Chief ("first," Greek) man of Melita; "lodged courteously for three days" Paul when shipwrecked (Acts 28:7). His hospitality to Christ's servant was rewarded (compare Hebrews 13:2) in the cure of his father's bloody flux by Paul. The designation (Greek) "first of the island" could not have been from his "possessions" in his father's lifetime. Two inscriptions at Civita Vecchia in Malta mention the official title, "first of the Meliteans"; thus Publius was legate of the printer of Sicily, to whose jurisdiction Malta belonged.
From the co-author of the classic Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, Fausset's Bible Dictionary stands as one of the best single-volume Bible encyclopedias ever written for general use. The author's writing style is always clear and concise, and he tackles issues important to the average student of the Bible, not just the Biblical scholars. This makes Fausset an excellent tool for both everyday Bible study and in-depth lesson or sermon preparation.Wikipedia
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