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: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Ma`asei (Acts) 28
28
1And having come to safety, they then learned that the island was called Melite.
2And the foreigners showed us extraordinary kindness, for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.
3But Sha’ul, having gathered a bundle of sticks, and having laid them on the fire, an adder came out because of the heat, and fastened itself on his hand.
4And when the foreigners saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man is certainly a murderer, whom, though saved from the sea, still right-ruling does not allow to live.”
5Then, indeed, he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no evil.
6And expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead, they waited for a long time and saw no harm come to him, changing their minds they said that he was a mighty one.
7And in the neighbourhood of that place there were lands of the chief of the island, whose name was Poplius, who received us and housed us in a friendly way for three days.
8And it came to be that the father of Poplius lay sick with inflammation and dysentery. Sha’ul went in to him, and having prayed he laid his hands on him and healed him.
9And when this took place, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed,
10who also respected us in many ways. And when we were setting sail, they provided us with our needs.
11And after three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and whose figurehead was “Dioscuri.”#Which means: Twin Brothers, who were Sons of Zeus, named Castor and Pollux. They were tutelary deities of sailors.
12And having landed at Syracuse, we stayed three days,
13from which place we went round and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew, and the second day we came to Puteoli,
14where we found brothers, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome.
15And when the brothers there heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Forum of Appius and Three Taverns. When Sha’ul saw them, he thanked Elohim and took courage.
16And when we came to Rome, the captain delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Sha’ul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him.
17And it came to be after three days that Sha’ul called the leaders of the Yehuḏim together. And when they had come together, he said to them, “Men, brothers, though I have done none at all against our people or the practices of our fathers, I was delivered as a prisoner from Yerushalayim into the hands of the Romans,
18who, when they had examined me, intended to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death.
19“But the Yehuḏim spoke against it, and I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation.
20“This therefore is the reason I called for you, to see you and speak with you. It is because of the expectation of Yisra’ĕl that I am bound with this chain.”
21And they said to him, “We neither received letters from Yehuḏah concerning you, nor have any of the brothers who came reported or spoken whatever wicked about you.
22And we think it right to hear from you what you think, for indeed, concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.
23And having appointed him a day, many came to him where he was staying, to whom he was explaining, earnestly witnessing about the reign of Elohim, and persuading them concerning יהושע from both the Torah of Mosheh and the Prophets, from morning until evening.
24And some indeed were persuaded by what was said, but some believed not.
25And disagreeing with one another, they began to leave, after Sha’ul had spoken one word, “The Set-apart Spirit rightly spoke through Yeshayahu the prophet to our fathers,
26saying, ‘Go to this people and say, “Hearing you shall hear but by no means understand, and seeing you shall see but by no means perceive,
27for the heart of this people has become thickened, and with their ears they heard heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn back, and I should heal them.” ’# Isa. 6:9, 10
28Therefore let it be known to you that the deliverance of Elohim has been sent to the nations, and they shall hear!
29And when he had said these words, the Yehuḏim went away and had a great dispute among themselves.
30And Sha’ul stayed two entire years in his own rented house, and was receiving all who came to him,
31proclaiming the reign of Elohim and teaching about the Master יהושע Messiah with all boldness, unhindered.
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