Skip to content
mannafest.faith

Acts 28:8

in Acts 28

The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

And it was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery: unto whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying his hands on him healed him.

KJV

And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.

This verse in Acts 28

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Acts · Written before 735.

It happened, however, that the father of Publius, afflicted with fever and dysentery, was lying down, etc. Why does he save an infirm unbeliever with prayer, who heals the faithful Timothy and Trophimus, one by medical art and leaves the other entirely, unless because the …

This site's exposition

chief man of the island

on Acts 28:7-8

In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius, a title an inscription found on Malta confirms as the island's actual Roman administrative rank, another small correction of Luke's precision the evidence lane keeps returning to. Publius received the shipwrecked company and lodged them three days courteously, and Paul repays the hospitality where it costs him nothing but prayer, entering to the sick father, laying hands on him, and healing a fever and a bloody flux the physician Luke names with a clinician's exactness.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 54 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him." So that he was worthy to receive kindness: wherefore Paul as a requital for his receiving them, healed him.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 54 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

Thereafter having met with his requital, he naturally honored Paul much more, when the others also received healing.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

"The father of Publius lay sick with a fever and dysentery." Dysentery, a disease difficult to cure, having been healed by Paul, converted many to faith in Christ.

A commentator

Bede

Retractions on Acts · Written before 735.

proposed

It happened that the father of Publius, having been struck by fever and dysentery, was lying ill. Dysentery is an affliction of the intestines, caused with ulceration, because it expels bloody discharge, or bile, or some other alteration of humour; but it is considered harmful …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

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.
3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And it came to pass that the father of Publius,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

The father of Publius lay sick - Πυρετοις και δυσεντεριᾳ; Of a fever and dysentery; perhaps a cholera morbus. Paul - prayed - That God would exert his power; and laid his hands on him, as the means which God ordinarily used to convey the energy of the Holy Spirit, and healed him; God having conveyed the healing power by this means.
A bloody flux - Greek: dysentery. And laid his hands on him ... - In accordance with the promise of the Saviour, Mar 16:18. This miracle was a suitable return for the hospitality of Publius, and would serve to conciliate further the kindness of the people, and prepare the way for Paul’s usefulness.

The words behind it

24 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 10:8

    Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

    it leads to

    • Acts 3:6

      But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

    • Luke 10:9

      Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’

    • Acts 4:30

      as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

    • Matthew 10:1

      And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.

    • Acts 20:33–35

      I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.

  • Through

    Mark 6:5

    So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 13:58

      And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief.

  • Through

    Matthew 9:18

    While Jesus was saying these things, a synagogue leader came and knelt before Him. “My daughter has just died,” he said. “But come and place Your hand on her, and she will live.”

    it leads to

    • Luke 8:41–56

      Just then a synagogue leader named Jairus came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He begged Him to come to his house,

    • Mark 5:22–43

      A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet

Where this verse is studied

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); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Bede, Retractions on Acts; J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 54; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.