Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 28:30

"And he abode two whole years in his own hired dwelling, and received all that went in unto him," — Acts 28:30 (ASV)

Luke does not give us details about Paul’s two years in Rome because he is not writing Paul’s biography. But during the storm at sea, the angel of the Lord had assured Paul that he would stand trial before Caesar (cf. 27:24). Therefore, it seems proper to assume that Luke intended his readers to infer that Paul’s case, whatever its outcome, did come before the imperial court.

With Acts ending so abruptly, we must look elsewhere for information about Paul’s Roman imprisonment and its aftermath. Accepting the Prison Letters as having been written during this time, we may surmise that Paul fully expected to stand before Caesar’s court and that, while we cannot not be certain about the outcome, he did expect to be released (cf. Php 1:19–26; Phm 22). We may date such a release around 63. Accepting the Pastoral Letters as genuine, after Paul’s release from this imprisonment, he continued evangelizing the eastern portion of the empire (at least in lands surrounding the Aegean Sea)—perhaps even fulfilling his desire to visit Spain (Romans 15:23–24). And since 2 Timothy 4:6–18 speaks of a second trial in a tone of resignation, we may conclude that Paul was rearrested about 67 and, according to tradition, beheaded at Rome by order of Nero.