Acts 28:30-31

Acts 28:30-31 Paul is now spoken of as living in rented quarters which may infer that Paul has moved to another location in Rome (compare with Acts 28:23). During this time span of two years Paul will write letters to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and. personal note to Philemon. "Welcoming all who came to him" This may mean that Paul could not go and preach in the synagogues, but rather that this audience had to come to him. From the epistles written at this time we learn that the following Christians from one time or another where with Paul: Luke, Mark, Timothy, Aristarchus, Demas, Epaphras, Tychicus (Colossians 4:12; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7). "Preaching the kingdom of God" Not some millennial kingdom but rather that the kingdom of God had arrived (Colossians 1:12; Mark 9:1). "With all openness, unhindered" Paul's preaching which seemed to be stopped for. moment by Jewish persecution is actually now being protected by the Roman Empire. "The apologetic value of the fact mentioned in the last words of the book was considerable. Luke is suggesting that it is unlikely that if the gospel were illegal and subversive propaganda, it would have been taught for two years in the heart of the empire without hindrance, and by. Roman citizen who had appealed to Caesar, and was waiting under guard for his case to be heard. The authorities must have known what Paul was doing all along, and yet they put no obstacle in his way. Acts is brought to. close, then, on this triumphant note. The Kingdom of God and the story of Jesus are openly proclaimed and taught in Rome itself" (Bruce p. 535).

This two year period could involve the period of time that the Roman government would allow the prosecution, the Jews from Judea to arrive and state their case against Paul. Seeing that God promised Paul that he would appeal before Caesar, it looks like that Paul did have an opportunity to defend himself and preach directly to the emperor (Acts 27:23).

The reason that the book of Acts ends at this point without telling us the final verdict is that this book was written before the final verdict was given.