⁸ We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors.

⁶³ They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’

¹⁴ If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God^[a] rests upon you.^[b]

¹⁰ This is why we work hard and continue to struggle,^[a] for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

²² But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about this movement is that it is denounced everywhere.”

¹² Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.

¹³ So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore.

⁸ And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.

⁴ The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” ⁵ But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. ⁶ The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.

⁷ Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days. ⁸ As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. ⁹ Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. ¹⁰ As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.