Acts 28

Chapter 28

Safe at Malta

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

^2aThe 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.

³But 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.

⁴When ^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.”

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

⁶But 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.

⁷Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days.

⁸And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had ^aprayed, he ^blaid his hands on him and healed him.

⁹After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured.

¹⁰They also honored us with many ¹marks of respect; and when we were setting sail, they ²supplied us with ³all we needed.

Paul Arrives at Rome

¹¹At the end of three months we set sail on ^aan Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had ¹the Twin Brothers for its figurehead.

¹²After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.

¹³From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.

¹⁴¹There we found some ^abrethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and thus we came to Rome.

¹⁵And the ^abrethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the ¹Market of Appius and ²Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

¹⁶When we entered Rome, Paul was ^aallowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

¹⁷After three days ¹Paul called together those who were ^athe leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, “^bBrethren, ^cthough I had done nothing against our people or ^dthe customs of our ²fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

¹⁸“And when they had ^aexamined me, they ^bwere willing to release me because there was ^cno ground ¹for putting me to death.

¹⁹“But when the Jews ¹objected, I was forced to ^aappeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation.

²⁰“For this reason, therefore, I ¹requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing ^athis chain for ^bthe sake of the hope of Israel.”

²¹They said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of ^athe brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you.

²²“But we desire to hear from you what ¹your views are; for concerning this ^asect, it is known to us that ^bit is spoken against everywhere.”

²³When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at ^ahis lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly ^btestifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, ^cfrom both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.

^24aSome were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.

²⁵And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers,

²⁶saying,

‘^aGo to this people and say,

“^1bYou will keep on hearing, ²but will not understand;

And ³you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;

^27aFor the heart of this people has become dull,

And with their ears they scarcely hear,

And they have closed their eyes;

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

And hear with their ears,

And understand with their heart and return,

And I would heal them.” ’

²⁸“Therefore let it be known to you that ^athis salvation of God has been sent ^bto the Gentiles; they will also listen.”

²⁹¹When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.

³⁰And he stayed two full years ¹in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him,

^311apreaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ ^bwith all openness, unhindered.