Acts 28
28
On Shore at Malta
1When we were safe on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2The people of the island were unusually kind. It was raining and cold. So they built a fire and welcomed all of us. 3Paul gathered some sticks and put them on the fire. A poisonous snake was driven out by the heat. It fastened itself on Paul’s hand. 4The people of the island saw the snake hanging from his hand. They said to one another, “This man must be a murderer. He escaped from the sea. But the female god Justice won’t let him live.” 5Paul shook the snake off into the fire. He was not harmed. 6The people expected him to swell up. They thought he would suddenly fall dead. They waited for a long time. But they didn’t see anything unusual happen to him. So they changed their minds. They said he was a god.
7Publius owned property nearby. He was the chief official on the island. He welcomed us to his home. For three days he took care of us. He treated us with kindness. 8His father was sick in bed. The man suffered from fever and dysentery. So Paul went in to see him. Paul prayed for him. He placed his hands on him and healed him. 9Then the rest of the sick people on the island came. They too were healed. 10The people of the island honored us in many ways. When we were ready to sail, they gave us the supplies we needed.
Paul Arrives in Rome
11After three months we headed out to sea. We sailed in a ship from Alexandria that had stayed at the island during the winter. On the front of the ship the figures of twin gods were carved. Their names were Castor and Pollux. 12We landed at Syracuse and stayed there for three days. 13From there we sailed to Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up. The day after that, we reached Puteoli. 14There we found some believers. They invited us to spend a week with them. At last we came to Rome. 15The believers there had heard we were coming. They traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw these people, he thanked God for them and was encouraged by them. 16When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself. But a soldier guarded him.
Paul Preaches in Rome
17Three days later Paul called a meeting of the local Jewish leaders. When they came, Paul spoke to them. He said, “My brothers, I have done nothing against our people. I have also done nothing against what our people of long ago practiced. But I was arrested in Jerusalem. I was handed over to the Romans. 18They questioned me. And they wanted to let me go. They saw I wasn’t guilty of any crime worthy of death. 19But the Jews objected, so I had to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not mean to bring any charge against my own people. 20I share Israel’s hope. That is why I am held with this chain. So I have asked to see you and talk with you.”
21They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea about you. None of our people here from Judea has reported or said anything bad about you. 22But we want to hear what your ideas are. We know that people everywhere are talking against those who believe as you do.”
23They decided to meet Paul on a certain day. At that time even more people came to the place where he was staying. From morning until evening, he told them about God’s kingdom. Using the Law of Moses and the Prophets, he tried to get them to believe in Jesus. 24Some believed what he said, and others did not. 25They didn’t agree with one another. They began to leave after Paul had made a final statement. He said, “The Holy Spirit was right when he spoke to your people long ago. Through Isaiah the prophet the Spirit said,
26“ ‘Go to your people. Say to them,
“You will hear but never understand.
You will see but never know what you are seeing.”
27These people’s hearts have become stubborn.
They can barely hear with their ears.
They have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes.
They might hear with their ears.
They might understand with their hearts.
They might turn, and then I would heal them.’ (Isaiah 6:9,10)
28-29“Here is what I want you to know. God has sent his salvation to the Gentiles. And they will listen!”
30For two whole years Paul stayed there in a house he rented. He welcomed all who came to see him. 31He preached boldly about God’s kingdom. He taught people about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one could keep him from teaching and preaching about these things.
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Acts 28
28
Safe at Malta
1After we were safe [on land], we found out that the island was called #28:1 Gr Melita, located about 60 miles south of Sicily and 600 miles west of Fair Havens, Crete.Malta. 2And the #28:2 Gr barbaroi, referring to people who did not speak Greek.natives showed us extraordinary kindness and hospitality; for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, since it had begun to rain and was cold. 3But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a #28:3 Probably a sand viper (vipera ammodytes), whose venom is deadly and fast-acting.viper crawled out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, Justice [the avenging goddess] has not permitted him to live.” 5Then Paul [simply] shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6But they stood watching and expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began saying that he was a god.
7In the vicinity of that place there were estates belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8And it happened that the father of Publius was sick [in bed] with recurring attacks of fever and dysentery; and Paul went to him, and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. 9After this occurred, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and being healed. 10They also gave us many honors [gifts and courtesies expressing respect]; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all the things we needed.
Paul Arrives at Rome
11At the end of three months we set sail on a ship which had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the #28:11 I.e. sons of Zeus in Greek mythology.Twin Brothers [Castor and Pollux] as its figurehead. 12We landed at Syracuse [on Sicily] and stayed there three days. 13From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium [on Italy’s southern tip]; and a day later a south wind came up, and on the second day we arrived at #28:13 Located about 150 miles from Rome in the Bay of Naples, near Pompeii, this was Rome’s main seaport.Puteoli. 14There we found some believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15And the brothers and sisters, having heard news about us, came from as far away as the #28:15 About 43 miles from Rome.Forum of Appius and #28:15 About 33 miles from Rome.Three Inns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged.
16When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself [in rented quarters] with the soldier who was guarding him.
17Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Kinsmen, though I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our fathers, yet I was turned over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18After they had interrogated me, they were ready to release me because I was not guilty of any offense deserving death. 19But when the Jews objected [to my release], I was forced to appeal to Caesar (Emperor Nero), not because I had any charge to make against my nation. 20For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel (the Messiah, the resurrection) that I am bound with this chain.” 21They said to him, “We have not received [any] letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the [Jewish] brothers come here and reported or said anything bad about you. 22But we would like to hear from you what your views are [that is, exactly what you believe]; for in regard to this sect (Christianity), we are fully aware that it is denounced everywhere.”
23When they had set a day for Paul, they came to his lodging in large numbers. And he carefully explained [Christianity] to them from morning until evening, solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the [writings of the] Prophets. 24Some were persuaded by what he said, but others would not believe. 25They disagreed among themselves and they began to leave after Paul had made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, 26‘Go to this people and say,
“You will keep on hearing, but will not understand,
You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
27For the heart (the understanding, the soul) of this people has become dull (calloused),
And with their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have shut their eyes [to the truth];
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return [to Me],
And I would heal them.” ’ [Is 6:9, 10]
28Therefore let it be known to you that [this message of] the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they indeed will listen!” [Ps 67:2] 29#28:29 Early mss do not contain this v.[And when he had said these things, the Jews left, arguing among themselves.]
30And Paul lived there for two full years [at his own expense] in his own rented lodging and welcomed all who came to him, 31preaching and proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness and boldness, unhindered and unrestrained.
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