Acts 28:1-16

New American Standard Bible 1995

Safe at Malta

28 When ^(A)they had been brought safely through, ^(B)then we found out that ^(C)the island was called ^[a]Malta. ^2 (D)The ^[b]natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and ^(E)received us all. ³ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out ^[c]because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When ^(F)the ^[d]natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “^(G)Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, ^[e]justice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ However ^(H)he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and ^(I)began to say that he was a god.

⁷ Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days. ⁸ And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had ^(J)prayed, he ^(K)laid his hands on him and healed him. ⁹ After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured. ¹⁰ They also honored us with many ^[f]marks of respect; and when we were setting sail, they ^[g]supplied us with ^[h]all we needed.

Paul Arrives at Rome

¹¹ At the end of three months we set sail on ^(L)an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had ^[i]the Twin Brothers for its figurehead. ¹² After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. ¹³ From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ^14 [j]There we found some ^(M)brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and thus we came to Rome. ¹⁵ And the ^(N)brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the ^[k]Market of Appius and ^[l]Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

¹⁶ When we entered Rome, Paul was ^(O)allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.