Charles Spurgeon Commentary Acts 28:16

"And when we entered into Rome, Paul was suffered to abide by himself with the soldier that guarded him." — Acts 28:16 (ASV)

And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.

This was a great favor, no doubt, but do not forget that he had to have his right hand chained to the left hand of the soldier day and night, and that was not very pleasant either for him or for the soldier.

Yet in this way he had an opportunity for personal interaction with the soldiers of the Praetorian Guard. As they were regularly rotated, Paul no doubt had opportunities for conversation with hundreds of them, and so the gospel was spread in a very unlikely place.

Would you like to be chained to a soldier day after day, and month after month? There are some who would not have that experience for half an hour without putting the gospel plainly before the soldier, so that he would at least know what it is, even if he did not accept it.

That is a wonderful way of preaching—man to man; when they were chained hand to hand, there was no getting away from what Paul had to say.