Acts 28:3-22

English Standard Version

³ When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. ⁴ When ^(A)the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ^(B)“No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, ^(C)Justice^[a] has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ He, however, ^(D)shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, ^(E)they changed their minds and ^(F)said that he was a god.

⁷ Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. ⁸ It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and ^(G)prayed, and ^(H)putting his hands on him, healed him. ⁹ And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. ¹⁰ They also honored us greatly,^[b] and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.

Paul Arrives at Rome

¹¹ After three months we set sail in ^(I)a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods^[c] as a figurehead. ¹² Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. ¹³ And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found ^(J)brothers^[d] and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. ¹⁵ And ^(K)the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, ^(L)Paul thanked God and took courage. ¹⁶ And when we came into Rome, ^(M)Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul in Rome

¹⁷ After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, ^(N)though I had done nothing against our people or ^(O)the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. ¹⁸ When they had examined me, they ^(P)wished to set me at liberty, ^(Q)because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. ¹⁹ But because the Jews objected, I was compelled ^(R)to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against ^(S)my nation. ²⁰ For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is ^(T)because of ^(U)the hope of Israel that I am wearing ^(V)this ^(W)chain.” ²¹ And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of ^(X)the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. ²² But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this ^(Y)sect we know that everywhere ^(Z)it is spoken against.”