28 2 The Barbarians’ courtesy towards Paul and his company. 3 A viper on Paul’s hand: 6 He shaketh it off without harm: 8 Publius 9 and others are by him healed. 11 They depart from Malta, 16 and come to Rome. 17 Paul openeth to the Jews, 20 the cause of his coming: 22 He preacheth Jesus 30 two years.
1 And when they were come safe, then they knew that the Isle was called [a]Malta.
2 And the Barbarians showed us no little kindness, for they kindled a fire, and received us everyone, because of the present shower, and because of the cold.
3 [b]And when Paul had gathered a number of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and leaped on his hand.
4 [c]Now when the Barbarians saw the worm hang on his hand, they said among themselves, This man surely is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet [d]Vengeance hath not suffered to live.
5 But he shook off the worm into the fire, and felt no harm.
6 Howbeit they waited when he should have [e]swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: [f]but after they had looked a great while, and saw no inconvenience come to him, they changed their minds, and said, That he was a God.
7 [g]In the same quarters, the chief man of the Isle (whose name was Publius) had possessions: the same received us, and lodged us three days courteously.
8 And so it was, that the father of Publius lay sick of the fever, and of a bloody flix: to whom Paul entered in, and when he prayed, he laid his hands on him, and healed him.
9 [h]When this then was done, others also in the Isle, which had diseases, came to him, and were healed,
10 [i]Which also did us great honor: and when we departed, they laded us with things necessary.
11 ¶ [j]Now after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the Isle, whose [k]badge was Castor and Pollux.
12 And when we arrived at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
13 And from thence we set a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day, the South wind blew, and we came the second day to Puteoli:
14 [l]Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days, and so we went toward Rome.
15 ¶ [m]And from thence when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us at the [n]Market of Appius, and at the three taverns, whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and waxed bold.
16 So when we came to Rome, the Centurion delivered the prisoners to the general Captain: but Paul was suffered to dwell by [o]himself with a soldier that kept him.
17 [p]And the third day after, Paul calleth the chief of the Jews together, and when they were come, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or Laws of the fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
18 Who when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
19 [q]But when the Jews spake contrary, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar, not because I had ought to accuse my nation of.
20 For this cause therefore have I called for you to see you, and to speak with you: for that hope of Israel’s sake, I am bound with this chain.
21 Then they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither came any of the brethren that showed or spake any evil of thee.
22 But we will hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.
23 [r]And when they had appointed him a day, there came many unto him into his lodging, to whom he expounded, [s]testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them those things that concern Jesus, both out of the Law of Moses, and out of the Prophets, from morning to night.
24 [t]And some were [persuaded] with the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
25 Therefore when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, to wit, Well spake the holy Ghost by Isaiah the Prophet unto our fathers,
26 [u]Saying, (A)Go unto this people, and say, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive.
27 For the heart of this people is waxed fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and with their eyes have they [v]winked, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and should return that I might heal them.
28 [w]Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they shall hear it.
29 [x]And when he had said these things, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
30 [y]And Paul remained two years full in an house hired for himself, and received all that came in unto him,
31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all boldness of speech, without let.
Footnotes
- Acts 28:1 That is it which at this day we call Malta.
- Acts 28:3 The godly are sure to have danger upon danger, but they have always a glorious issue.
- Acts 28:4 Although adversity be the punishment of sin, yet seeing that God in punishing of men doth not always respect sin, they judge rashly, which either do not wait for the end, or do judge and esteem of men according to prosperity or adversity.
- Acts 28:4 Right and reason.
- Acts 28:6 The Greek word signifieth, to be inflamed, or to swell: moreover Dioscorides in book 6, chap. 38, witnesseth, that the biting of a viper causeth a swelling of the body, and so saith Nicander, in his remedies against poisons.
- Acts 28:6 There is nothing more unconstant, every way, than they which are ignorant of true religion.
- Acts 28:7 It never yet repented any man, that received the servant of God, were he never so miserable and poor.
- Acts 28:9 Although Paul were a captive, yet the virtue of God was not captive.
- Acts 28:10 God doeth well to strangers for his children’s sake.
- Acts 28:11 Idols do not defile the Saints, which do in no wise consent unto them.
- Acts 28:11 So they used to deck the forepart of their ships, whereupon the ships were called by such names.
- Acts 28:14 God boweth and bendeth the hearts even of profane men, as it pleaseth him to favor his.
- Acts 28:15 God never suffereth his to be afflicted above their strength.
- Acts 28:15 Appius way, was a pavement made by Appius the blind with the help of his soldiers, long and broad, and running out toward the sea, and there were three taverns in it.
- Acts 28:16 Not in a common prison, but in a house which he hired for himself.
- Acts 28:17 Paul in every place remembereth himself to be an Apostle.
- Acts 28:19 We may use the means which God giveth us, but so that we seek the glory of God, and not ourselves.
- Acts 28:23 The law and the Gospel agree well together.
- Acts 28:23 By good reasons, and proved that the kingdom of God foretold them by the Prophets, was come.
- Acts 28:24 The Gospel is a savor of life to them that believe, and a savor of death to them that be disobedient.
- Acts 28:26 The unbelievers do willingly resist the truth, and yet not by chance.
- Acts 28:27 They made as though they saw not that which they saw against their wills: yea they did see, but they would not see.
- Acts 28:28 The unbelief of the reprobate and castaways cannot cause the truth of God to be of none effect.
- Acts 28:29 Not the Gospel, but the contempt of the Gospel is the cause of strife and debate.
- Acts 28:30 The word of God cannot be bound.