Acts 28

¹[Once] we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta.

²The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire [and] welcomed all of us because [it was] raining and cold.

³Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid [them] on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened [itself] to his hand.

⁴When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. [Although he] was saved from the sea, Justice {has} not allowed [him] to live.”

⁵But [Paul] shook the creature {off} into the fire [and] suffered no ill effects.

⁶[The islanders] were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds [and] said he was a god.

⁷Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius, [the] chief official of the island. [He] welcomed us [and] entertained [us] hospitably [for] three days.

⁸The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to [see] [him], and after praying [and] placing [his] hands on him, he healed [the man].

⁹[After] this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured as well.

¹⁰[The islanders] honored us in many ways and supplied [our] needs [when we were ready] to sail.

¹¹After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered in the island. It had the Twin Brothers as a figurehead.

¹²Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

¹³From [there] we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day, a south wind came up, [and] on the second day we arrived at Puteoli.

¹⁴[There] we found [some] brothers who invited us to spend [the week[ with them. And so we came to Rome.

¹⁵The brothers there had heard about us [and] traveled as far as [the] Forum of Appius and [the] Three Taverns to meet us. [When} Paul saw [them], he was encouraged and gave thanks to God.

¹⁶When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

¹⁷After three days, he called together the leaders of the Jews. [When] they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, [although] I have done nothing against [our] people or the customs of our fathers, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem [and] handed over to the Romans.

¹⁸[They] examined me [and] wanted to release [me], because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.

¹⁹But [when] the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, [even though] I have no [charge] to bring against my nation.

²⁰So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with [you]. [It is] because of the hope of Israel [that] I am bound with this chain.”

²¹[The leaders] replied, “We have not received [any] letters about you from Judea, nor {have} any of the brothers [from there] reported or even mentioned anything bad about you.

²²But we consider your views {worth} hearing, because we know that [people] everywhere are speaking against this sect.”

²³So they set a day to [meet with Paul], [and] many [people] came to [the place] he was staying. He expounded to [them] from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

²⁴Some [of them] were convinced by what he said, but [others] refused to believe.

²⁵They disagreed among [themselves] [and] began to leave [after] Paul had made [this final] statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

²⁶‘ Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing [but] never understanding; you will be ever seeing [but] never perceiving.”

²⁷For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with [their] ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with [their] eyes, hear with [their] ears, understand with [their] hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

²⁸Be advised, therefore, that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

³⁰[Paul] stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to [visit] him.

³¹Boldly [and] freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.