Acts 28

¹ After we were brought safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta.

² The locals showed us extraordinary kindness. They lit a fire and welcomed us all because of the rain that was falling and the cold.

³ Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and put it on the fire. Then a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.

⁴ When the locals saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. He escaped the sea, but Justice would not let him live.”

⁵ But he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.

⁶ They expected him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing that nothing unusual happened to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

⁷ Near that place were estates belonging to Publius, the leading man of the island. He welcomed us and kindly hosted us for three days.

⁸ Publius’s father was in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, prayed, laid his hands on him, and healed him.

⁹ After this happened, the rest of the islanders who had illnesses also came and were healed.

¹⁰ They honored us in many ways, and when we were about to leave, they supplied what we needed.

¹¹ Three months later, we set sail on an Alexandrian ship that had spent the winter on the island and bore the figurehead of the Twin Brothers.

¹² We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days.

¹³ From there we sailed along the coast and reached Rhegium. A day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we arrived at Puteoli.

¹⁴ There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.

¹⁵ From there, the brothers, having heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he gave thanks to God and took courage.

¹⁶ When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

¹⁷ Three days later, he called together the leading men of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans in Jerusalem.

¹⁸ After questioning me, they wanted to release me, because there was no grounds in me for the death penalty.

¹⁹ But when the Jews opposed this, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, though I had no accusation to make against my own nation.

²⁰ That is why I asked to see you and speak with you, for it is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

²¹ They said to Paul, “We have received no letters about you from Judea, and none of the brothers who came here has reported or said anything bad about you.

²² But we think it right to hear from you what you believe, for we know that this sect is spoken against everywhere.”

²³ They set a day to meet with him, and many came to the place where he was staying. From morning until evening, he explained the kingdom of God to them, bearing witness to it and trying to persuade them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

²⁴ Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe.

²⁵ Since they could not agree among themselves, they began to leave after Paul had said this one thing: “The Holy Spirit spoke well to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah:

²⁶ ‘Go to this people and say: “You will certainly hear, but you will never understand; you will certainly see, but you will never perceive.

²⁷ For this people’s heart has grown dull; they have heard poorly with their ears and have shut their eyes, so that they might not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, turn back, and I heal them.”’

²⁸ So know that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they too will listen.”

³⁰ Paul stayed for two full years in the house he had rented himself and welcomed everyone who came to see him.

³¹ He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without hindrance.

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