Acts 28

¹And having been brought safely through, we then learned that the island is called Malta.

²And the natives showed us no ordinary kindness; for having kindled a fire, they welcomed all of us because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold.

³But when Paul had gathered a bundle of dry sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened on his hand.

⁴And when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "Certainly this man is a murderer, whom, though he was saved from the sea, Justice herself has not permitted to live."

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

⁶But they were expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; and after waiting a long time and seeing nothing out of the ordinary happening to him, they changed their minds and began saying he was a god.

⁷Now in the region around that place there were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.

⁸Now the father of Publius was lying ill with fevers and dysentery; and Paul went in to him and prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.

⁹And when this had taken place, the rest of those in the island who had diseases were also coming to him and were being healed.

¹⁰They also honored us with many honors; and when we were setting sail, they provided us with what we needed.

¹¹And after three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered in the island, with the Dioscuri as its figurehead.

¹²Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days.

¹³From there we cast off and arrived at Rhegium; and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.

¹⁴where, having found brothers, we were urged to stay with them seven days; and so we came to Rome.

¹⁵And from there the brothers, having heard the things concerning us, came to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns; upon seeing whom Paul gave thanks to God and took courage.

¹⁶When we entered Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the camp commander; but Paul was permitted to stay by himself with the soldier who was guarding him.

¹⁷After three days he summoned the leading men of the Jews; and when they had assembled, he said to them: 'Brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the ancestral customs, I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.'

¹⁸They, having examined me, wanted to release me, because there was no charge deserving death against me.

¹⁹But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar — not that I had any accusation to bring against my nation.

²⁰For this reason, then, I have asked to see you and speak with you; for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.

²¹They said to him: 'We have received no letters from Judea concerning you, nor has any of the brothers arrived and reported or spoken anything bad about you.'

²²But we think it fitting to hear from you what you think, for concerning this sect it is known to us that it is everywhere spoken against.'

²³And having fixed a day with him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers, to whom he expounded, solemnly testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.

²⁴And some were persuaded by what was said, but others refused to believe.

²⁵And being in disagreement with one another, they began to leave, Paul having said one word: 'The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers,'

²⁶saying: 'Go to this people and say: You will keep on hearing and will by no means understand, and you will keep on looking and will by no means perceive;'

²⁷For the heart of this people has grown dull, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'

²⁸Let it therefore be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles — they will indeed listen.

²⁹And when he had said these things, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.

³⁰And Paul stayed two full years in his own rented lodging, and was welcoming all who came to him,

³¹proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.