Acts 28:11-16 After three months in
Malta, the centurion and Paul's traveling companions booked passage on an
Egyptian ship, which had managed to survive the winter intact. The remainder of
the voyage seems to have been uneventful. Their ports of call included
Syracuse, on the southeastern corner of the island of Sicily, Rhegium, at the
tip of the toe of the boot that is Italy, and Puteoli, on the west coast of
Italy. From there they travelled overland to Rome. The legs of the voyages from
Malta to Syracuse and Syracuse to Rhegium were both approximately 135 km, and
from Rhegium to Puteoli approximately 320 km. The overland journey was
approximately 230 km. There were some believers in Puteoli who offered them
lodging, and then they proceeded on to Rome. By this time, the centurion
apparently knew Paul well enough to trust him with a soldier but did not need
the whole contingent. The whole journey from Jerusalem to Rome was
approximately 3,400 km, not including whatever distance the boat took them
during the storm that was off course.
Acts 28:17-22 Paul wasted no time in
asking the leaders of the Jews in Rome to come to him. He recounted the reason
for being a prisoner, although apparently he did not present the full gospel at
this time. Oddly, they had not heard anything from the Jewish leadership in
Jerusalem about him, but they were aware of the Christian sect and wanted to
hear Paul's opinion of it. It seems uncharacteristic of the Jewish priests, the
Pharisees and the Sadducees that they had not sent word to Rome of Paul and
their accusations against him. Perhaps the winter had prevented them from
sending messages as well, and Paul's journey, difficult as it was, had still
beat their messenger.
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