Paul’s Ministry on Malta

28 Now when they had escaped, they then found out that ^(A)the island was called Malta. ² And the ^(B)natives^[a] showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. ³ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. ⁴ So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” ⁵ But he shook off the creature into the fire and ^(C)suffered no harm. ⁶ However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and ^(D)said that he was a god.

⁷ In that region there was an estate of the ^[b]leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. ⁸ And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and ^(E)prayed, and ^(F)he laid his hands on him and healed him. ⁹ So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. ¹⁰ They also honored us in many ^(G)ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were ^(H)necessary.

Arrival at Rome

¹¹ After three months we sailed in ^(I)an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the ^[c]Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. ¹² And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. ¹³ From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, ¹⁴ where we found ^(J)brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. ¹⁵ And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

¹⁶ Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but ^(K)Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul’s Ministry at Rome

¹⁷ And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, ^(L)though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet ^(M)I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, ¹⁸ who, ^(N)when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. ¹⁹ But when the ^[d]Jews spoke against it, ^(O)I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. ²⁰ For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because ^(P)for the hope of Israel I am bound with ^(Q)this chain.”

²¹ Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. ²² But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that ^(R)it is spoken against everywhere.”

²³ So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, ^(S)to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus ^(T)from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. ²⁴ And ^(U)some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. ²⁵ So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to ^[e]our fathers, ²⁶ saying,

²⁸ “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent ^(W)to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” ^29 [f]And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.

³⁰ Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, ^31 (X)preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Redemption in Christ

^3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as ^(B)He chose us in Him ^(C)before the foundation of the world, that we should ^(D)be holy and without blame before Him in love, ^5 (E)having predestined us to ^(F)adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, ^(G)according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, ^(H)by which He ^[a]made us accepted in ^(I)the Beloved.

^7 (J)In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to ^(K)the riches of His grace ⁸ which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and ^[b]prudence, ^9 (L)having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure ^(M)which He purposed in Himself, ¹⁰ that in the dispensation of ^(N)the fullness of the times ^(O)He might gather together in one ^(P)all things in Christ, ^[c]both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. ^11 (Q)In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to ^(R)the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ^12 (S)that we ^(T)who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

¹³ In Him you also trusted, after you heard ^(U)the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, ^(V)you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ^14 (W)who^[d] is the ^[e]guarantee of our inheritance ^(X)until the redemption of ^(Y)the purchased possession, ^(Z)to the praise of His glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

¹⁵ Therefore I also, ^(AA)after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ^16 (AB)do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: ¹⁷ that ^(AC)the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, ^(AD)may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ^18 (AE)the eyes of your ^[f]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is ^(AF)the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, ^(AG)according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when ^(AH)He raised Him from the dead and ^(AI)seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ^21 (AJ)far above all ^(AK)principality^[g] and ^[h]power and ^[i]might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

²² And ^(AL)He put all things under His feet, and gave Him ^(AM)to be head over all things to the church, ^23 (AN)which is His body, ^(AO)the fullness of Him ^(AP)who fills all in all.

By Grace Through Faith

2 And ^(AQ)you He made alive, ^(AR)who were dead in trespasses and sins, ^2 (AS)in which you once walked according to the ^[j]course of this world, according to ^(AT)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in ^(AU)the sons of disobedience, ^3 (AV)among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in ^(AW)the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and ^(AX)were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

⁴ But God, ^(AY)who is rich in mercy, because of His ^(AZ)great love with which He loved us, ^5 (BA)even when we were dead in trespasses, ^(BB)made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together ^(BC)in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in ^(BD)His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ^8 (BE)For by grace you have been saved ^(BF)through faith, and that not of yourselves; ^(BG)it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of ^(BH)works, lest anyone should ^(BI)boast. ¹⁰ For we are ^(BJ)His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Brought Near by His Blood

¹¹ Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called ^(BK)the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— ¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Christ Our Peace

¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one ^(BL)new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might ^(BM)reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby ^(BN)putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For ^(BO)through Him we both have access ^(BP)by one Spirit to the Father.

Christ Our Cornerstone

¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been ^(BQ)built ^(BR)on the foundation of the ^(BS)apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being ^(BT)the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into ^(BU)a holy temple in the Lord, ^22 (BV)in whom you also are being built together for a ^(BW)dwelling place of God in the Spirit.