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Acts 28:30-31 NKJV – Paul is in a Roman Prison for Two Years & Writes Ephesians:

Ephesians Comes Alive after Studying the Book of Acts!

During Paul’s two-year imprisonment at the end of the book of Acts, believers were given a brief yet inspiring description of a man who continued to be “a witness…to the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NKJV) even while in lockdown. “Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him” (Acts 28:30-31 NKJV).

During this imprisonment, Paul was allowed to choose his accommodation before the trial. If the prisoner was considered a “special” prisoner of some sort or if Rome felt the prisoner might experience imminent release, or they felt his hearing would be expedited, they would extend alternative options for housing rather than the damp, cold prisons of Rome (which Paul eventually stayed in six years later in Rome as seen in II Timothy 4:9-13). Of course, the prisoner had to have the financial means to pay for the special accommodation.

There were approximately 45,000 apartments (called “insulae,” Latin: INN-sah-lie) in Rome at this time. They were located in three to five-floor buildings above ground-level shops. The lower-level apartments were more expensive (one-year rent was equivalent to approximately two years' wages of the common laborer), and the upper levels were less expensive (one-year rent was equivalent to approximately one month's wages of the common laborer). Assessing Paul’s financial situation, it is assumed that Paul could have afforded an apartment anywhere from the third to the fifth level. Of course, the accommodation varied in amenities. Lower levels were closer to the community fountain to secure water, while the prisoners in the upper levels had to ask friends or hire servants to run errands, retrieve water, and dispose of garbage and waste from the apartments because the prisoner was not permitted to leave the apartments.

Of course, Paul could not choose just any apartment in Rome. Rome had dedicated insulae (apartments) for prominent prisoners that were located near the headquarters of the Roman soldiers, who also took in the revenue from prisoner-renters. And the security in these apartments could safely be described as very low security. While it is true that “Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him” (Acts 28:16) upon his immediate arrival in Rome, some wonder if this description also applied to the two-year imprisonment that started over seven days after he arrived. The Bible does not link the details of Acts 28:16 to the conditions described in Acts 28:30-31, but historically, it would have been a standard practice to have guards all throughout the insulae that were owned and operated by Rome for prominent prisoners. It also seems likely that Paul continued to be guarded by an appointed guard, as he had been receiving very intentional protection throughout his interaction with Roman officials (Acts 24-28). It is inconclusive, though, whether Paul was chained to a guard throughout these two years of imprisonment. Historians lean that way but cannot be conclusive about this detail.

Vivid Connections between The Book of Acts and the Letter to the Ephesians

This study should not only add more vividness to portions of the Letter to the Ephesians and serve as a very helpful review of the book of Acts chapters 13-28, but it should also move us to action to live out the truths that Paul and the believers acted upon during the birth and growth of the Church!

Acts 21:27-29 adds vivid context to the beautiful analogy used by Paul regarding how salvation is available to all peoples in Ephesians 2:12-18

Acts 21:27-29 describes how the Jewish people wrongly accused Paul of “[bringing] Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place” (Acts 21:28b). Knowing there was a Court of the Gentiles that permitted non-Jewish worshipers to gather, they accused Paul of escorting a non-Jewish person past the wall that separated the Jews from the non-Jews (called a “Soreg,” Hebrew: “SOAR-egg”) and were intentionally held at a distance from the majority of the Temple worship areas. This was evidenced by their clear intention to kill Paul, which was informally permitted by Rome, should a non-Jewish person cross that dividing wall (see our Devotional on Acts 21:26-40). The Jewish people did not want any non-Jews to come near the presence of the Lord in the center of the Temple. This hostility caused anger and bitterness in the Gentiles as the Jews wrote signs in Latin and Greek warning the Gentiles that they would be killed if they crossed this dividing wall!

Acts 21:27-29 describes how the Jewish people wrongly accused Paul of “[bringing] Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place” (Acts 21:28b). Knowing there was a Court of the Gentiles that permitted non-Jewish worshipers to gather, they accused Paul of escorting a non-Jewish person past the wall that separated the Jews from the non-Jews (called a “Soreg,” Hebrew: “SOAR-egg”) and were intentionally held at a distance from the majority of the Temple worship areas. This was evidenced by their clear intention to kill Paul, which was informally permitted by Rome, should a non-Jewish person cross that dividing wall (see our Devotional on Acts 21:26-40). The Jewish people did not want any non-Jews to come near the presence of the Lord in the center of the Temple. This hostility caused anger and bitterness in the Gentiles as the Jews wrote signs in Latin and Greek warning the Gentiles that they would be killed if they crossed this dividing wall!l!

The beautiful reality of God bringing Gentiles into His family was seen in the ministry of Jesus (Matthew 8:9-12; Matthew 21:13; John 4:1-45), taught in Galatians 3:28, Hebrews 4:16, and mentioned and prophesied in Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah 56:7, and Micah 4:2!

