Acts 28:1–10

Malta’s Hospitality

28Once ashore, we ^pthen learned that the island was called Malta. ^q2The local people ^rshowed us extraordinary kindness, for they lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. ³As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself to his hand. ⁴When the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man is probably a murderer, and though he has escaped the sea, Justice ^sdoes not allow him to live!” ^t5However, he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. ^u6They expected that he would swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. ^v

Ministry in Malta

⁷Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. ⁸Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him. ^w9After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. ¹⁰So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.