Acts 28

Ashore on Maltaⓘ

Kindness and miracles on Malta¹Once we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta. ²The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.

³Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand. ⁴When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice^a has not allowed him to live.” ⁵But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. ⁶The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

⁷Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. ⁸The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man. ⁹After this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured as well.

¹⁰The islanders honored us in many ways and supplied our needs when we were ready to sail.

Paul Arrives in Italyⓘ

On to Rome¹¹After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered in the island. It had the Twin Brothers^b as a figurehead. ¹²Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there three days. ¹³From there we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day, a south wind came up, and on the second day we arrived at Puteoli. ¹⁴There we found some brothers who invited us to spend the week with them. And so we came to Rome.

¹⁵The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius^c and the Three Taverns^d to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God.

Paul Preaches at Romeⓘ

¹⁶When we arrived in Rome,^e Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

Paul explains himself to Rome's Jewish leaders¹⁷After 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 fathers, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. ¹⁸They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me. ¹⁹But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, even though I have no charge to bring against my nation. ²⁰So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

²¹The leaders replied, “We have not received any letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the brothers from there reported or even mentioned anything bad about you. ²²But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”

Paul's message and the closing quotation of Isaiah²³So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

²⁴Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe. ²⁵✦They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

²⁸Be advised, therefore, that Godʼs salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”^g

Paul preaches openly in Rome³⁰Paul stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to visit him. ³¹Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.