s question with one of his own.
26:30–32 The hearing over, Agrippa and Festus met privately to discuss Paul’s case. Both agreed that he was innocent of any crime and could be set free, had he not appealed to Caesar.
Acts 27
27:1 we. The use of the pronoun “we” marks the return of Paul’s close friend Luke, who has been absent since 21:18. He had likely been living near Caesarea so he could care for Paul during his imprisonment. Now he rejoined the apostle for the journey to Rome. centurion of the Augustan Regiment. A cohort (regiment) of that name was stationed in Palestine during the reign of Agrippa II (see note on 25:13). Julius may have been on detached duty, performing such tasks as escorting important prisoners.
27:2 Adramyttium. A city on the NW coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) near Troas, where the centurion planned to find a ship sailing to Italy. we put to sea. From Caesarea the ship sailed 70 mi. N to Sidon. Aristarchus…with us. He had been seized by the crowd during the riot at Ephesus (19:29), while accompanying Paul to Jerusalem with the offering (20:4). Aristarchus would be with Paul during the apostle’s first Roman imprisonment (Col. 4:10).
27:3 landed at Sidon. See note on 12:20. The Christians there ministered to Paul—possibly by providing him with provisions for his trip.
27:4 sailed under the shelter of Cyprus. They kept to the lee side of the island (passing between it and the mainland), seeking shelter from the strong winds.
27:5 off Cilicia and Pamphylia. See notes on 2:9, 10; 6:9. Myra…Lycia. One of the main ports of the imperial grain fleet, whose ships brought Egyptian grain to Italy.
27:6 Alexandrian ship. Part of the imperial grain fleet.
27:7 Cnidus. Located on a peninsula in extreme SW Asia Minor, this port also served ships of the imperial grain fleet. Having reached Cnidus, the ship could not sail farther W due to the strong headwinds. It was forced to turn S and head for the island of Crete. the shelter of Crete. This large island off the SW coast of Asia Minor provided some relief from the strong NW winds buffeting the ship. Salmone. A promontory on Crete’s NE coast.
27:8 Fair Havens…Lasea. The ship fought its way around the SE corner of Crete, finally reaching the shelter of the bay known as Fair Havens.
27:9 the Fast was already over. See note on Zech. 7:3; cf. Lev. 23:26–32. Travel in the open sea was dangerous from mid-Sept. to mid-Nov., after which it ceased altogether until Feb. Since the Fast (the Day of Atonement) of late Sept. or early Oct. was past, further travel was already extremely hazardous.
27:10 end with disaster. Because of the lateness of the season, and the difficulties they had already experienced, Paul wisely counseled them to spend the winter at Fair Havens.
27:11 centurion. See note on 10:1. Because the ship was part of the imperial grain fleet (see note on v. 5) Julius, not the helmsman nor the ship’s owner, was the ranking official on board. helmsman. The ship’s pilot, or captain.
27:12 not suitable to winter in. The professional sailors deemed Fair Havens an unsuitable location to wait out the winter (see note on v. 9). Phoenix. Located 40 mi. from Fair Havens with a harbor that provided better shelter from the winter storms.
27:14 Euroclydon. Euraquilon is the preferred reading (see marginal note), from the Gr. word euros (“east wind”) and the Lat. word aquilo (“north wind”). It is a strong, dangerous windstorm greatly feared by those who sailed the Mediterranean.
27:16 Clauda. An island 23 mi. SW of Crete. secured the skiff. Taking advantage of Clauda’s shelter, the sailors began to rig the ship for the storm by hauling the ship’s dinghy on board.
27:17 used cables to undergird the ship. A procedure known as frapping. The cables, wrapped around the hull and winched tight, helped the ship endure the battering of the wind and waves. Syrtis. A region of sandbars and shoals off the coast of Africa, much feared as a graveyard of ships. struck sail. This phrase could best be translated “let down the sea anchor.” The sailors undoubtedly did both, since putting out an anchor with the sails up would be self-defeating.
27:18 lightened the ship. Throwing all unnecessary gear and cargo overboard would lighten the ship, enabling it to ride more easily over the waves.
27:23, 24 The last of 6 visions Paul received as recorded by Luke (cf. 9:3–6; 16:9, 10; 18:9, 10; 22:17, 18; 23:11).
27:24 brought before Caesar. The angel reaffirmed the promise Jesus Himself had earlier made to Paul (23:11).
