Acts 28

1Once we were safely on shore, we learned that the island was called Malta.

2The local people showed us extraordinary kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all, because it had started to rain and it was cold.

3Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood, and as he put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.

4When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man must be a murderer. Though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”

5But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.

6They were expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began saying that he was a god.

7Nearby there was an estate belonging to the chief official of the island, a man named Publius. He welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.

8Publius’s father was lying in bed, sick with fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying, he laid his hands on him and healed him.

9After this happened, the rest of the sick people on the island also came and were cured.

10They honored us in many ways, and when we were ready to sail, they put on board the supplies we needed.

11After three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered at the island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead.

12We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days.

13From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day a south wind came up, and on the second day we reached Puteoli.

14There we found brothers and sisters, who invited us to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.

15The brothers and sisters there had heard about us, and they came as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

16When we arrived in Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

17Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.

18They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of anything deserving death.

19But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, though I had no charge to bring against my own nation.

20For this reason I asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”

21They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers who have come here has reported or said anything bad about you.

22But we would like to hear from you what you think, for we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”

23So they set a day to meet with him, and even more of them came to him at the place where he was staying. From morning until evening he explained and testified to them about the kingdom of God, and he tried to persuade them about Jesus from the law of Moses and from the Prophets.

24Some were persuaded by what he said, but others refused to believe.

25They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet,

26‘Go to this people and say, “You will keep on hearing but never understand, and you will keep on looking but never see.”

27For the heart of this people has grown dull; with their ears they can barely hear, and they have closed their eyes, so that they will not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and turn back, and I would heal them.’

28So let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen.”

29[After he had said these things, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.]

30Paul stayed there two whole years in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.

31He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.