Acts 28

Acts 28:10

And they presented us, and gave us great rewards, (see note [c] 1 Pet. iii.) and at our departure furnished us with all necessaries for our journey.

which was called the Dioscuri.

some Christian professors, who would needs stay us with them a week, after which we parted from them, and advanced toward Rome: (see John vi. 17.)

Acts 28:15

And when we were come toward Rome as far as Appii forum and Tres tabernæ, the Christians in Rome hearing of our approach came out to meet us: whom when Paul saw—

common gaoler to secure them, but let Paul stay in a private house only with a soldier to guard him.

[d] Appii forum] Mention of these two places we have in Cicero ad Atticum, l. 2. Epist. 10 and 13. Ab Appii foro hora quarta, dederam aliam paulo ante a tribus tabernis, “This Epistle was dated from Appii forum, at four of the clock; I had written another a little before from The three taverns.” The latter of which was three and thirty miles from Rome, the former fifty-one, saith Antoninus in his Itinerary.

[e] The three taverns] Tres tabernæ is a proper name of a town or city, and so not to be rendered with Isidore πανδοχεῖα and καπηλεῖα, “inns and victualling houses,” (as he will also have Appii forum to be a place which had εἰκόνα τινὰ Ἀππίου, “an image of Appius,”) but (as all other proper names) is in reason to continue the same, without translation, or considerable alteration of sound, in all languages. Thus the example of Arcopagus, Acts xvii. 19, and Appii forum in this very verse demonstrates; and so here St. Luke’s Greek Τρεις Ταβέρναι, which is the retaining, not translating, nor interpreting the Latin. And this the rather, if we consider what the ancient signification of tabernæ was. This “Scaliger tells us on occasion of those verses of Ausonius,

Prætereo arentem sitientibus undique terris Damnissum, riguasque perenni fonte Tabernas.

Tabernæ, saith he, was the name of the frontier towns which were built against the inroads and insolencies of the barbarians. That there were such every where erected by Dioclesian in the borders of the Romans, we are assured by Zosimus, Hist. l. 2. p. 65. Τῆς γὰρ Ῥωμαίων ἐπικρατίας ἀπανταχοῦ τῶν ἐσχατιῶν—πόλεσι καὶ φρουρίοις καὶ πυργοῖς διελημμένης, καὶ παντὰς τοῦ στρατιωτικοῦ κατὰ ταῦτα τὴν οἴκησιν ἔχοντος, ἄπορος τοῖς βαρβάρους ἦν ἡ διάβασις. “The Roman empire being on every side of the borders divided and fortified with cities and garrisons and castles, and all the military forces dwelling thereabout, there was no access for the barbarians.” And so no doubt it was in these former times. And in all reason, as this was the notion of the Tabernæ Montanæ prope Weissenbrugum, and Tabernæ Rhenenses, which Scaliger mentions, so also of the Tres Tabernæ here, which, saith he, Ausonius himself seems to signify, when he saith that the Sauromatæ had their habitations assigned them there, agreeable to what we cited out of Zosimus. That this place was an episcopal see, and so an eminent city, in Constantine’s time, appears by Optatus, l. 1, where, amongst the nineteen bishops delegated by Constantine to decide the controversy betwixt Donatus and Cæcilianus, is reckoned Felix a Tribus Tabernis “Felix bishop of that city called Tres Tabernæ.”

Acts 28:16

[f] soldier that kept him] The manner of the soldiers guarding the prisoner among the Romans is thus described by Lipsius on Tacitus Ann. l. 3. p. 60, that the prisoner should have a chain on his right hand, and the other end of it on the soldier’s left hand, so that they might conveniently go together, the chain being of some length. Of this, many examples he there gives out of authors: one especially from P Athenæus of Quintus Oppius, (for which Aldus’s edition hath ὁ Ἴππος corruptly,) παραδοθεὶς δέσμιος, “a prisoner delivered to custody,” and of Bastarnes, whom Manlius Aquilius, one that had been consul, and came

† 1. Ep. 337. So Zosimus l. 2. Hist. φ τρία καπηλεῖα προσηγορία. “Aus. Læct. l. 1. c. 1. " Ed. Causa. p. 28. " l. 5. p. 67. lin. 13.

Acts 28:17

And after he had been there three days he desired to speak with the rulers of the consistory which

Acts 28:25

And when by this difference of minds there began to be some falling out (or, arguing on both sides, ver. 29.) between them, they departed, Paul telling them at their departure, that this unbelief of theirs was a thing which the prophet Isaias had punctually foretold,

Acts 28:26

Saying, This people of the Jews will not receive the gospel,

Acts 28:27

For they have contracted a perfect habit of obduration and wilful deafness and blindness; to which it is consequent, that they will not hearken to any ways of reformation that should make them capable of mercy.

Acts 28:28

It is therefore now to be expected by you, that we should give over contending with this obduration of yours, and preach the gospel to the heathens, and they will most gladly lay hold on it.

Acts 28:44

And those that could not swim to make use some of boards, and others of some other things that came out of the ship. And so it came to pass— ### CHAP. XXVIII. AND when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called