27:27 fourteenth night. Since they sailed from Fair Havens (v. 13). Adriatic Sea. The central Mediterranean Sea, not the present Adriatic Sea located between Italy and Croatia. The modern Adriatic was known in Paul’s day as the Gulf of Adria. sensed. The sailors probably heard the sound of waves breaking on a shore.
27:28 took soundings. With a weight attached to a length of rope they measured the depth of the sea. twenty fathoms…fifteen fathoms. 120 feet…90 feet. The decreasing depth of the water confirmed the ship was approaching land.
27:29 dropped four anchors from the stern. An attempt to hold the ship in place and keep the bow pointed toward the shore.
27:30 skiff. The same dinghy hauled aboard earlier (v. 16). putting out anchors from the prow. This would have been for additional stability (cf. v. 29).
27:33 without food. Because of seasickness and the difficulty of preparing and preserving food, the passengers and crew had eaten little or nothing in the two weeks since they left Fair Havens.
27:34 not a hair will fall. A common Jewish saying (1 Sam. 14:45; 2 Sam. 14:11; 1 Kin. 1:52; Luke 21:18) denoting absolute protection.
27:37 two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. As an ocean-going vessel, this ship was considerably larger than the smaller vessel Paul sailed in from Caesarea to Lycia.
27:38 lightened the ship. See note on v. 18.
27:41 a place where two seas met. A sandbar or reef short of the shore.
27:42 the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners. Knowing they could face punishment or death if their prisoners escaped (cf. 12:19; 16:27).
Acts 28
28:1 Malta. An island, 17 mi. long and 9 mi. wide, about 60 mi. S of Sicily. None of the sailors had previously been to the bay (known today as St. Paul’s Bay) where they were shipwrecked.
28:3 a viper. A venomous snake. Cf. Mark 16:18.
28:6 said that he was a god. See 14:11, 12.
28:7 leading citizen. The Gr. phrase indicates Pub
lius was the Roman governor of Malta.
28:8 sick of a fever and dysentery. The gastric fever (caused by a microbe found in goat’s milk) that was common on Malta. Dysentery, often the result of poor sanitation, was widespread in the ancient world.
28:11 After three months. Since sea travel was dangerous during this period (see note on 27:9). Alexandrian ship. Probably another in the imperial grain fleet (see notes on 27:5, 6). Twin Brothers. Castor and Pollux, Zeus’ sons according to Gr. mythology, were believed to protect sailors.
28:12 Syracuse. An important city on the island of Sicily. Tradition holds that Paul established a church during the ship’s 3-day stopover there.
28:13 Rhegium. A harbor on the southern tip of the Italian mainland. There the ship waited one day for a favorable wind to permit it to sail through the Straits of Messina (separating Sicily from the Italian mainland). Puteoli. Modern Pozzuoli, located on the Bay of Naples near Pompeii. Rome’s main port and the most important one in Italy, Puteoli was also the main port for the Egyptian grain fleet (see note on 27:5).
28:14 Rome. Almost as a footnote, Luke mentions the party’s arrival in the Imperial capital—Paul’s longtime goal (see note on 19:21).
28:15 Appii Forum. A market town 43 mi. S of Rome on the Appian Way. Three Inns. A rest stop on the Appian Way, about 30 mi. S of Rome.
28:16 centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard. Many Gr. manuscripts omit this phrase. If part of the original text, it indicates either that Julius delivered the prisoners to his commanding officer, or to the commander of the Praetorian Guard. dwell by himself…guarded. Possibly through Julius’ intervention, Paul was allowed to live under guard in his own rented quarters (cf. v. 30).
28:17–29 Paul’s sixth and final defense recorded in Acts (cf. 22:1–21; 22:30—23:10; 24:10–21; 25:1–12; 26:1–29).
28:17 leaders of the Jews. The most prominent men from Rome’s synagogues (see note on 6:9). the customs of our fathers. Paul began by denying that he was guilty of any infraction against the Jewish people or their traditions (cf. 22:3; 24:14; 26:4, 5).
28:19 appeal to Caesar. See note on 25:11.
28:20 the hope of Israel. See notes on 24:15; 26:6.
28:23 kingdom of God. See note on 1:3. persuading them…Law of Moses…Prophets. Paul’s method of Jewish evangelism throughout Acts was to prove from the OT that Jesus was the Messiah (cf. 13:16–41).
28:26, 27 Quoted from Is. 6:9, 10 (see note there).
28:28 salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles. See 11:18; 13:46, 47; 14:27; 15:14–17; 18:6.
