Acts 28:30 30He remained two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him,
Verse 29 is missing in the most reliable early manuscripts but appears in certain Western manuscripts. Because the King James Version relied on these Western texts, it includes this verse. The verse functions as a summary of what happened after Paul made his strong point about the gospel going to the Gentiles. The verse does not fit the expected response from the Jews, who were turning their back on Paul and the gospel.
The ending of the books of Acts is abrupt and summative in the last two verses. Luke gives a summary of Paul’s situation under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial before Emperor Nero. We expect more of the story and what happened to Paul, but that was not Luke’s purpose. He wanted to show how the gospel had gone out to all people, including both Jews and Gentiles. Acts shows the transition from Christianity being a mostly Jewish sect to being the universal faith of all nations. Many Jews had rejected Paul’s message, but he did not give up preaching it. Some Gentiles also caused him problems, with the various riots and arrests he experienced. Yet, he did not give up preaching to either group. This idea is emphasized in verse 30 with how he welcomed all who came to see him during his two years of house arrest. Up until his final trial and eventual execution, he never stopped preaching the gospel to whomever he could.
Verse 30 notes that Paul was held captive for two years, from approximately AD 60-62. That made a total of four years since his arrest in Jerusalem. It was a long journey of imprisonment. As far as this verse implies, his arrest was not extremely debilitating or difficult because he was allowed a certain degree of freedom. The word behind the translation his own expense (misthōmati) occurs only here in the New Testament and can be translated in different ways. It refers to paying for something, or hiring out work or lodging. The implication is that he had to survive to some degree on his own and not with any government help. But he also had some degree of freedom but likely could not leave or go out to work. In this regard, he had to rely on the help of outsiders to help with any personal needs and support. That he was given this amount of freedom, yet still under arrest, implies that he was not viewed as a danger but allowed certain freedoms as compared to dangerous criminals.
This verse also gives a clue about the possible time when Luke wrote the book of Acts, which would have been about two years after Paul’s arrest. There is no reference to what happened to Paul after this. There are several possibilities. One theory is that he was freed, went on to evangelize in Spain, and he planned (Romans 15), and then was rearrested, tried, and executed. The support for this theory is quite flimsy and is based on a few references much later in church history. It is more likely that after the two years, he finally had his time in court. By that time, the Emperor Nero had become quite obstinate, as history has recorded, eventually committing suicide. When Paul appeared before him, he condemned Paul and had him beheaded. If an early date of Acts is preferred, then Luke wrote the book before Paul’s execution.
The other option is that the ending of Paul’s life was not part of Luke’s purpose. He only wanted to indicate to Theophilus how the gospel had reached the capital of the empire and had transitioned to being a faith for all people, including Theophilus. It is even possible that Luke wrote Acts while in Rome with Paul, and that Theophilus resided in Rome. The mysteries of these historical questions cannot be solved, but the point is clear that God was with Paul the whole time and was using him to further the gospel message. Luke stayed with Paul for some time during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, as indicated by 2 Timothy 4:11. It is possible that during this time, he wrote the Acts of the Apostles and his Gospel.