The Acts 28

Paul on the Island of Malta

1When we were safe on land, we learned that the island was called Malta. 2It was raining and very cold. But the people who lived there were very good to us. They made us a fire and welcomed all of us. 3Paul gathered a pile of sticks for the fire. He was putting them on the fire when a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and bit him on the hand. 4The people living on the island saw the snake hanging from Paul’s hand. They said to each other, “This man must be a murderer! He did not die in the sea, but Justice# The people thought there was a god named Justice who would punish bad people. does not want him to live.” 5But Paul shook the snake off into the fire. He was not hurt. 6The people thought that Paul would swell up or fall down dead. The people waited and watched him for a long time, but nothing bad happened to him. So they changed their minds about Paul. Now they said, “He is a god!”

7There were some fields around there owned by a very important man on the island. His name was Publius. He welcomed us into his home and was very good to us. We stayed in his house for three days. 8Publius’ father was very sick with a fever and dysentery.# A sickness like diarrhea. But Paul went to him and prayed. Then he put his hands on the man and healed him. 9After this, all the other sick people on the island came to Paul, and he healed them, too. 10-11The people on the island gave us many honors. We stayed there three months. When we were ready to leave, they gave us the things we needed.

Paul Goes to Rome

We got on a ship from Alexandria. The ship had stayed on the island during the winter. On the front of the ship was the sign of the twin gods.# Statues of Castor and Pollux, gods in old Greek tales. 12We stopped at Syracuse for three days and then left. 13From there we sailed to Rhegium. The next day a wind began to blow from the southwest, so we were able to leave. A day later we came to Puteoli. 14We found some believers there, and they asked us to stay with them for a week. Finally, we came to Rome. 15The believers in Rome heard that we were there. They came out as far as the Market of Appius# A town about 40 miles from Rome. and the Three Inns# A town about 30 miles from Rome. to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God.

Paul in Rome

16Then we arrived at Rome. There, Paul was allowed to live alone. But a soldier stayed with him to guard him.

17Three days later Paul sent for the Jewish leaders there. When they came together, he said, “Brothers, I have done nothing against our people. I have done nothing against the customs of our fathers. But I was arrested in Jerusalem and given to the Romans. 18The Romans asked me many questions. But they could find no reason why I should be killed. They wanted to let me go free, 19but the Jews there did not want that. So I had to ask to come to Rome to have my trial before Caesar. But I have no charge to bring against my own people. 20That is why I wanted to see you and talk with you. I am bound with this chain because I believe in the hope of Israel.”

21The Jews answered Paul, “We have received no letters from Judea about you. None of our Jewish brothers who have come from there brought news about you or told us anything bad about you. 22We want to hear your ideas. We know that people everywhere are speaking against this religious group.”

23Paul and the Jews chose a day for a meeting. On that day many more of the Jews met with Paul at the place he was staying. Paul spoke to them all day long, explaining the kingdom of God to them. He tried to persuade them to believe these things about Jesus. He used the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets to do this. 24Some of the Jews believed what Paul said, but others did not. 25So they argued, and the Jews were ready to leave. But Paul said one more thing to them: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet. He said,

26‘Go to this people and say:

You will listen and listen, but you will not understand.

You will look and look, but you will not learn.

27For these people have become stubborn.

They don’t hear with their ears.

And they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise, they might really understand

what they see with their eyes

and hear with their ears.

They might really understand in their minds.

If they did this, they would come back to me and be forgiven.’ Isaiah 6:9-10

28“I want you Jews to know that God has also sent his salvation to the non-Jewish people. They will listen!” 29[After Paul said this, the Jews left. They were arguing very much with each other.]# Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.

30Paul stayed two full years in his own rented house. He welcomed all people who came and visited him. 31He preached about the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. He was very bold, and no one stopped him.