28:29 Many ancient manuscripts omit this verse.
28:30, 31 The best explanation for this rather abrupt ending to the book is that Luke wrote Acts before Paul’s release from his first Roman imprisonment (see Introduction: Author and Date).
28:31 with all confidence, no one forbidding him. Helped by his loyal fellow workers (cf. Col. 4:10; Philem. 24), Paul evangelized Rome (cf. Phil. 1:13; 4:22).
Acts 1
1:1 a Luke 1:3
1:2 b Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9, 11, 22
1:2 c Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Acts 10:42
1:2 1 He ascended into heaven.
1:3 d Matt. 28:17; Mark 16:12, 14; Luke 24:34, 36; John 20:19, 26; 21:1, 14; 1 Cor. 15:5–7
1:3 2 unmistakable
1:4 e Luke 24:49
1:4 f (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26); Acts 2:33
1:5 g Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 11:16
1:5 h (Joel 2:28)
1:7 i 1 Thess. 5:1
1:7 j Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32
1:8 k (Acts 2:1, 4)
1:8 l Luke 24:49
1:8 m Luke 24:48; John 15:27
1:8 n Acts 8:1, 5, 14
1:8 o Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:23; (Rev. 14:6)
1:8 3 NU My witnesses
1:9 p Luke 24:50, 51
1:9 q Ps. 68:18; 110:1; Mark 16:19; Luke 23:43; John 20:17; Acts 1:2; (Heb. 4:14; 9:24; 1 Pet. 3:22)
1:10 r Matt. 28:3; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4; John 20:12; Acts 10:3, 30
1:11 s Dan. 7:13; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27; (John 14:3); 2 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 1:7
1:12 t Luke 24:52
1:13 u Mark 14:15; Luke 22:12; Acts 9:37, 39; 20:8
1:13 v Matt. 10:2–4
1:13 w Luke 6:15
1:13 x Jude 1
1:14 y Acts 2:1, 46
1:14 z Luke 23:49, 55
1:14 a Matt. 13:55
1:14 4 purpose or mind
1:14 5 NU omits and supplication
1:15 b Luke 22:32; Rev. 3:4
1:15 6 NU brethren
1:16 c Ps. 41:9
1:16 d Matt. 26:47; Mark 14:43; Luke 22:47; John 18:3
1:17 e Matt. 10:4
1:17 f Acts 1:25
1:18 g Matt. 27:3–10
1:18 h Matt. 18:7; 26:14, 15, 24; Mark 14:21; Luke 22:22; John 17:12
1:18 7 reward of unrighteousness
1:18 8 intestines
1:20 i Ps. 69:25
1:20 j Ps. 109:8
1:20 9 deserted
1:20 10 Gr. episkopen, position of overseer
1:22 k Acts 1:9
1:22 l Acts 1:8; 2:32
1:23 m Acts 15:22
1:24 n 1 Sam. 16:7; Jer. 17:10; Acts 1:2
1:25 o Acts 1:17
Acts 2
2:1 a Lev. 23:15; Deut. 16:9; Acts 20:16; 1 Cor. 16:8
2:1 b Acts 1:14
2:1 1 NU together
2:2 c Acts 4:31
2:3 2 Or tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each
2:4 d Matt. 3:11; 5:6; 10:20; Luke 3:16; John 14:16; 16:7–15; Acts 1:5
2:4 e Mark 16:17; Acts 10:46; 19:6; (1 Cor. 12:10, 28, 30; 13:1)
2:5 f Luke 2:25; Acts 8:2
2:6 g Acts 4:32
2:7 h Matt. 26:73; Acts 1:11
2:8 3 dialect
2:9 i 1 Pet. 1:1
2:11 4 Arabians
2:15 j 1 Thess. 5:7
2:15 5 9 A.M.
