使徒行传 28
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
在马耳他岛
28 我们安全上岸后，才知道那个岛的名字叫马耳他。 2 岛上的居民对我们非常友善。因为下雨，天气又冷，他们就生火接待我们。 3 保罗拿起一捆柴放进火堆里，不料有一条毒蛇经不住热钻了出来，咬住了他的手。 4 那里的居民看见毒蛇吊在保罗手上，就交头接耳地说：“这人一定是个凶手，虽然侥幸没有淹死，天理却不容他活下去。” 5 可是保罗把蛇甩进火里，并没有受伤。 6 他们以为保罗的手一定会肿起来或者他会突然倒毙，但是等了很久，见他还是安然无恙，就改变了态度，说他是个神明。
7 那个岛的首领名叫部百流，他的田产就在附近。他接待我们，热情款待了我们三天。 8 当时，部百流的父亲患痢疾，正发热躺在床上。保罗去为他祷告，把手按在他身上治好了他。 9 这事以后，岛上其他的病人都来了，他们都得了医治。 10 他们处处尊敬我们，在我们启航的时候，又赠送我们途中所需用的物品。
保罗抵达罗马
11 三个月后，我们搭乘一艘停在该岛过冬的船离开。这船叫“双神号”，来自亚历山大。 12 我们先到叙拉古港，在那里停泊三天， 13 然后继续前行，到达利基翁。第二天，起了南风，第三天我们抵达部丢利， 14 在那里遇见几位弟兄姊妹，应邀和他们同住了七天，然后前往罗马。 15 那里的弟兄姊妹听说我们来了，便到亚比乌和三馆迎接我们。保罗见到他们后，就感谢上帝，心中受到鼓励。 16 进了罗马城后，保罗获准在卫兵的看守下自己一个人住。
继续传道
17 三天后，保罗请来当地犹太人的首领，对他们说：“弟兄们，虽然我没有做过任何对不起同胞或违背祖先规矩的事，却在耶路撒冷遭囚禁，又被交到罗马人的手里。 18 罗马官员审讯了我，发现我没有什么该死的罪，想释放我， 19 犹太人却反对，我不得已只好上诉凯撒。我并非有什么事要控告自己的同胞。 20 为此，我才请你们来当面谈，我受捆绑是为了以色列人所盼望的那位。”
21 他们说：“犹太境内的同胞没有给我们写信提及你的事，也没有弟兄到这里说你的坏话。 22 不过，我们倒很想听听你的观点，因为我们知道你们这一派的人到处受人抨击。”
23 于是，他们和保罗约定了会面的日期。那一天，很多人来到保罗住的地方。从早到晚，保罗向他们传扬上帝国的道，引用摩西律法和先知书劝他们相信有关耶稣的事。 24 有些人听后相信了他的话，有些人不相信， 25 他们彼此意见不一。在他们散去之前，保罗说了一句话：“圣灵借以赛亚先知对你们祖先所说的话真是一点不错， 26 祂说，
“‘你去告诉百姓，
你们听了又听，却不明白；
看了又看，却不领悟。
27 因为这百姓心灵麻木，
耳朵发背，眼睛昏花，
以致眼睛看不见，
耳朵听不见，心里不明白，无法回心转意，
得不到我的医治。’
28 所以你们当知道，上帝的救恩已经传给了外族人，他们也必听。”
29 听完保罗的话后，那些犹太人就回去了，他们中间起了激烈的争论。[a]
30 后来，保罗租了一间房子，在那里住了整整两年，接待所有到访的人。 31 他勇敢地传讲上帝的国，教导有关主耶稣基督的事，没有受到任何拦阻。
Footnotes
- 28:29 有古卷无“听完保罗的话后，那些犹太人就回去了，他们中间起了激烈的争论。”
Acts 28
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 28
Paul at Malta. 1 Once we had made our way to safety, we learned that the island was called Malta.[a] 2 The natives[b] treated us with unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they lit a bonfire and welcomed all of us around it.
