Acts 28:6
in Acts 28The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But they expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but when they were long in expectation and beheld nothing amiss come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
KJV
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
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This verse in Acts 28
Commentary
13 notes on this verseTherefore when the Barbarians saw this and the certain death escaping them, they thought him to be a god, having the custom, making everything marvelous, to consider as a god; just as they used to call the old gods, either because of some greater strength …
This site's exposition
gathered a bundle of sticks
on Acts 28:3-6
Paul gathered a bundle of sticks himself, apostle and prisoner doing the common work, when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand. The islanders reasoned that this man is a murderer, and that Justice, a goddess still hunting her prey, has not allowed him to live. When Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects, they swung round and said he was a god, a title Paul never claims.
This site's exposition
said he was a god
John Wesley sets this beside Lystra in Acts 14, where the crowd offered sacrifice and then stoned Paul, and he notes how fast human opinion swings. John Chrysostom observes that the islanders watched a long time, which ruled out any trick. Albert Barnes notes that the verb can mean to be inflamed.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Ammonius of AlexandriaCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 28.5 · Written before 300.
proposed
"He, however, shook off the creature into the fire." The faithful are superior to any scheme, either if it is planned by people or beasts, and they are similar to gods, as Scripture says: "I say, 'You are gods; nevertheless, you shall die,' because of …
"And for a great while," it says, "they expected that he would die." But when he shook his hand, and flung off the beast, then they saw and were astonished. And the miracle did not take place suddenly, but the men went by the length of time, "after they had looked a great while," so plainly was there no deceit, no haste here.
They expected him, it says, to fall down dead: and again, having seen that nothing of the kind happened to him, they said, He is a god. Again, as in chapter 14:11, another excess on the part of these men.
The Medieval Church1 voice
They thought that Paul's body would be torn apart. "Having waited a long time." The miracle was not revealed suddenly, but the people waited for it for some time. Thus, this occurrence was not a deception or mere trickery. "They said that he was a …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They changed their minds, and said he was a God - Such is the stability of human reason! A little before he was a murderer; and presently he is a God: (just as the people of Lystra; one hour sacrificing, and the next stoning:) nay, but there is a medium.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen,.... With the venomous bite of the viper; swelling is one of the symptoms following the bite of this creature; and if the bite does not issue in death, yet the swelling continues inflamed for some time.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
When he should have swollen - Πιμπρασθαι, When he should have been inflamed: by means of an acrid poison introduced into the blood, it is soon coagulated; and, in consequence, the extremities of the vessels become obstructed, strong inflammation takes place, and all the parts become most painfully swollen. Lucan, ix. v.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
What has not the Gospel done for the uncultivated portion of the human family, while its effects on the educated and refined, though very different, are not less marvellous! Verily it is God's chosen restorative for the human spirit, in all the multitudinous forms and gradations of its lapsed state.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
No doubt this man is a murderer--His chains, which they would see, might strengthen the impression. whom . . . vengeance suffereth not to live--They believed in a Supreme, Resistless, Avenging Eye and Hand, however vague their notions of where it resided.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
When he should have swollen - When they expected that he would have swollen from the bite of the viper. The poison of the viper is rapid, and they expected that he would die soon. The word rendered “swollen” πίμπρασθαι pimprasthai means properly “to burn; to be inflamed,” and then “to be swollen from inflammation.” This was what they expected here, that the poison would produce a violent inflammation. Or fallen down dead suddenly - As is sometimes the case from the bite of the serpent when a vital part is affected. They changed their minds - They saw that he was uninjured, and miraculously preserved; and they supposed that none but a god could be thus kept from death. That he was a god - That the Maltese were idolaters there can be no doubt; but what gods they worshipped is unknown, and conjecture would be useless. It was natural that they should attribute such a preservation to the presence of a divinity. A similar instance occurred at Lystra. See the notes on Act 14:11.
The words behind it
27 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἱ | hoi | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | But | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| προσεδόκων | prosedokon | they were expecting | G4328 → | 16 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| μέλλειν | mellein | to be about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| πίμπρασθαι | pimprasthai | to become inflamed | G4092 → | |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| καταπίπτειν | katapiptein | to fall down | G2667 → | |
| ἄφνω | aphno | suddenly | G869 → | 3 times |
| νεκρόν· | nekron | dead; | G3498 → | 128 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | A while | G1909 → | 883 times |
| πολὺ | polu | great | G4183 → | 367 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | when they | G846 → | 5565 times |
| προσδοκώντων | prosdokonton | are waiting | G4328 → | 16 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| θεωρούντων | theorounton | seeing | G2334 → | 58 times |
| μηδὲν | meden | nothing | G3367 → | 90 times |
| ἄτοπον | atopon | amiss | G824 → | |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| γινόμενον | ginomenon | happening | G1096 → | 667 times |
| μεταβαλόμενοι | metabalomenoi | having changed their opinion | G3328 → | |
| ἔλεγον | elegon | they were declaringing | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἶναι | einai | to be | G1511 → | 123 times |
| θεόν.¶ | theon | a god. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
οἱ<the>
hoiG3588 →19766 times
δὲBut
deG1161 →2765 times
προσεδόκωνthey were expecting
prosedokonG4328 →16 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
μέλλεινto be about
melleinG3195 →109 times
πίμπρασθαιto become inflamed
pimprasthaiG4092 →
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
καταπίπτεινto fall down
katapipteinG2667 →
ἄφνωsuddenly
aphnoG869 →3 times
νεκρόν·dead;
nekronG3498 →128 times
ἐπὶA while
epiG1909 →883 times
πολὺgreat
poluG4183 →367 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
αὐτῶνwhen they
autonG846 →5565 times
προσδοκώντωνare waiting
prosdokontonG4328 →16 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
θεωρούντωνseeing
theorountonG2334 →58 times
μηδὲνnothing
medenG3367 →90 times
ἄτοπονamiss
atoponG824 →
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
γινόμενονhappening
ginomenonG1096 →667 times
μεταβαλόμενοιhaving changed their opinion
metabalomenoiG3328 →
ἔλεγονthey were declaringing
elegonG3004 →1325 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
εἶναιto be
einaiG1511 →123 times
θεόν.¶a god.
theonG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 21:9The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
it leads to
- Psalms 118:24–26
This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
- Luke 2:14
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”
- John 12:13–15
They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”
- Matthew 23:39
For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
- Luke 19:37–38
And as He approached the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of disciples began to praise God joyfully in a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:
- Psalms 118:24–26
Through
Acts 12:22And they began to shout, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!”
it leads to
- Acts 14:10–13
In a loud voice Paul called out, “Stand up on your feet!” And the man jumped up and began to walk.
- Revelation 13:4
They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”
- Acts 14:10–13
Through
Matthew 27:22“What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!”
it leads to
- John 19:14–15
It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
- John 19:14–15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Acts
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ammonius of Alexandria, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 28.5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 54; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.