Lexical Summary dusenterion: Dysentery Original Word: δυσεντερίον Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dysenteryFrom dus- and a comparative of entos (meaning a bowel); a "dysentery" -- bloody flux. see GREEK dus- see GREEK entos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom dus- and enteron (intestine) Definition dysentery NASB Translation dysentery (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1420: δυσεντερίᾳδυσεντερίᾳ, δυσεντεριας, ἡ (ἔντερον, intestine), dysentery (Latintormina intestinorum, bowel-complaint): Acts 28:8 R G; see the following word. (Hippocrates and medical writers; Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, Polybius, others.) STRONGS NT 1420: δυσεντέριονδυσεντέριον, δυσεντεριου, τό, a later form for δυσεντερίᾳ, which see: Acts 28:8 LT Tr WH. Cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 518. Acts 28 records Paul’s shipwreck on Malta after months of storm-tossed travel toward Rome. While the rescued passengers waited out the winter, “the father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after praying, placed his hands on him and healed him” (Acts 28:8). The single New Testament appearance of the word δυσεντερίῳ pinpoints a specific gastrointestinal disease, highlighting both the severity of the man’s condition and the precision of Luke’s medical vocabulary. Ancient Medical Background Dysentery was dreaded in the Greco-Roman world. Medical writers such as Hippocrates and Galen listed it among the fevers that routinely claimed lives, especially in maritime communities where water supply could easily be contaminated. Malta’s mild climate could not offset the reality that winter brought limited access to fresh provisions for shipwrecked travelers and locals alike. Luke, “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14), notes the dual pathology—“fever and dysentery”—underscoring that Publius’s father faced a life-threatening illness with no effective human remedy on the island. Luke’s Eyewitness Precision The technical term signals Luke’s firsthand observation and lends documentary credibility to the narrative. His medical interests surface elsewhere (Luke 4:38; Acts 3:7; Acts 20:9-10), but here the vocabulary bridges the natural and supernatural: a clinically recognizable illness is cured by prayer and laying on of hands. Luke offers no competing explanation. The healing is presented as a direct act of God mediated through the apostle. Apostolic Authentication Throughout Acts, miraculous healings validate the gospel among new audiences (Acts 3:6-10; Acts 14:8-10). On Malta, Paul’s act serves the same purpose. Publius was “the chief official of the island” (Acts 28:7), so the healing carried diplomatic and evangelistic weight, opening doors for wider testimony. The subsequent note that “the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured” (Acts 28:9) shows that the miracle was not isolated but catalytic, echoing Jesus’ promise that His followers would “lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well” (Mark 16:18). Theological Implications 1. Christ’s compassion extends to physical suffering (Matthew 14:14). Ministry Lessons • Integration of Practical Care and Prayer: Luke’s medical knowledge did not deter him from recording supernatural intervention. Modern ministry likewise honors medical science while seeking God for healing. Old Testament Resonance The Lord who declared, “I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26) remains consistent from covenant to covenant. Psalm 103:3 praises Him “who forgives all your iniquity and heals all your diseases,” anticipating the holistic salvation New Testament believers witness through Christ’s servants. Continuation and Completion After three months on Malta, Paul resumed his journey to Rome (Acts 28:11). The healing at Publius’s estate became part of the apostle’s final travel narrative, illustrating that neither imprisonment, storms, nor sickness can hinder the spread of the gospel (2 Timothy 2:9). The single Greek term δυσεντερίῳ thus anchors an event that testifies to God’s sovereignty over both body and mission, encouraging the Church in every age to pray, serve, and expect the Lord to confirm His Word with power. |
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