3 Paul had gathered an armful of sticks and put them on the fire when a viper, driven out by the heat, attached itself to his hand. 4 On seeing the snake hanging from his hand, the natives said to one another, “This man must be a murderer. Although he escaped from the sea, Justice[c] has not allowed him to live.”
5 However, he shook off the snake into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after waiting for a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.
7 In the vicinity of that place there were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, whose name was Publius.[d] He received us and gave us his hospitality for three days. 8 It so happened that this man’s father was sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and laying hands on him. 9 After this happened, the rest of the sick people on the island also came and were cured. 10 They honored us with many marks of respect, and when we were about to set sail, they put on board all the supplies we needed.
11 From Malta to Rome. Three months later,[e] we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island. The ship was from Alexandria, with the Dioscuri as its figurehead. 12 We landed at Syracuse[f] and spent three days there. 13 Then we sailed along the coast and came to Rhegium.[g] After one day there, a south wind came up, and we reached Puteoli in two days.
14 In Puteoli, we found some brethren, and we were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 When the brethren there learned of our arrival, they came out to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius[h] and the Three Taverns. On seeing them, Paul gave thanks to God, and his courage was strengthened.
Paul’s Activity at Rome[i]
Meetings with the Jewish Leaders. On his arrival in Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier guarding him.[j] 17 Three days later, he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brethren, although I have done nothing against our people or our ancestral customs, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 After they had examined me, the Romans wanted to release me because they had found nothing against me that deserved the death penalty. 19 But the Jews objected, and I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation. 20 This is the reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for it is because of the hope of Israel that I wear these chains.”21 They replied, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brethren who arrived here reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for all we know about this sect is that it is denounced everywhere.”
23 And so they agreed on a day to meet with him, and they came to his lodgings in great numbers. From early morning until evening, he presented his case to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and attempting to convince them about Jesus as he argued from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. 24 Some were persuaded by what he had said, but others refused to believe.
25 Having failed to reach an agreement among themselves, they began to leave. Then Paul made his final statement, “How right the Holy Spirit was when he spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah, saying,
26 ‘Go to the people and say
You will indeed listen but never understand,
and you will indeed look but never perceive.
27 For this people’s heart has become dull,
their ears have been stopped up,
and they have shut their eyes,
lest their eyes might see,
their ears might hear,
and their hearts might understand.
Then they would be converted,
and I would heal them.’
28 “Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation offered by God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen.” [ 29 And when he had said this, the Jews departed, arguing vigorously among themselves.][k]
30 Conclusion—But Not an End.[l] Paul remained there in his lodgings for two full years at his own expense. He welcomed all who came to him, 31 and without hindrance he boldly proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Footnotes
- Acts 28:1 Malta: a port of the province of Sicily, though located 58 miles away from the island itself.
- Acts 28:2 Natives: literally, “barbarians”—which was the name the Greeks attached to all non-Greek speaking people.
- Acts 28:4 Justice: a personification of divine avenging justice.
- Acts 28:7 Publius: this local magistrate was the representative of the praetor of Sicily.
- Acts 28:11 Three months later: the time was probably February of the year 60. Dioscuri: i.e., Castor and Pollux, pagan divinities who protected seafarers.
- Acts 28:12 Syracuse: the most important city of Sicily, located on its east coast.
- Acts 28:13 Rhegium: a town of Italy located opposite Messina and close to the narrowest part of the strait that lies between Italy and Sicily. Puteoli: the chief port of Rome, located almost 200 miles from Rhegium in the northern part of Naples.
- Acts 28:15 Forum of Appius: a town 43 miles from Rome and known for its uncivilized behavior. Three Taverns: a town 33 miles from Rome.
