Acts 28 Outline Summary and Meaning
Quick Summary
Acts 28 closes the book of Acts with survival turning into witness. After the shipwreck, Paul and the others are welcomed on Malta, where Paul survives a viper bite and then heals many, including the father of Publius. Months later they sail on to Italy, and Paul finally arrives in Rome. Believers come out to meet him, and Paul thanks God and takes courage as the gospel reaches the heart of the empire.
Introduction
Acts 27 ends with everyone reaching shore safely, but Luke is not done showing what God is doing through this journey. Acts 28 is the landing after the storm, and it is also the final stretch of Acts’ storyline. From the beginning, Acts has been moving outward from Jerusalem toward the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Rome is not the end of the world, but it is the symbolic center of imperial power, the place many assumed the gospel could never reach. Luke’s ending is deliberate. Paul arrives in Rome still under guard, still limited, and yet still effective. Acts 28 shows that the gospel does not require ideal conditions. It requires open doors, courage, and the steady presence of Christ.
Outline and Section Summary
Acts 28:1–10 Paul on Malta
After the shipwreck, the survivors learn they are on the island of Malta, and the locals show unusual kindness, building a fire because of rain and cold. As Paul gathers sticks, a viper fastens onto his hand, and the locals assume he must be a murderer receiving divine justice. Paul shakes the snake off into the fire and suffers no harm, and the crowd shifts from expecting death to calling him a god. Publius, a leading man of the island, welcomes them for three days. Paul heals Publius’s father, who is sick with fever and dysentery, and then others on the island come and are cured. The people honor them and provide supplies for the next leg of the journey. This section shows the gospel’s witness through both suffering and service. Paul refuses superstition and embodies mercy, and Luke portrays healing as part of God’s kindness that meets people where they are. Read the full article here: Acts 28:1–10 Paul on Malta
Acts 28:11–16 Arrival in Rome
After three months, they sail on an Alexandrian ship and travel through Sicily and Italy, eventually reaching Puteoli where they find believers and stay a week. From there they head toward Rome, and believers from Rome come out to meet Paul at the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns. Seeing them, Paul thanks God and takes courage. When they enter Rome, Paul is allowed to live by himself with the soldier guarding him. This section shows the quiet triumph of arrival. Paul reaches Rome not as a celebrity but as a guarded prisoner, yet he is met by the church, strengthened by fellowship, and positioned for the next stage of witness. Luke ends this portion with Paul in Rome, ready to speak, which is exactly where the story has been heading. Read the full article here: Acts 28:11–16 Arrival in Rome
Major Themes in Acts 28
God’s protection that leads to witness
Paul survives the viper bite and the event becomes a doorway for ministry on Malta (Acts 28:3–6). Luke shows protection serving mission rather than spectacle.Mercy and healing as signs of the kingdom
Paul’s healing of Publius’s father and others demonstrates God’s compassion through embodied care (Acts 28:8–9). The gospel arrives with both words and mercy.The gospel reaching Rome through ordinary steps
Months of travel, small stops, and local hospitality carry Paul to Rome (Acts 28:11–14). Luke portrays God’s purpose unfolding through ordinary movement and faithful endurance.Encouragement through Christian community
Believers come out to meet Paul, and their presence strengthens him (Acts 28:15). Luke highlights fellowship as a gift that gives courage for witness.
Meaning for Today
Acts 28 shows that survival is not the same as arrival. Paul reaches land in Acts 27, but the mission continues immediately in Acts 28 through service, healing, and patient travel. The chapter also confronts superstition with quiet steadiness. The people of Malta swing from assuming Paul is cursed to calling him a god, and Paul simply keeps living faithfully. Luke also reminds readers that God often advances the gospel through ordinary means. Fires are built, meals are shared, ships are boarded, roads are walked, and the word keeps moving. The arrival in Rome is not triumphant in the way empires imagine triumph. Paul arrives in chains, yet he arrives with courage, and that is Luke’s point. The gospel reaches the center not by force, but by faithful witness.
FAQ
What is Acts 28 about?
Acts 28 describes Paul’s time on Malta after the shipwreck, including healing ministry, and then the continuation of the journey until Paul arrives in Rome and is encouraged by local believers (Acts 28:1–16).
Why is the snakebite significant in Acts 28?
The viper bite becomes a public moment where Paul is protected, challenging local superstition and opening the way for ministry (Acts 28:3–6). Luke presents it as God’s care that serves witness.
Who is Publius in Acts 28?
Publius is described as a leading man on Malta who welcomes the shipwreck survivors (Acts 28:7). Paul heals his father, and many others on the island are healed afterward (Acts 28:8–9).
How does Paul finally reach Rome?
After three months on Malta, Paul sails to Italy, meets believers in Puteoli, and travels the final stretch toward Rome where Christians come out to meet him (Acts 28:11–15).
What does it mean that Paul is allowed to live by himself?
Paul remains under guard but is given a measure of freedom to live separately rather than in a crowded prison (Acts 28:16). Luke highlights this as another way God makes room for continued witness.