Acts 2

Acts 3

Acts 4

Acts 5

Acts 6

Acts 7

Acts 8

Acts 9

Acts 10

Acts 11

Acts 13

Acts 14

Acts 15

Acts 16

Acts 17

Acts 18

Acts 19

Acts 20

Acts 21

Acts 22

Acts 23

Acts 24

Acts 25

Acts 26

Acts 27

Acts 28

Currently Selected:

The Acts 28: ICB

Highlight

Compare

Copy

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

Learn More About International Children’s Bible

Acts 28

1-2Once everyone was accounted for and we realized we had all made it, we learned that we were on the island of Malta. The natives went out of their way to be friendly to us. The day was rainy and cold and we were already soaked to the bone, but they built a huge bonfire and gathered us around it.

3-6Paul pitched in and helped. He had gathered up a bundle of sticks, but when he put it on the fire, a venomous snake, roused from its sleepiness by the heat, struck his hand and held on. Seeing the snake hanging from Paul’s hand like that, the natives jumped to the conclusion that he was a murderer getting what he deserved. Paul shook the snake off into the fire like it was nothing. They kept expecting him to drop dead, but when it was obvious he wasn’t going to, they jumped to the conclusion that he was a god!

7-9The head man in that part of the island was Publius. He took us into his home as his guests, drying us out and putting us up in fine style for the next three days. Publius’s father was sick at the time, down with a high fever and dysentery. Paul went to the old man’s room, and when he laid hands on him and prayed, the man was healed. Word of the healing got around fast, and soon everyone on the island who was sick came and got healed.

Rome

10-11We spent a wonderful three months on Malta. They treated us royally, took care of all our needs and outfitted us for the rest of the journey. When an Egyptian ship that had wintered there in the harbor prepared to leave for Italy, we got on board. The ship had a carved Gemini for its figurehead: “the Heavenly Twins.”

12-14a We put in at Syracuse for three days and then went up the coast to Rhegium. Two days later, with the wind out of the south, we sailed into the Bay of Naples. We found Christian friends there and stayed with them for a week.

14b-16 And then we came to Rome. Friends in Rome heard we were on the way and came out to meet us. One group got as far as Appian Court; another group met us at Three Taverns—emotion-packed meetings, as you can well imagine. Paul, brimming over with praise, led us in prayers of thanksgiving. When we actually entered Rome, they let Paul live in his own private quarters with a soldier who had been assigned to guard him.

17-20Three days later, Paul called the Jewish leaders together for a meeting at his house. He said, “The Jews in Jerusalem arrested me on trumped-up charges, and I was taken into custody by the Romans. I assure you that I did absolutely nothing against Jewish laws or Jewish customs. After the Romans investigated the charges and found there was nothing to them, they wanted to set me free, but the Jews objected so fiercely that I was forced to appeal to Caesar. I did this not to accuse them of any wrongdoing or to get our people in trouble with Rome. We’ve had enough trouble through the years that way. I did it for Israel. I asked you to come and listen to me today to make it clear that I’m on Israel’s side, not against her. I’m a hostage here for hope, not doom.”

21-22They said, “Nobody wrote warning us about you. And no one has shown up saying anything bad about you. But we would like very much to hear more. The only thing we know about this Christian sect is that nobody seems to have anything good to say about it.”

23They agreed on a time. When the day arrived, they came back to his home with a number of their friends. Paul talked to them all day, from morning to evening, explaining everything involved in the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them all about Jesus by pointing out what Moses and the prophets had written about him.

24-27Some of them were persuaded by what he said, but others refused to believe a word of it. When the unbelievers got cantankerous and started bickering with each other, Paul interrupted: “I have just one more thing to say to you. The Holy Spirit sure knew what he was talking about when he addressed our ancestors through Isaiah the prophet:

Go to this people and tell them this:

“You’re going to listen with your ears,

but you won’t hear a word;

You’re going to stare with your eyes,

but you won’t see a thing.

These people are blockheads!

They stick their fingers in their ears

so they won’t have to listen;

They screw their eyes shut

so they won’t have to look,

so they won’t have to deal with me face-to-face

and let me heal them.”

28“You’ve had your chance. The non-Jewish outsiders are next on the list. And believe me, they’re going to receive it with open arms!”

30-31Paul lived for two years in his rented house. He welcomed everyone who came to visit. He urgently presented all matters of the kingdom of God. He explained everything about Jesus Christ. His door was always open.

Currently Selected:

Highlight

Compare

Copy

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

Learn More About The Message