Charles Ellicott Commentary Acts 28:8

"And it was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery: unto whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying his hands on him healed him." — Acts 28:8 (ASV)

Lay sick of a fever and a bloody flux: Literally, with fevers and dysentery, both words being used by St. Luke with professional precision. The plural, “fevers,” probably indicates the attacks of a recurrent fever, and its combination with dysentery would, according to Hippocrates, who also uses the plural form (Aph. vi. 3), make the case especially critical. The disease is said to be not uncommon in Malta.

Prayed, and laid his hands on him: The union of the two acts reminds us of the rule given in James 5:14-15; and the close sequence of the healing work after the escape from the serpent’s bite, of the juxtaposition of the two promises of Mark 16:18.