ACT 28
28
Paul and Others on the Island of Malta
1 After reaching safety, we learned that the island was called Malta.
2 The local inhabitants showed us extraordinary kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because rain had begun falling and it was cold.
3 Paul gathered an armful of brushwood. As he was placing it on the fire, a venomous snake, driven out by the heat, fastened itself onto his hand.
4 When the islanders saw the creature dangling from his hand, they said to one another, "This man must certainly be a murderer. Although he survived the sea, divine justice will not allow him to live."
5 Paul simply shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm whatsoever.
6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly collapse dead. But after watching for a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their opinion and began saying he was a god.
7 Near that location were estates belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us warmly and provided hospitality for three days.
8 Publius' father was confined to bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to see him, prayed, placed his hands on him, and healed him.
9 After this happened, all the other sick people on the island came and were cured.
10 They honoured us greatly in many ways, and when we were ready to sail, they supplied us with everything we needed.
Paul and His Associates Arrive in Rome
11 Three months later we departed on an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island. It had the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux.
12 We put in at Syracuse and remained there three days.
13 From there we sailed around to Rhegium. The next day a south wind came up, and on the second day we reached Puteoli.
14 There we found fellow believers who invited us to stay with them for a week. And so we finally came to Rome.
15 The believers in Rome had heard about our arrival and travelled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and felt greatly encouraged.
16 Upon entering Rome, Paul was permitted to live by himself under the guard of a single soldier.
Paul in His Own Rented House
17 Three days later, Paul invited the local Jewish leaders to meet with him. When they assembled, he addressed them: "Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or our ancestral customs, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to Roman custody.
18 The Romans examined my case and wanted to release me because I had committed no capital offence.
19 When the Jewish leaders objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar—though I had no intention of bringing charges against my own nation.
20 This is why I have requested to meet with you and speak with you. I am wearing this chain because of Israel's hope."
21 They responded, "We have received no correspondence from Judea concerning you, and none of our fellow Jews who have arrived here has reported or spoken anything negative about you.
22 However, we would like to hear your perspective, because we know that this movement is being denounced everywhere."
23 They scheduled a day to meet with him, and came in large numbers to his lodging. From morning until evening Paul explained his message, testifying about God's kingdom. Using both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, he tried to persuade them about Jesus.
24 Some were convinced by his arguments, while others refused to believe.
25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke accurately to your fathers through the prophet Isaiah:
26 'Go to this people and declare:
You will listen and listen but never comprehend;
you will look and look but never perceive.
27 For this people's heart has become calloused and dull;
their ears can barely hear,
and they have deliberately closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might actually see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,
and turn back to Me, and I would heal them.'*
28 Therefore, understand this: God's salvation has been sent to the Gentile nations, and they will respond to it!"
30 Paul remained there for two full years in his own rented quarters, welcoming all who came to visit him.
31 He proclaimed God's kingdom and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without any hindrance.
Notes
26-27 Quoted from Is. 6:9-10
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ACT 28: AFINT
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Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