Acts chapters 16, 21-28 add clarity to the teachings found in Ephesians 6:10-17

Paul was detained and/or placed in prison by Rome on multiple occasions from his conversion in Acts 9 to the end of the book of Acts (Acts 28:31), in Philippi (Acts 16:16-40), in Jerusalem (Acts 21:26-23:30), in Caesarea (23:31- 26:), en route to Rome (Acts 27:1-28:16), and in Rome (Acts 28:30-31). He saw his share of Roman soldiers, even the head of all the elite Praetorian Guard (Acts 28:16 NKJV), called “captain of the guard” (formal title, “Praetorian Prefect”). It is reasonable to think that in the uneventful times of his travels and imprisonments, he simply examined their equipment and weaponry. He could have even asked questions out of curiosity about, say, if they ever had to deploy their weapons, etc., especially to the centurion who showed deference to Paul on the boat headed to Rome (Acts 27:43 NKJV).

Because of his exposure to Roman soldiers for the past four years, Paul offered an effective and vivid analogy of likening six spiritual disciplines to the armor of the Roman soldier (Ephesians 6:10-17). And after years of studying the armor of many Roman soldiers, Paul was even able to get very specific in his description of the imagery. For example, he was probably told how the soldiers “quench” or “extinguish” flaming arrows that are shot at them by constructing some larger shields with wood and leather and soaking the leather in water so that when archers shoot flaming arrows, the fire would immediately extinguish the flame (Ephesians 6:16).

And while a particular piece of armor was not necessarily the most important part of his teaching, Paul occasionally made the correlation of a piece of armor to a spiritual discipline (e.g., Ephesians 6:14, “breastplate of righteousness” cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:8, “breastplate of faith and love”; or Ephesians 6:14, “having girded your waist with truth” cf. Isaiah 11:5, “Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.” (NKJV). The teaching of spiritual disciplines certainly came across in a very vivid way to the people in Ephesus.

Acts 18:9, 23:11, 27:24, and 28:31, along with Acts 13:46 and 14:3, allows us to experience the human dynamic to Paul’s request for boldness in Ephesians 6:18-20

Paul wrote the believers in Ephesus asking them to pray for boldness for him, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit… for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18a, 19a-20 NKJV). On the surface, the prayer request was an honorable one, and after reviewing a few verses in the book of Acts, this prayer request also conveyed a very human side of Paul, who, like believers today, required prayers for confidence and encouragement from other believers.

In the book of Acts, Paul spoke boldly in Antioch of Pisidia, “Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said…” (Acts 13:46 NKJV), Paul spoke boldly in Iconium, “Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord” (Acts 14:3 NKJV), and he was recorded as speaking boldly in Ephesus when he was last with them, “he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months” (Acts 19:8 NKJV). And as Paul began his two-year imprisonment in Rome, his level of boldness was described as, “freely proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things about the Lord Jesus with confident boldness” (Acts 28:31, original translation). At the same time, we read how the Lord came to Paul three times during his travels and told him, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent” (Acts 18:9 NKJV), “Be of good cheer” (Acts 23:11 NKJV), “Do not be afraid, Paul” (Acts 27:24 NKJV). In addition, we read Acts 18, where Paul needed encouragement after experiencing many challenges in his ministry efforts up to that point (see our Devotional on Acts 18:1-11). So, in the book of Acts, there are times Paul demonstrated boldness, along with moments where Paul was in need of encouragement to continue to be strong and take courage.

And even though it was only one year after we read that Paul proclaimed Jesus with “confident boldness” (Acts 28:31b NKJV), he asked the people of Ephesus to pray for him that he “may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:19 NKJV), we should not be discouraged. Rather, we should be encouraged that even though the Apostle Paul ebbed and flowed in his human emotions as we all do; he knew to run to the Lord in prayer to receive the necessary encouragement. In fact, he “boldly” approached God to give him boldness as the author of Hebrews says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV). In a word, the Apostle Paul was human. It should be encouraging to every believer, no matter how strong one’s faith is; it is still OK to request prayer for continued spiritual strength!

Ponder & Pray Today…

Reflect on Paul’s own testimony – how at times he was extremely bold, and how at times he was discouraged and needed encouragement. Reflect on how this is a normal experience for any believer, but sometimes we unfairly elevate Christian leaders to be superhumans. Now reflect on your own feelings and upbringing. Were you taught to always be confident and never show weakness? Would you have ever thought to ask someone to pray for you to have bold confidence like Paul asked the Ephesian believers to pray for him? Or were you conditioned to be very open with your feelings and feel very comfortable sharing your challenges and struggles with people in order to solicit their advice and words of encouragement?

Reflect on Paul’s own testimony – how at times he was extremely bold, and how at times he was discouraged and needed encouragement. Reflect on how this is a normal experience for any believer, but sometimes we unfairly elevate Christian leaders to be superhumans. Now reflect on your own feelings and upbringing. Were you taught to always be confident and never show weakness? Would you have ever thought to ask someone to pray for you to have bold confidence like Paul asked the Ephesian believers to pray for him? Or were you conditioned to be very open with your feelings and feel very comfortable sharing your challenges and struggles with people to solicit their advice and words of encouragement?