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Acts 28
New International Version
Acts 28
New International Version
Paul Ashore on Malta
28 Once safely on shore, we(A) found out that the island(B) was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 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. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand,(C) they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.”(D) 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.(E) 6 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.(F)
7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer,(G) placed his hands on him(H) and healed him.(I) 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10 They honored us(J) in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
Paul’s Arrival at Rome
11 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship(K) with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13 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. 14 There we found some brothers and sisters(L) who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 The brothers and sisters(M) 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 people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.(N)
Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard
17 Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders.(O) When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers,(P) although I have done nothing against our people(Q) or against the customs of our ancestors,(R) I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 They examined me(S) and wanted to release me,(T) because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death.(U) 19 The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar.(V) I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. 20 For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel(W) that I am bound with this chain.”(X)
21 They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people(Y) who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22 But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”(Z)
23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God,(AA) and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets(AB) he tried to persuade them about Jesus.(AC) 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.(AD) 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said(AE) through Isaiah the prophet:
26 “‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
27 For this people’s heart has become calloused;(AF)
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.’[a](AG)
28 “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation(AH) has been sent to the Gentiles,(AI) and they will listen!” [29] [b]
30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God(AJ) and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness(AK) and without hindrance!
Footnotes
- Acts 28:27 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
- Acts 28:29 Some manuscripts include here After he said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.
Acts 28
Expanded Bible
Acts 28
Expanded Bible
Paul on the Island of Malta
28 When we ·were safe on land [reached safety], we learned that the island was called Malta [C 58 miles southwest of Sicily]. 2 The ·people who lived there [native people; L barbarians; C a term referring to non-Greek speakers] were very ·good [kind] 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 [brushwood] and was putting them on the fire when a ·poisonous snake [viper] came out because of the heat and ·bit [L fastened itself to] him on the hand. 4 The ·people living on the island [native people; 28:2] saw the ·snake [L creature; animal] hanging from Paul’s hand and said to each other, “This man must be a murderer! He ·did not die in [L escaped from] the sea, but Justice [L Dikē; C pronounced di-káy); the goddess of justice] ·does not want [has not allowed] him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the ·snake [L creature; animal] off into the fire and ·was not hurt [suffered no harm]. 6 ·The people [L They] thought that Paul would swell up or fall down dead. They waited and watched him for a long time, but nothing ·bad [L unusual] happened to him. So they changed their minds and said, “He is a god!”
7 There ·were some fields [or was an estate] around there owned by Publius, ·an important man [or the chief official; governor] on the island. He ·welcomed [received] us into his home and ·was very good to us [provided generous hospitality; treated us as honored guests] for three days. 8 Publius’ father was sick in bed with a fever and dysentery [C a serious illness that includes cramping and severe diarrhea]. Paul went to him, prayed, and ·put [or laid] his hands on the man and healed him. 9 After this, ·all the other [L the rest of the] sick people on the island came to Paul, and he healed them, too.
Paul Goes to Rome
After three months we got on a ship from Alexandria [27:6] that had stayed on the island during the winter. On the front of the ship was the sign of the ·twin gods [C Castor and Pollux, the twin sons of Zeus; protectors of sailors]. 12 We ·stopped [put in] at Syracuse [C a major city on the island of Sicily] for three days. 13 From there we ·sailed to [L set sail and arrived at] Rhegium [C a port city on the Italian mainland across from Sicily]. The next day a wind began to blow from the south, and ·a day later [L on the second day] we came to Puteoli [C a bit further north on the southwestern coast of Italy]. 14 We found some ·believers [L brothers (and sisters)] there who ·asked [invited] us to stay with them for ·a week [L seven days]. ·Finally [L And so in this way], we came to Rome. 15 The ·believers [L brothers (and sisters)] in Rome heard that we were there and came out as far as the ·Market [L Forum] of Appius [C about 40 miles from Rome] and the Three Inns [C eight miles toward Rome from the Market of Appius] to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and ·was encouraged [took courage].
Paul in Rome
16 When we arrived at Rome, Paul was allowed to live alone, with the soldier who guarded him.
17 Three days later ·Paul [L he] sent for the leaders of the ·Jewish community [L Jews] there. When they came together, he said, “[L Men,] Brothers, I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers]. But I was ·arrested [made a prisoner] in Jerusalem and given ·to [L into the hands of] the Romans. 18 After they ·asked me many questions [examined me; tried my case], they wanted to let me go free because they could find no reason why I should be ·killed [given the death penalty]. 19 But the Jews there ·argued against that [objected], so I had to ·ask to come to Rome to have my trial before [L appeal to] Caesar. But I have no ·charge [accusation] to bring against my own ·people [nation]. 20 That is why I wanted to see you and talk with you. I am bound with this chain because ·I believe in [L of] the hope of Israel.”
21 They ·answered [said to] Paul, “We have received no letters from Judea about you. None of our Jewish brothers who have come from there brought news or told us anything bad about you. 22 But we ·want to hear [consider it worth hearing] your ideas, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this ·religious group [sect].”