2:17 k Is. 44:3; Ezek. 11:19; Joel 2:28–32; (Zech. 12:10; John 7:38)
2:17 l Acts 10:45
2:17 m Acts 21:9
2:18 n Acts 21:4, 9; 1 Cor. 12:10
2:19 o Joel 2:30
2:20 p Is. 13:10; Ezek. 32:7; Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24, 25; Luke 21:25; Rev. 6:12
2:21 q Rom. 10:13
2:22 r Is. 50:5; John 3:2; 5:6; Acts 10:38
2:23 s Matt. 26:4; Luke 22:22; Acts 3:18; 4:28; (1 Pet. 1:20)
2:23 t Acts 5:30
2:23 6 NU omits have taken
2:24 u (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 6:14; 2 Cor. 4:14; Eph. 1:20; Col. 2:12); 1 Thess. 1:10; Heb. 13:20
2:24 7 destroyed or abolished
2:24 8 Lit. birth pangs
2:25 v Ps. 16:8–11
2:27 w Acts 13:30–37
2:29 x Acts 13:36
2:30 y 2 Sam. 7:12; Ps. 132:11; Luke 1:32; Rom. 1:3; 2 Tim. 2:8
2:30 9 NU He would seat one on his throne,
2:31 z Ps. 16:10; Is. 50:8; 53:10
2:32 a Acts 2:24
2:32 b Acts 1:8; 3:15
2:33 c Ps. 68:18; (Acts 5:31); Phil. 2:9
2:33 d Ps. 110:1; Mark 16:19; (Heb. 10:12)
2:33 e Luke 24:49; (John 14:26)
2:33 f Matt. 3:11; 5:6; Luke 3:16; 22:69; John 14:16; 16:7–15; Acts 2:1–11, 17; 10:45; Eph. 4:8
2:33 10 Possibly by
2:34 g Ps. 68:18; 110:1; Matt. 22:44; Luke 23:43; John 20:17; 1 Cor. 15:25; Eph. 1:20; Heb. 1:13
2:37 h (Zech. 12:10); Luke 3:10, 12, 14; John 16:8
2:38 i Luke 24:47
2:38 11 forgiveness
2:39 j Joel 2:28, 32
2:39 k Acts 11:15, 18; Eph. 2:13
2:40 12 crooked
2:41 13 NU omits gladly
2:42 l Acts 1:14; Rom. 12:12; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2; Heb. 10:25
2:42 14 teaching
2:43 m Mark 16:17; Acts 2:22
2:44 n Acts 4:32, 34, 37; 5:2
2:45 o Is. 58:7
2:45 15 would
sell
2:45 16 distributed
2:46 p Acts 1:14
2:46 q Luke 24:53
2:46 r Luke 24:30; Acts 2:42; 20:7; (1 Cor. 10:16)
2:47 s Acts 5:14
2:47 17 NU omits to the church
Acts 3
3:1 a Acts 2:46
3:1 b Ps. 55:17; Matt. 27:45; Acts 10:30
3:2 c Acts 14:8
3:2 d John 9:8; Acts 3:10
3:2 1 Beg
3:6 e Acts 4:10
3:8 f Is. 35:6
3:9 g Acts 4:16, 21
3:10 h John 9:8; Acts 3:2
3:11 i John 10:23; Acts 5:12
3:13 j John 5:30
3:13 k Is. 49:3; John 7:39; 12:23; 13:31
3:13 l Matt. 27:2
3:13 m Matt. 27:20; Mark 15:11; Luke 23:18; John 18:40; Acts 13:28
3:14 n Ps. 16:10; Mark 1:24; Luke 1:35
3:14 o Acts 7:52; 2 Cor. 5:21
3:14 p John 18:40
3:15 q Acts 2:24
3:15 r Acts 2:32
3:15 2 Or Originator
3:16 s Matt. 9:22; Acts 4:10; 14:9
3:17 t Luke 23:34; John 16:3; (Acts 13:27; 17:30); 1 Cor. 2:8; 1 Tim. 1:13
3:18 u Luke 24:44; Acts 26:22
3:18 v Ps. 22; Is. 50:6; 53:5; Dan. 9:26; Hos. 6:1; Zech. 13:6; 1 Pet. 1:10
3:19 w (Acts 2:38; 26:20)
3:20 3 NU, M Christ Jesus
3:20 4 NU, M ordained for you before
3:21 x Acts 1:11
3:21 y Matt. 17:11; (Rom. 8:21)
3:21 z Luke 1:70
3:21 5 Or time
3:22 a Deut. 18:15, 18, 19; Acts 7:37
3:24 b 2 Sam. 7:12; Luke 24:25
3:24 6 NU, M proclaimed
3:25 c Acts 2:39; (Rom. 9:4, 8; Gal. 3:26)
3:25 d Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14
3:26 e Matt. 15:24; John 4:22; Acts 13:46; (Rom. 1:16; 2:9)
3:26 f Is. 42:1; Matt. 1:21
Acts 4
4:1 a Matt. 22:23
4:6 b Luke 3:2; John 11:49; 18:13
4:7 c Ex. 2:14; Matt. 21:23; Acts 7:27
4:8 d Luke 12:11, 12
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 556