Acts 28
28
Malta’s Hospitality
1Once ashore, we # Ac 16:10; 27:1 then learned that the island was called Malta. # Ac 27:26,39 2The local people # Rm 1:14; 1Co 14:11; Col 3:11 showed us extraordinary kindness, for they lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. 3As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself to his hand. 4When the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man is probably a murderer, and though he has escaped the sea, Justice # Gk Dike, a goddess of justice does not allow him to live! ” # Lk 13:2,4; Jn 9:2 5However, he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. # Mk 16:18; Lk 10:19 6They expected that he would swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. # Ac 8:10; 14:11
Ministry in Malta
7Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him. # Ac 9:40; Jms 5:14-15 9After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.
Rome at Last
11After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Brothers # Gk Dioscuri, twin sons of Zeus as its figurehead. 12Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days. 13From there, after making a circuit along the coast, # Other mss read From there, casting off, we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli. 14There we found believers # Lit brothers # Jn 21:23; Ac 1:16 and were invited to stay with them for seven days.
And so we came to Rome. 15Now the believers # Lit brothers from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. 16When we entered Rome, # Other mss add the centurion turned the prisoners over to the military commander; but Paul was permitted to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him. # Ac 24:23; 27:3
Paul’s First Interview with Roman Jews
17After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them: “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. # Ac 6:14; 25:8 18After they examined me, they wanted to release me, since I had not committed a capital offense. # Ac 22:24; 23:29; 26:31 19Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar; # Ac 25:11; 26:32 it was not as though I had any accusation against my nation. 20For this reason I’ve asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.” # Ac 21:33; 26:6-7,29; Eph 6:20; 2Tm 1:16
21Then they said to him, “We haven’t received any letters about you from Judea. None of the brothers has come and reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22But we would like to hear from you what you think. For concerning this sect, we are aware that it is spoken against everywhere.” # Lk 2:34; Ac 24:5; 1Pt 2:12; 4:14
The Response to Paul’s Message
23After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and witnessed about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. # Ac 8:35; 17:3; 19:8; 26:22; Phm 22 24Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe. # Ac 14:4; 19:9
25Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement: “The Holy Spirit correctly spoke through the prophet Isaiah to your # Other mss read our ancestors 26when He said,
Go to these people and say:
You will listen and listen,
yet never understand;
and you will look and look,
yet never perceive.
27For the hearts of these people
have grown callous,
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears,
understand with their heart,
and be converted,
and I would heal them. # Ps 119:70; Is 6:9-10; Mt 13:14-15; Mk 4:12; Lk 8:10; Jn 12:40; Rm 11:8 # Is 6:9-10
28Therefore, let it be known to you that this saving work of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen! ” # Lk 2:30; Ac 13:26,46; Rm 11:11 29After he said these things, the Jews departed, while engaging in a prolonged debate among themselves. # Other mss omit bracketed text
Paul’s Ministry Unhindered
30Then he stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, 31proclaiming the kingdom of God # Mt 4:23; Ac 20:25; 28:23 and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with full boldness # Ac 4:29,31; 2Tm 2:9 and without hindrance.
Currently Selected:
Acts 28: HCSB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Acts 28
28
Acts 28
1¶ And when they were escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melita. {or Malta}
2And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness; for they kindled a great fire and received all of us because of the present rain and because of the cold.
3And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out of the heat and fastened on his hand.
4And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet vengeance does not suffer him to live.
5And he shook off the beast into the fire and felt no harm.
6But they were waiting to see when he should have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly; but after they had waited a great while and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7In the same quarters were possessions of a principal man of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and lodged us three days courteously.
8And it came to pass that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of dysentery, to whom Paul entered in and prayed and laid his hands on him and healed him.
9So when this was done, others also, who had diseases in the island, came and were healed,
10who also honoured us with many gifts; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
11¶ And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose ensign was Castor and Pollux.
12And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
13And having gone around, we came to Rhegium, and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli,
14where we found brethren, who asked us to tarry with them seven days, and so we went toward Rome.
15And from there, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and The Three Taverns whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage.
16And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the praetorian prefect, but Paul was allowed to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.
17¶ And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the principals of the Jews together, and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
18who, when they had examined me, would have let me go because there was no cause of death in me.
19But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar, not that I had anything to accuse my nation of.
20For this cause therefore I have called for you, to see you and to speak with you: because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
21And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came showed or spoke any harm of thee.
22But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest; for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.
23¶ And when they had appointed him a day, many came to him into his lodging, to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, procuring to persuade them of that concerning Jesus, the Christ, out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets, from morning until evening.
24And some believed the things which were spoken, and some did not believe.
25And when they did not agree among themselves, they departed, after Paul had spoken this word, Well spoke the Holy Spirit by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers,
26saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see and not perceive;
27for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them.
28Be it known, therefore, unto you that this saving health of God is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will hear it.
29And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.
30¶ And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came in unto him,
31preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all liberty, without hindrance.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International