Paul on the Island of Malta

28 When we were safe on land, we learned that the island was called Malta. ² The people who lived there were very good to us. Because it was raining and very cold, they made a fire and welcomed all of us. ³ Paul gathered a pile of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and bit him on the hand. ⁴ The people living on the island saw the snake hanging from Paul’s hand and said to each other, “This man must be a murderer! He did not die in the sea, but Justice^[a] does not want him to live.” ⁵ But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and was not hurt. ⁶ The people thought that Paul would swell up or fall down dead. They waited and watched him for a long time, but nothing bad happened to him. So they changed their minds and said, “He is a god!”

⁷ There were some fields around there owned by Publius, an important man on the island. He welcomed us into his home and was very good to us for three days. ⁸ Publius’ father was sick with a fever and dysentery.^[b] Paul went to him, prayed, and put his hands on the man and healed him. ⁹ After this, all the other sick people on the island came to Paul, and he healed them, too. ^10-11 The people on the island gave us many honors. When we were ready to leave, three months later, they gave us the things we needed.

Paul Goes to Rome

We got on a ship from Alexandria that had stayed on the island during the winter. On the front of the ship was the sign of the twin gods.^[c]