The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 28 -

After we had arrived safely on the shore, we learned that it was an island called Malta.

The people who lived there gave to us better than the usual hospitality. They lit a fire and invited us to come and warm ourselves, because it was raining and it was cold.

When Paul collected some sticks of wood and put them on the fire, a poisonous snake came out from the fire to escape from the heat, and it bit Paul on his his hand and stayed there.

The people from the island saw the creature dangling from Paul’s hand, they said to each other, “Probably this man has murdered someone. Although he has escaped from being drowned in the sea, the god of justice will cause him to die.”

But Paul simply shook the snake off into the fire, and nothing happened to him.

The people were expecting that Paul’s body would soon swell up with a fever or that he would suddenly fall down and die. But after they had waited a long time, they saw that nothing was wrong with him. So the people changed what they were thinking and said to one another, “This man is not a murderer! He is a god!”

Now in a place near to where they were, there were some fields that belonged to a man whose name was Publius. He was the chief official on the island. He invited us to come and stay in his home. He took very good care of us for three days.

At that time Publius’ father had fever and dysentery, and he was lying in bed. So Paul visited him and prayed for him. Then Paul placed his hands on him and healed him.

After Paul had done that, the other people on the island who were sick came to him, and he healed them, too.

They brought us gifts and showed in other ways that they greatly respected us. When we were ready to leave three months later, they brought us food and other things that we would need on the ship.

Paul Arrives in Italy

After we had stayed there three months, we got on a ship that was from Alexandria and that was going to Italy and sailed away. On the front of the ship there were carved images of the twin gods whose names were Castor and Pollux.

When we arrived at the city of Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

Then we sailed and arrived at the city of Rhegium in Italy. The next day, the wind was blowing from the south, so in only two more days we reached the town of Puteoli. There we left the ship.

In Puteoli we met some fellow believers who wanted us to stay with them for seven days. After this, we finally arrived at Rome.

In Rome, some fellow believers had heard about us, so they came to meet us. Some of them met us at the town called The Market on Appian Road, and others met us at the town called The Three Inns. When Paul saw those believers, he thanked God and was encouraged.

Paul Preaches at Rome

(Isaiah 6:1–13)

After we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to live in a house by himself. But there was always a soldier there to guard him.

After Paul had been there three days, he sent a message to the Jewish leaders to come and talk with him. When they came to him, Paul said to them, “My dear brothers, although I have not opposed our people nor spoken against the customs of our ancestors, our leaders in Jerusalem seized me. But before they could kill me, a Roman commander rescued me and later sent me to the city of Caesarea for Roman authorities to put me on trial.

The Roman authorities questioned me and wanted to release me, because I had not done any bad thing for which I should be executed.

But when the Jewish leaders there spoke against the desire of the Romans to set me free, I had to request that the emperor judge me here in Rome. But my reason for doing that was not that I wanted to accuse our leaders about anything.

So I have requested you to come here so that I can tell you why I am a prisoner. It is because I believe in what the people of Israel confidently expect God will do for us.”

Then the Jewish leaders said, “We have not received any letters from our fellow Jews in Judea about you. Also, none of our fellow Jews who have arrived here from Judea has said anything bad about you.

But we want to hear what you think about this group that you belong to, because we know that in many places people are speaking against it.”

So they decided that they would come back on another day to hear Paul speak to them. When that day arrived, even more people than before came to where Paul was staying. Paul told them about how God would rule everyone; he talked about how the law of Moses and the prophets foretold Jesus. Paul talked with all who would listen from morning until evening.

Some of those Jews were persuaded to believe what Paul said about Jesus was true, but others did not believe that it was true.

When they began to disagree with each other, and when they were about to leave, Paul had one more thing to say: “The Holy Spirit said the truth to your ancestors, when he spoke these words to Isaiah the prophet:

Go to your people and say to them: ’You hear with your ears, but you never understand what God is saying. You see with your eyes but you never really see the things that God is doing.

These people do not understand, because they have become stubborn. Their ears are almost deaf; and they have closed their eyes because they do not want to see. They do not want to hear with their ears or understand with their hearts, for then they would come back to me and I would heal them.

Therefore, you should know that God is offering to save the non-Jews, and they will listen.”

[the oldest and most accurate ancient copies of the book of Acts do not include the additional words found in verse twenty-nine; and for that reason they are not included here.]

For two whole years Paul stayed there in a house that he rented. Many people came to see him, and he received them all gladly and talked with them.

He preached and taught people about how God would show himself as king, and he taught them about the Lord Jesus Christ. He did that with great boldness, and no one tried to stop him.

When we had escaped, then they

(a)

learned that the island was called Malta.

The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the present rain and because of the cold.

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.

When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.”

However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn’t harmed.

But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

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

The father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.

Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came and were cured.

They also honored us with many honors; and when we sailed, they put on board the things that we needed.

Paul Arrives in Italy

After three months, we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose figurehead was “The Twin Brothers.”

Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

From there we circled around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,

where we found brothers,(b) and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to Rome.

From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

Paul Preaches at Rome

(Isaiah 6:1–13)

When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

After three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, “I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me.

But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation.

For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”

They said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you.

But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.”

When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.

Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.

When they didn’t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one message: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,

saying, ‘Go to this people and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive.

For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, then I would heal them.’(c)

“Be it known therefore to you that the salvation of God is sent to the nations, and they will listen.”

When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.(d)

Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house and received all who were coming to him,

preaching God’s Kingdom and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.

Footnotes

(a)28:1 NU reads “we”

(b)28:14 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(d)28:29 NU omits verse 29.