Acts
When we had been brought to safety, we learned that we were on the
island of Malta.
The local people showed us unusual kindness. Because of the rain and the cold, they built a
fire and welcomed us all.
When Paul
gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a poisonous snake came
out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
When the local
people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This
man is undoubtedly a murderer, and though he has escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live!”
But Paul shook the snake off into the
fire and was not harmed.
They were expecting that he was about to swell up
or suddenly fall down dead. But after they waited for a long time and saw
nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a
god.
Nearby were fields belonging to Publius, the leading Roman official of the island.
He welcomed us and showed us hospitality for three days.
Publius’
father was sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul went to see
him, and after praying, he laid his hands on him and healed him.
After that, the rest of the sick people on the island came and were healed.
They honored us greatly, and as we were preparing to set sail they provided us with everything we needed.
After three months we set sail on a ship from Alexandria which had wintered at the island, and which had the twin gods as its figurehead.
We landed at Syracuse and stayed there three days.
From there we cast off
and arrived at Rhegium. The next day a south wind began to blow, and the
following day we arrived at Puteoli.
There we found some brothers, and
they invited us to stay a week with them. And in this way we came to Rome.
When the brothers from Rome heard of our arrival, they came to
meet us
as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns. When Paul saw
them, he thanked God and was encouraged.
When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the
soldier who was guarding him.
Three days later Paul invited the local Jewish leaders to come to see him. When they had assembled he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our forefathers, I was turned over to the Romans in Jerusalem as a prisoner.
The Romans held a hearing and wanted to set me free because there was
no basis for a death sentence against me.
But when the Jews objected to my release, I was
forced to appeal to Caesar, yet not because I had any accusation to bring against
my own people.
So then I asked to see you and speak to you,
because it is for the hope of Israel
that I am tied with this chain.”
They responded, “We received no letters from Judea about you, nor did any of
our brothers there come here to report or say anything negative about you.
But we would
like to hear what your beliefs are, because we know that this sect is spoken
against everywhere.”
They set a day to meet with him, and then they came in even greater numbers to
the place where he was staying. From morning till night Paul explained to
them, solemnly testifying about the Kingdom of God
and trying to convince them
about Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the prophets.
Some of them
were persuaded by what Paul said, but others refused to believe.
They were unable to agree among themselves and they began to leave, after Paul had spoken one final word: “The holy spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your forefathers:
‘Go to this people and say, “You will keep on
hearing but never understand, and you will keep on looking but never see.
For the minds of these people have become hardened, and they are barely able to
hear with their ears, and they have shut their eyes tight.
Otherwise they
might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their
minds, and turn, and I would heal them.”’
So then let it be known to you that this salvation of God
has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will
listen to it!”
Paul stayed two full years there at his own expense, and he
welcomed everyone who came to him,
proclaiming the Gospel of the
Kingdom of God and teaching about the lord Jesus Messiah with complete
openness and without restriction.
Acts