On the island of Malta
28
📚And when they had escaped, they then learned that the island was called Melita✭. 2 📚And those non-Grecian people✭ showed us no little kindness. For they kindled a fire, and gave a welcome to all of us, because of the rain that was falling and the cold. 3 📚And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper, escaping from the heat, fastened on his hand. 4 📚✭And when those people✭ saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said among themselves, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, justice does not permit him to live”. 5 📚✭And he shook the creature off into the fire, and experienced no harm. 6 📚✭And they expected that he would swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after they had watched for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7 📚In the same area there were fields belonging to the leading man of the island, whose name was Publius. He received us and kindly welcomed us as guests for three days. 8 📚And it so happened that the father of Publius lay sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, laid his hands on him, and healed him. 9 📚So when this happened, others in the island also who had diseases came and were healed. 10 📚And they showed us much respect, and when we left they loaded us down with things that were needed.
11 📚And after three months we sailed in a ship of Alexandria which had spent the winter at the island. Its emblem was Castor and Pollux. 12 ✭And landing at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 📚✭And from there we circled around and came to Rhegium, and a day later the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli. 14 📚There we found some brethren✭ and were asked to stay with them for seven days. And so we proceeded toward Rome. 15 📚And when the brethren heard about us, from there they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.
Paul in Rome
16 📚✭And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the commander of the guard, but Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier who kept him under guard.
17 📚✭And three days later it came about that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. And when they had assembled, he said to them, “Men and brethren, even though I have done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, from Jerusalem I was given over as a prisoner into the hands of the Romans. 18 📚When they examined me, they would have let me go, because there was no reason found in me for the death penalty. 19 📚But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar; not that I had any accusation to bring against my nation. 20 📚Therefore, for this reason I have sent for you to see you and to speak with you, because for the hope✭ of Israel I am bound with this chain”.
21 📚And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brethren who have come reported or said anything bad about you. 22 📚But we want to hear from you what you think, for as for this sect✭ we know that everywhere it is spoken against”.
23 📚And when they had fixed a day for him, many came to him in his lodging. He explained, and testified about, the kingdom of God✭, speaking convincingly to them about Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning to evening. 24 📚And some assented to the things that were said, and some would not believe. 25 📚✭And when they disagreed among themselves, they left, after Paul had spoken one word: “Well spoke the Holy Spirit by Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 26 📚saying,
Go to this people, and say,
Hearing you will hear,
and will not understand,
and seeing you will see,
and not perceive.
27 📚For the heart of this people has
become fat,
and their ears are dull of hearing,
and they have closed their eyes so
that they might not see
with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart,
and be converted,
and be healed by me.
28 📚“So be it known to you that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and that they will hear it”.
29 And when he had spoken these words, the Jews left and had a great argument among themselves.