Acts 28:7
in Acts 28Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius; who received us, and entertained us three days courteously.
KJV
In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.
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This verse in Acts 28
Commentary
8 notes on this versePublius was a hospitable man, because he received them knowing nothing about them, but only out of compassion for their plight, and gave rest to two hundred and eighty people, seeing in this a benefit for himself.
This site's exposition
the chief official of the island
on Acts 28:7-8
Luke calls Publius the chief official of the island, a title an inscription found on Malta confirms as its own Roman rank. Paul healed Publius's father of fever and dysentery, and the physician Luke names both with a clinician's exactness.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Behold, again another hospitable man, the rich and wealthy Publius, who had seen nothing but had mercy on them because of their calamity. He received and took care of them.… It is certainly an act of great benevolence to give hospitality to 270 people. Meditate on what a great profit is hospitality: not because there was necessity or because he acted against his will, but because [Publius] considered it a profit, did he give hospitality to them for three days.
"In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously." Behold again another hospitable man, Publius, who was both rich and of great possessions: he had seen nothing, but purely out of compassion for their misfortune, he received them, and took care of them. So that he was worthy to receive kindness.
"Publius," it says, "lodged them courteously": two hundred and seventy-six persons. Consider how great the gain of his hospitality: not as of necessity, not as unwilling, but as reckoning it a gain he lodged them for three days.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In the same quarters - In that place, or that part of the island, Possessions - Property. His place of residence. The chief man - Greek: the first man. Probably he was the governor of the island,
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The chief man of the island - The term πρωτος, Chief, used hereby St. Luke, was the ancient title of the governor of this island, as is evident from an inscription found in Malta, which runs thus: - Λ. Κ. υἱος, κυρ. ἱππευς. ῥωμ. πρωτος Μελιταιων· Lucius Caius, son of Quirinus, a Roman knight, Chief of the Melitese. See Bochart, Phaleg. and Chan. vol. i. chap. 498, etc., and Grotius. This title is another proof of the accuracy of St. Luke, who uses the very epithet by which the Roman governor of that island was distinguished.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἐν | en | In | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the [parts] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| περὶ | peri | around | G4012 → | 332 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τόπον | topon | place | G5117 → | 94 times |
| ἐκεῖνον | ekeinon | that [one] | G1565 → | 260 times |
| ὑπῆρχεν | huperchen | were | G5225 → | 60 times |
| χωρία | choria | lands | G5564 → | 10 times |
| τῷ | to | [belonging] to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρώτῳ | proto | chief | G4413 → | 152 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νήσου, | nesou | island, | G3520 → | 9 times |
| ὀνόματι | onomati | named | G3686 → | 227 times |
| Ποπλίῳ, | poplio | Publius, | G4196 → | |
| ὃς | hos | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἀναδεξάμενος | anadexamenos | having received | G324 → | |
| ἡμᾶς | hemas | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| τρεῖς | treis | three | G5140 → | 69 times |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | days | G2250 → | 389 times |
| φιλοφρόνως | philophronos | hospitably | G5390 → | |
| ἐξένισεν.¶ | exenisen | entertained [us]. | G3579 → | 10 times |
ἘνIn
enG1722 →2738 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τοῖςthe [parts]
toisG3588 →19766 times
περὶaround
periG4012 →332 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
τόπονplace
toponG5117 →94 times
ἐκεῖνονthat [one]
ekeinonG1565 →260 times
ὑπῆρχενwere
huperchenG5225 →60 times
χωρίαlands
choriaG5564 →10 times
τῷ[belonging] to the
toG3588 →19766 times
πρώτῳchief
protoG4413 →152 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
νήσου,island,
nesouG3520 →9 times
ὀνόματιnamed
onomatiG3686 →227 times
Ποπλίῳ,Publius,
poplioG4196 →
ὃςwho
hosG3739 →1405 times
ἀναδεξάμενοςhaving received
anadexamenosG324 →
ἡμᾶςus
hemasG3165 →1936 times
τρεῖςthree
treisG5140 →69 times
ἡμέραςdays
hemerasG2250 →389 times
φιλοφρόνωςhospitably
philophronosG5390 →
ἐξένισεν.¶entertained [us].
exenisenG3579 →10 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
Acts 28:2The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
- Romans 1:14
I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.
- Colossians 3:11
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
- 2 Corinthians 11:27
in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure.
- Hebrews 13:2
Through
Acts 13:7an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, a man of intelligence, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.
it leads to
- Acts 19:38
So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there.
- Acts 13:12
When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
- Acts 19:38
Through
Acts 18:12While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat.
it leads to
- Acts 13:50
The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.
- Acts 18:27
When Apollos resolved to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival, he was a great help to those who by grace…
- Acts 13:50
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 28.7; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 54; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.
