World English Bible · Under Rome
Acts 28
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When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called . The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a and received us all, because of the present and because of the cold. But when had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the , a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a , whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live." However he shook off the creature into the , and wasn't harmed. But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their and said that he was a . Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named , who received us and courteously entertained us for three days. of lay sick of fever and dysentery. entered in to him, , and laying his hands on him, healed him. Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came and were cured. They also us with many honors; and when we sailed, they put on board the things that we needed. After three months, we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose figurehead was "The ." 12Touching at , we stayed there three days. From there we circled around and arrived at . After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to , where we found brothers, and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to . From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When saw them, he thanked and took courage. When we entered into , the centurion the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him. After three days called together those who were the leaders of the . When they had come together, he said to them, "I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, still was prisoner from into the hands of the , who, when they had examined me, to set me free, because there was no cause of in me. But when the spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to , not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation. For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the of Israel I am bound with this chain." They said to him, "We neither received letters from concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you. But we to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against." When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about Kingdom, and persuading them concerning , both from of and from , from morning until evening. Some the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. When they didn't agree among themselves, they departed after had spoken one message: " spoke rightly through the to our fathers, saying, 'Go to this people and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive. For this people's has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their , and would turn again, then I would heal them.' "Be it known therefore to you that the of is sent to the nations, and they will listen." 29When he had said these words, the departed, having a great dispute among themselves. 30 stayed two whole years in his own rented house and received all who were coming to him, preaching Kingdom and teaching the things concerning with all boldness, without hindrance.
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The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.