Acts 28:1–10

Paul on the Island of Malta

28When we were safe on land, we learned that the island was called Malta. ²The people who lived there were very good to us. Because it was raining and very cold, they made a fire and welcomed all of us. ³Paul gathered a pile of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and bit him on the hand. ⁴The people living on the island saw the snake hanging from Paul’s hand and said to each other, “This man must be a murderer! He did not die in the sea, but Justice ⁿ does not want him to live.” ⁵But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and was not hurt. ⁶The people thought that Paul would swell up or fall down dead. They waited and watched him for a long time, but nothing bad happened to him. So they changed their minds and said, “He is a god!”

⁷There were some fields around there owned by Publius, an important man on the island. He welcomed us into his home and was very good to us for three days. ⁸Publius’ father was sick with a fever and dysentery. ⁿ Paul went to him, prayed, and put his hands on the man and healed him. ⁹After this, all the other sick people on the island came to Paul, and he healed them, too.