The Meaning of Acts 28:14 Explained

Acts 28:14

KJV: Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.

YLT: where, having found brethren, we were called upon to remain with them seven days, and thus to Rome we came;

Darby: where, having found brethren, we were begged to stay with them seven days. And thus we went to Rome.

ASV: where we found brethren, and were entreated to tarry with them seven days: and so we came to Rome.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Where  we found  brethren,  and were desired  to tarry  with  them  seven  days:  and  so  we went  toward  Rome. 

What does Acts 28:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

It is not strange that a church existed there. Puteoli had a Jewish colony. [1] Perhaps Roman Christians had planted this church, or perhaps Jewish converts had done so. The local Christians were very generous with their hospitality to Paul and his companions. "And thus we came to Rome" expresses Luke"s eagerness to reach Paul"s goal city. They had not really arrived in Rome (cf. Acts 28:15-16). However, Luke viewed Puteoli as close enough to warrant this enthusiastic announcement of their arrival, even though Paul still had130 miles to travel.

Context Summary

Acts 28:11-20 - Still Seeking His Own Kinsmen
Paul went toward Rome, as we have seen, under very different circumstances from those that he originally anticipated; but, after all, they gave him the greatest opportunity of his life. The things that befell him were for the furtherance of the gospel. In no other way could he have approached or touched such men as the centurion, or the members of Caesar's household, or Publius, or Nero himself.
It was very good of Julius to give Paul seven days' rest in the lovely bay of Puteoli, at the foot of Vesuvius. The little towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were not yet overwhelmed. What teaching and what happy fellowship the little church now enjoyed! Forty-three miles from Rome, at Appii Forum, a body of Christians awaited the Apostle with greetings, and ten miles farther on, at the Three Taverns, was another group. If Paul had entertained fears about his reception, they were immediately dispelled. The Apostle thanked God and took courage.
How he had longed to see mighty Rome! He was now allowed to live in his own house, chained to a soldier. In these circumstances he was secure from the hatred and plottings of the Jews, who in every city had endangered his life and impeded his labors. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 28

1  Paul, after his shipwreck, is kindly entertained on Malta
5  The snake on his hand hurts him not
8  He heals many diseases in the island
11  They depart toward Rome
17  He declares to the Jews the cause of his coming
24  After his preaching some were persuaded, and some believed not
30  Yet he preaches there two years

Greek Commentary for Acts 28:14

Where we found brethren [ου ευροντες αδελπους]
Possibly from Alexandria, but, as Blass observes, it is no more strange to find “brethren” in Christ in Puteoli when Paul arrives than in Rome. There was a large Jewish quarter. [source]
Seven days [ημερας επτα]
Accusative of extent of time. Paul and his party remained so long at the urgent request of the brethren. He was still a prisoner, but clearly Julius was only too glad to show another courtesy to Paul to whom they all owed their lives. It was 130 miles by land from Puteoli to Rome over one of the great Roman roads. And so we came to Rome (και ουτως εις την ομην ηλταμεν — kai houtōs eis tēn Romēn ēlthamen). So at last. Luke is exultant as Page observes: Paulus Romae captivus: triumphus unicus. It is the climax of the book of Acts (Acts 19:21; Acts 23:11), but not the close of Paul‘s career. Page rightly remarks that a new paragraph should begin with Acts 28:15, for brethren came from Rome and this part of the journey is touched with the flavour of that incident. The great event is that Paul reached Rome, but not as he had once hoped (Romans 15:22-29). [source]
And so we came to Rome [και ουτως εις την ομην ηλταμεν]
So at last. Luke is exultant as Page observes: Paulus Romae captivus: triumphus unicus. It is the climax of the book of Acts (Acts 19:21; Acts 23:11), but not the close of Paul‘s career. Page rightly remarks that a new paragraph should begin with Acts 28:15, for brethren came from Rome and this part of the journey is touched with the flavour of that incident. The great event is that Paul reached Rome, but not as he had once hoped (Romans 15:22-29). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 28:14

Acts 1:5 Not many days hence [ου μετα πολλας ταυτας ημερας]
A neat Greek idiom difficult to render smoothly into English: “Not after many days these.” The litotes (not many=few) is common in Luke (Luke 7:6; Luke 15:13; Acts 17:27; Acts 19:11; Acts 20:12; Acts 21:39; Acts 28:14; Acts 28:2). The predicate use of ταυτας — tautas (without article) is to be noted. “These” really means as a starting point, “from these” (Robertson, Grammar, p. 702). It was ten days hence. This idiom occurs several times in Luke (Luke 24:21; Acts 24:21), as elsewhere (John 4:18; 2 Peter 3:1). In Luke 2:12 the copula is easily supplied as it exists in Luke 1:36; Luke 2:2. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 28:14 mean?

where having found [some] brothers we were entreated with them to remain days seven And so to - Rome we came
οὗ εὑρόντες ἀδελφοὺς παρεκλήθημεν παρ’ αὐτοῖς ἐπιμεῖναι ἡμέρας ἑπτά καὶ οὕτως εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην ἤλθαμεν

οὗ  where 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὗ  
Sense: where.
εὑρόντες  having  found 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: εὑρίσκω  
Sense: to come upon, hit upon, to meet with.
ἀδελφοὺς  [some]  brothers 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
παρεκλήθημεν  we  were  entreated 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 1st Person Plural
Root: παρακαλέω  
Sense: to call to one’s side, call for, summon.
ἐπιμεῖναι  to  remain 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἐπιμένω  
Sense: to stay at or with, to tarry still, still to abide, to continue, remain.
ἡμέρας  days 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
ἑπτά  seven 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ἑπτά  
Sense: seven.
οὕτως  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
τὴν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ῥώμην  Rome 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Ῥώμη  
Sense: the famous capital of the ancient world.
ἤλθαμεν  we  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.