The first phrase of this verse, not far from that place, serves as a transition to the account of Paul’s relationship to Publius, the chief of the island. Paul’s healing of the sick also serves to explain why Paul and his colleagues were so well treated by the people on the island.

Not far from that place appears in the Revised Standard Version and New English Bible as “in the neighborhood of that place.” The meaning is simply “near that place” and therefore may be translated as “not far from where this happened to Paul.” This may be only way of identifying that place satisfactorily.

Chief seems to have been an official title, perhaps either of the leading government official on the island or of a native official. In some languages the closest equivalent of chief would be “headman,” but in other languages the most appropriate term would be “the leading official.”

The same problem of ambiguity exists here as in verse 2 with us. Does Luke refer to all the persons who arrived on the ship, or does he limit his thoughts to the Christians? If a choice has to be made in translation, the latter seems preferable.

The adverb kindly is taken by most translators to modify the manner in which Paul and his companions were received as guests, rather than to modify the manner in which they were welcomed (note Moffatt “he welcomed us and entertained us hospitably”). We were his guests translates the Greek statement, “he entertained us (as guests).”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .