Matthew Henry

So take courage, men, for I believe God that it will happen just as He told me.

“He tells them what ground he had for this assurance, that it is not a banter upon them, to put them into humour, nor a human conjecture, he has a divine revelation for it, and is as confident of it as that God is true…”

But Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain with the ship, you cannot be saved.”

“Paul speaks as a prudent man, not as a prophet, when he says, These are necessary to your preservation.”

Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.

“As there is a snake under the green grass, so there is often under the dry leaves. See how many perils human life is exposed to, and what danger we are in from the inferior creatures, which have many of them become enemies to men…”

But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.

“He carelessly shook off the viper into the fire, without any difficulty, calling for help, or any means used to loosen its hold; and it is probable that it was consumed in the fire.”

The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery.

“The miraculous cure of an old gentleman that was ill of a fever, and of others that were otherwise diseased, by Paul. And, with these confirmations of the doctrine of Christ, no doubt there was a faithful publication of it.”

After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered in the island. It had the Twin Brothers as a figurehead.

“Even stormy winds fulfil God's counsel, and an ill wind indeed it is that blows nobody any good; this ill wind blew good to the island of Melita; for it gave them Paul's company for three months, who was a blessing to every place he…”

There we found some brothers who invited us to spend the week with them. And so we came to Rome.

“At Puteoli they found brethren, Christians. Who brought the knowledge of Christ hither we are not told, but here it was, so wonderfully did the leaven of the gospel diffuse itself.”

But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, even though I have no charge to bring against my nation.

“This was all he aimed at in this appeal; not to accuse his nation, but only to vindicate himself. Every man has a right to plead in his own defence, who yet ought not to find fault with his neighbours.”

The leaders replied, “We have not received any letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the brothers from there reported or even mentioned anything bad about you.

“When Saul heard that David had fled to Gath, he sought no more again for him. Thus did Paul by his appeal: he fled to Rome, where he was out of their reach; and they said, "Even let him go." 2.”

But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”

“They put it into an ill name, and then ran it down. (1.) They looked upon it to be a sect, and this was false.”

So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying.

“There were many got together to Paul. Though he was a prisoner and could not come out to them, yet they were willing to come to him to his lodging.”