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.
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Acts 28: HCSB
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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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