23 Paul and the people ·chose [arranged; appointed] a day for a meeting and on that day ·many more of the Jews [L a great number] met with Paul at the place he was staying. He spoke to them ·all day long [L from morning until evening]. Using the law of Moses and the prophets’ writings [C the whole Old Testament], he explained [L by testifying/bearing witness about] the kingdom of God, and he tried to persuade them to believe these things about Jesus. 24 Some ·believed [L were persuaded by] what Paul said, but others ·did [were] not. 25 So they ·argued [disagreed with each other] and began leaving after Paul said one more thing to them: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ·ancestors [fathers] through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
26 ‘Go to this people and say:
You will ·listen and listen [or certainly listen], but you will not understand.
You will ·look and look [or certainly look], but you will not ·learn [perceive],
27 because [L the heart of] these people have become ·stubborn [dull].
They ·don’t hear with their ears [or hardly hear with their ears; are hard of hearing],
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise, they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears.
They might really understand in their ·minds [hearts]
and come back to me and ·be healed [L I would heal them; Is. 6:9–10].’
28 “[L Therefore,] I want you to know that God has also sent his salvation to ·all nations [the Gentiles], and they will listen!” |29 ·After [or When] ·Paul [L he] said this, the Jews left. They were arguing very much with each other.|[a]
30 Paul stayed two full years ·in his own rented house [or at his own expense] and welcomed all people who came to visit him. 31 He ·boldly [confidently] ·preached about [proclaimed] the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ, ·and no one stopped him [freely; without hindrance].
Footnotes
- Acts 28:29 After … other. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.
Acts 28
GOD’S WORD Translation
Acts 28
GOD’S WORD Translation
Paul on the Island of Malta
28 When we were safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The people who lived on the island were unusually kind to us. They made a fire and welcomed all of us around it because of the rain and the cold.
3 Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire. The heat forced a poisonous snake out of the brushwood. The snake bit Paul’s hand and wouldn’t let go. 4 When the people who lived on the island saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer! He may have escaped from the sea, but justice won’t let him live.”
5 Paul shook the snake into the fire and wasn’t harmed. 6 The people were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they had waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
7 A man named Publius, who was the governor of the island, had property around the area. He welcomed us and treated us kindly, and for three days we were his guests. 8 His father happened to be sick in bed. He was suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, placed his hands on him, and made him well.
9 After that had happened, other sick people on the island went to Paul and were made well. 10 They showed respect for us in many ways, and when we were going to set sail, they put whatever we needed on board.
Paul Sails from Malta to Rome
11 After three months we sailed on an Alexandrian ship that had spent the winter at the island. The ship had the gods Castor and Pollux carved on its front. 12 We stopped at the city of Syracuse and stayed there for three days. 13 We sailed from Syracuse and arrived at the city of Rhegium. The next day a south wind began to blow, and two days later we arrived at the city of Puteoli. 14 In Puteoli we discovered some believers who begged us to spend a week with them.
15 Believers in Rome heard that we were coming, so they came as far as the cities of Appius’ Market and Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and felt encouraged. So we finally arrived in the city of Rome.[a] 16 After our arrival, Paul was allowed to live by himself, but he had a soldier who guarded him.
Paul in Rome
17 After three days Paul invited the most influential Jews in Rome to meet with him. When they assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, I haven’t done anything against the Jewish people or violated the customs handed down by our ancestors. Yet, I’m a prisoner from Jerusalem, and I’ve been handed over to the Roman authorities. 18 The Roman authorities cross-examined me and wanted to let me go because I was accused of nothing for which I deserved to die. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal my case to the emperor. That doesn’t mean I have any charges to bring against my own people. 20 That’s why I asked to see you and speak with you. I’m wearing these chains because of what Israel hopes for.”
21 The Jewish leaders told Paul, “We haven’t received any letters from Judea about you, and no Jewish person who has come to Rome has reported or mentioned anything bad about you. 22 However, we would like to hear what you think. We know that everywhere people are talking against this sect.”
23 On a designated day a larger number of influential Jews ⌞than expected⌟ went to the place where Paul was staying. From morning until evening, Paul was explaining God’s kingdom to them. He was trying to convince them about Jesus from Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets. 24 Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others continued to disbelieve.
25 The Jews, unable to agree among themselves, left after Paul had quoted this particular passage to them: “How well the Holy Spirit spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah! 26 The Spirit said: ‘Go to these people and say,
“You will hear clearly but never understand.
You will see clearly but never comprehend.
27 These people have become close-minded
and hard of hearing.
They have shut their eyes
so that their eyes never see.
Their ears never hear.
Their minds never understand.
And they never turn to me for healing.” ’
28 “You need to know that God has sent his salvation to people who are not Jews. They will listen.” [b]
30 Paul rented a place to live for two full years and welcomed everyone who came to him. 31 He spread the message about God’s kingdom and taught very boldly about the Lord Jesus Christ. No one stopped him.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.