Episodes

Thursday, 27 June 2024 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” Acts 28:27 A literal rendering of the Greek is: “For has fattened, the heart of this people, And the ears, sluggishly they hear, And their eyes, they have closed – Lest when the eyes: they should see, And ...

Wednesday, 26 June 2024 saying, ‘Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; Acts 28:26 The Greek more closely reads, “saying, ‘Go to this people and say, “News you will hear and not understand. And seeing you will see and not perceive.”’” (CG). Because the Jews couldn’t agree among themselves, even after Paul had shown them the truth of Jesus being the Messiah right from their own Scriptures, Paul had told them th...

Tuesday, 25 June 2024 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, Acts 28:25 A more literal translation is, “And being non-symphonic with one another, they were departing, Paul having said one word, ‘That rightly the Holy Spirit spoke through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,’” (CG). In the previous verse, and without indicating whether any actually believed Paul’s words in ...

Monday, 24 June 2024 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. Acts 28:24 A literal rendering of the Greek would be, “And these, indeed, were persuaded these by speakings, and those disbelieved” (CG). In the previous verse, the Jews came to where Paul was staying, and he spent the entire day persuading those listening concerning Jesus. He did this right from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. Now Luke records the results. He says, “And these, indeed, were ...

Sunday, 23 June 2024 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. Acts 28:23 A literal rendering of the Greek would be, “And, having appointed him a day, they came – many – to him to the accommodation, to whom he set forth, fully testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them about Jesus from bo...

Saturday, 22 June 2024 “ But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.” Acts 28:22 A bit more literally, “And we deem it worthy to hear from you what you think, indeed, for concerning this sect it is known to us that everywhere it is contradicted” (CG). In the previous verse, the Jews let Paul know that they had not received any letters from Judea nor any bad reports from those who traveled from there. Now, they next sho...

Friday, 21 June 2024 Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. Acts 28:21 A literal reading says, “And they said to him, ‘We neither received letters concerning you from Judea nor any of the brothers having come reported or said anything evil concerning you’” (CG). Paul just finished explaining why he had called the Jews to meet with him. During that time, he noted that the Jews spok...

Thursday, 20 June 2024 “For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” Acts 28:20 A literal reading says, “For this cause, therefore, I called you – to see and to speak – because for the hope of Israel, this chain surrounds me” (CG). Paul had just told the Jews visiting him in his confinement that he was compelled to appeal to Caesar even though he had no accusation against his nation. Now, he continu...

Wednesday, 19 June 2024 “But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation Acts 28:19 A bit more literally, “And the Jews, contradicting, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar – not as having something charged against my nation.” (CG). Paul, speaking to his countrymen in Rome, just noted that the Romans found nothing to charge Paul with and wanted to let him go. Now, his words continue, saying, “And the Jews, contradict...

Tuesday, 18 June 2024 “who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. Acts 28:18 A more literal rendering would be, “Who, having examined me, wanted to release, because nota reason of death being in me” (CG). In the previous verse, Paul began his personal defense concerning his situation with the Jews in Jerusalem in his conversation with the Jews in Rome, noting that he was delivered into the hands of the Romans. Having said that, he ...

Monday, 17 June 2024 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, Acts 28:17 The Greek more closely reads, “And it was, after three days, Paul called together those being leaders of the Jews. And they, having come together, he said...

Sunday, 16 May 2024 Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him. Acts 28:16 The NKJV is just a tad off in the tense of the final verb: “And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the commander of the army. And Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him” (CG). In the previous verse, those in the church at Rome came out a day...

Saturday, 15 June 2024 And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. Acts 28:15 The Greek is much more literally translated as, “And from there, the brothers, having heard these concerning us, came out to our meeting unto Appii Forum and Three Taverns – whom, Paul having seen, having thanked God, took courage” (CG). In the previous verse, Paul and his companions stayed in Puteol...

Friday, 14 June 2024 where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. Acts 28:14 The NKJV needs to be tweaked, “Where, having found brothers, we were called upon them to remain seven days. And so, to Rome, we came” (CG). The previous verse revealed the travel from Rhegium to Puteoli. The narrative in Puteoli now begins with, “Where, having found brothers.” Some scholars dismiss these brothers as being only brothers of Paul, meaning Jews. How...

Thursday, 13 June 2024 From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, Acts 28:13 A more literal translation is, “From where, having gone around, we arrived at Rhegium. And after one day, having come upon an Auster, the second day we came to Puteoli” (CG). Luke just noted that they had landed at Syracuse and stayed three days. Now, the journey to Rome continues with, “From where, having gone around.” The words “from...

Wednesday, 12 June 2024 And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. Acts 28:12 The verb is an aorist participle, “And having brought down at Syracuse, we stayed three days” (CG). In the previous verse, Paul and those with him departed Malta after having been there for three months. Luke continues this next leg of the journey, beginning with, “And having brought down.” Departing on a ship is to go up to the high seas. When arriving at a new destination, one comes down again. The ship was b...

Tuesday, 11 June 2024 After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. Acts 28:11 The words are more literally translated, “And after three months, we went up in a ship having been wintered in the Island, Alexandrian, figure-headed Dioscuri” (CG). In the previous verse, Luke noted that the islanders honored Paul and him in many ways, noting that when they departed, they were provided things that were necessary. Now, ...

Monday, 10 June 2024 They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary. Acts 28:10 The words are much sparser in the Greek, and much must be inferred, “And who honored us many honors, and going up they laid upon for the necessity.” (CG). The previous verse noted that the others on the island, having heard Paul healed Publius’ father, came to him with their diseases and were healed. Because of this, it next says, “And who honored us many honor...

Sunday, 9 June 2024 So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. Acts 28:9 More exactingly, it reads, “This, therefore, having occurred, also the others having infirmities in the island approached and were healed” (CG). In the previous verse, Paul went into the sick father of Publius, prayed, and laid hands on him. With that, he was healed. Because of this, Luke continues, beginning with, “This, therefore, having occurred.” He is showing ...

Saturday, 8 June 2024 And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. Acts 28:8 The Greek, even if a tad clunky, more literally reads, “And it was, the father of Publius – afflicted with fevers and dysentery – who, lying toward Paul, having entered and having prayed, having laid the hands on him, healed him” (CG). In the previous verse, Luke noted that there was a portion of land where t...

Friday, 7 June 2024 In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. Acts 28:7 The Greek more literally reads, “And in the surrounding area [lit: in the around that region], were parcels of the first of the island by name Publius, who having received us three days, lodged us hospitably” (CG). In the previous verse, Paul was seen to have not swollen up or keeled over from the snake bi...

Thursday, 6 June 2024 However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. Acts 28:6 More literally, it reads, “And they expected him about to be inflamed or to fall down dead suddenly. And they, upon much anticipating, and seeing nothing unusual happening to him, having turned about, they declared him to be a god” (CG). Paul was just bitten by...

Wednesday, 5 June 2024 But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. Acts 28:5 A literal rendering of the Greek is, “He indeed then, having shaken off the beast into the fire suffered nothing evil” (CG). In the previous verse, Paul had a viper latch onto his hand, and because of this, the people accused him of being a murderer whom justice had not allowed to live. However, Luke next records, “But he shook off the creature into the fire.” Here is a word found for the secon...

Tuesday, 4 June 2024 So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” Acts 28:4 A literal translation is, “And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ‘This man is altogether a murderer, whom, having been saved from the sea, the justice has not permitted to live’” (CG). In the previous verse, Paul went out g...