Acts 28:30

Acts 28:30 Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house. His expense was met during this period by the church in Rome and elsewhere. See Philippians 4:18, where the Philippian contributions are acknowledged. Here he was permitted to see and preach freely to all who came unto him. Here he wrote four of his epistles; the letters to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and the short letter to Philemon. Here, from notices in these epistles, we know that Luke (Colossians 4:14), Timothy (Philemon 1:1), Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25 4:18,23), Mark (Acts 1:24), Aristarchus (Colossians 4:10 Phm 1:24), Demas (Colossians 4:14 Phm 1:24), and Tychius (Colossians 4:7) were with him at least part of the time. Nor is there doubt but these two years produced great results in Rome. It was at a later period, when Nero fell under the influence of the cruel Tigellinus, that he became a persecutor, and Paul had at this time full liberty. A few years after, at the time of the Neronian persecutor, the church embraced vast numbers in the city of Rome. The Roman historian, Tacitus says: "An immense multitude" were converted and put to death.