39 When day came, athey 1could not recognize the land; but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could.

40 And casting off athe anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach.

41 But striking a 1reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves.

42 The soldiers’ plan was to akill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape;

43 but the centurion, awanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should 1jump overboard first and get to land,

44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that athey all were brought safely to land.

Chapter 28

Safe at Malta

1 When athey had been brought safely through, bthen we found out that cthe island was called 1Malta.

2 aThe 1natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and breceived us all.

3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out 1because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.

4 When athe 1natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “bUndoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, 2justice has not allowed him to live.”

5 However ahe shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.

6 But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and abegan to say that he was a god.