Acts 28:8
in Acts 28The 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.
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This verse in Acts 28
Commentary
10 notes on this verseIt 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
"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.
Thereafter having met with his requital, he naturally honored Paul much more, when the others also received healing.
The Medieval Church2 voices
"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.
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
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
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 commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἐγένετο | egeneto | It came to pass | G1096 → | 667 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πατέρα | patera | father | G3962 → | 410 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ποπλίου | popliou | of Publius | G4196 → | |
| πυρετοῖς | puretois | with fevers | G4446 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| δυσεντερίῳ | dusenterio | with dysentery | G1420 → | |
| συνεχόμενον | sunechomenon | oppressed | G4912 → | 12 times |
| κατακεῖσθαι· | katakeisthai | [was] lying; | G2621 → | |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὃν | hon | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλος | paulos | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| εἰσελθὼν | eiselthon | having entered | G1525 → | 194 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| προσευξάμενος, | proseuxamenos | having prayed, | G4336 → | 85 times |
| ἐπιθεὶς | epitheis | having laid | G2007 → | 38 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χεῖρας | cheiras | hands | G5495 → | 175 times |
| αὐτῷ, | auto | on him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἰάσατο | iasato | healed | G2390 → | 25 times |
| αὐτόν.¶ | auton | him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ἘγένετοIt came to pass
egenetoG1096 →667 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
πατέραfather
pateraG3962 →410 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
Ποπλίουof Publius
popliouG4196 →
πυρετοῖςwith fevers
puretoisG4446 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
δυσεντερίῳwith dysentery
dusenterioG1420 →
συνεχόμενονoppressed
sunechomenonG4912 →12 times
κατακεῖσθαι·[was] lying;
katakeisthaiG2621 →
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ὃνwhom
honG3739 →1405 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ΠαῦλοςPaul
paulosG3972 →158 times
εἰσελθὼνhaving entered
eiselthonG1525 →194 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
προσευξάμενος,having prayed,
proseuxamenosG4336 →85 times
ἐπιθεὶςhaving laid
epitheisG2007 →38 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
χεῖραςhands
cheirasG5495 →175 times
αὐτῷ,on him,
autoG846 →5565 times
ἰάσατοhealed
iasatoG2390 →25 times
αὐτόν.¶him.
autonG846 →5565 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 10:8Heal 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.
- Acts 3:6
Through
Mark 6:5So 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.
- Matthew 13:58
Through
Matthew 9:18While 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
- Luke 8:41–56
Where this verse is studied
About Acts

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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.