- Acts 28:16 As he has done throughout the Book, Paul first contacts the Jews established in the city. He must clarify his situation with regard to this colony. And he must first of all proclaim the Gospel as the fulfillment of Israel’s Scriptures and its hope. The Jews see and hear, as the apostles did, but they choose not to understand because they do not make the connection from the past to the future. Henceforth, the Word will be directly addressed to the Gentiles without passing through the synagogue. Paul’s speech is a last appeal and a conclusion.
16
We conclude from Acts that the movement of the Resurrection and Pentecost now enters freely into the whole universe. The limits of the old Israel have crumbled; the People of God gathers together all humanity. - Acts 28:16 Though he lived in a house of his own choice, he was under house arrest during his stay in Rome.
- Acts 28:29 This verse is lacking in the oldest manuscripts.
- Acts 28:30 Luke knows that Paul died a martyr in Rome, but he does not speak of it, just as he says nothing of Peter’s activity after his deliverance from the hands of Herod. His purpose is not to give us a history of the Church but to show the spread of the Gospel down to the point of its free entry among all the peoples.
According to the most popular view, Paul wrote the Captivity Letters (Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon) during this first Roman imprisonment. One tradition of the early Church also presupposes that Paul was set free after two years. Clement of Rome in his Epistle to the Corinthians (5:5-7) says that Paul went “to the end of the West,” i.e., that he carried out the missionary journey to Spain that he had planned (see Rom 15:24). This point is also attested by the Muratorian Fragment (lines 37-38) and by the apocryphal Acts of Peter (chs. 1 and 3).
Acts 28
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Malta’s Hospitality
28 Once ashore, we(A) then learned that the island was called Malta.(B) 2 The local people(C) showed us extraordinary kindness, for they lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. 3 As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself to his hand. 4 When the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man is probably a murderer, and though he has escaped the sea, Justice[a] does not allow him to live!”(D) 5 However, he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.(E) 6 They expected that he would swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.(F)
Ministry in Malta
7 Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him.(G) 9 After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.
Rome at Last
11 After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Brothers[b] as its figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days. 13 From there, after making a circuit along the coast,[c] we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found believers[d](H) and were invited to stay with them for seven days.
And so we came to Rome. 15 Now the believers[e] from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. 16 When we entered Rome,[f] Paul was permitted to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.(I)
Paul’s First Interview with Roman Jews
17 After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them: “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.(J) 18 After they examined me, they wanted to release me, since I had not committed a capital offense.(K) 19 Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar;(L) it was not as though I had any accusation against my nation. 20 For this reason I’ve asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.”(M)
21 Then they said to him, “We haven’t received any letters about you from Judea. None of the brothers has come and reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22 But we would like to hear from you what you think. For concerning this sect, we are aware that it is spoken against everywhere.”(N)
The Response to Paul’s Message
23 After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and witnessed about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets.(O) 24 Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe.(P)
25 Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement: “The Holy Spirit correctly spoke through the prophet Isaiah to your[g] ancestors 26 when He said,
Go to these people and say:
You will listen and listen,
yet never understand;
and you will look and look,
yet never perceive.
27 For the hearts of these people
have grown callous,
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears,
understand with their heart,
and be converted,
and I would heal them.(Q)[h]
28 Therefore, let it be known to you that this saving work of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen!”(R) [29 After he said these things, the Jews departed, while engaging in a prolonged debate among themselves.][i]
Paul’s Ministry Unhindered
30 Then he stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God(S) and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with full boldness(T) and without hindrance.
Footnotes
- Acts 28:4 Gk Dike, a goddess of justice
- Acts 28:11 Gk Dioscuri, twin sons of Zeus
- Acts 28:13 Other mss read From there, casting off,
- Acts 28:14 Lit brothers
- Acts 28:15 Lit brothers
- Acts 28:16 Other mss add the centurion turned the prisoners over to the military commander; but
- Acts 28:25 Other mss read our
- Acts 28:27 Is 6:9-10
- Acts 28:29 Other mss omit bracketed text
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