Acts
28
- Once safely on shore, we found out that the
island was called Malta.
- The islanders showed us unusual kindness.
They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
- Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as
he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on
his hand.
- When the islanders saw the snake hanging
from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer;
for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live."
- But Paul shook the snake off into the fire
and suffered no ill effects.
- The people expected him to swell up or suddenly
fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen
to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
- There was an estate nearby that belonged
to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and
for three days entertained us hospitably.
- His father was sick in bed, suffering from
fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his
hands on him and healed him.
- When this had happened, the rest of the sick
on the island came and were cured.
- They honored us in many ways and when we
were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
- After three months we put out to sea in a
ship that had wintered in the island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the
figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux.
- We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three
days.
- From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium.
The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli.
- There we found some brothers who invited
us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome.
- The brothers there had heard that we were
coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns
to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged.
- When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to
live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
- Three days later he called together the leaders
of the Jews. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: "My brothers,
although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of
our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
- They examined me and wanted to release me,
because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death.
- But when the Jews objected, I was compelled
to appeal to Caesar--not that I had any charge to bring against my own people.
- For this reason I have asked to see you and
talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this
chain."
- They replied, "We have not received
any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brothers who have come
from there has reported or said anything bad about you.
- But we want to hear what your views are,
for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect."
- They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day,
and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning
till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried
to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
- Some were convinced by what he said, but
others would not believe.
- They disagreed among themselves and began
to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke
the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
- "'Go to this people and say, "You
will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but
never perceiving."
- For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise
they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their
hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'
- "Therefore I want you to know that God's
salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen
!"
- [After he said this, the jews left, arguing
vigorously among themselves.]
- For two whole years Paul stayed there in
his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.
- Boldly and without hindrance he preached
the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
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