Acts 27:39-28:11

English Standard Version

The Shipwreck

³⁹ Now when it was day, ^(A)they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. ⁴⁰ So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. ⁴¹ But striking a reef,^{[a] (B)}they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. ^42 (C)The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. ⁴³ But the centurion, ^(D)wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, ⁴⁴ and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that ^(E)all were brought safely to land.

Paul on Malta

28 After we were brought safely through, ^(F)we then learned that ^(G)the island was called Malta. ^2 (H)The native people^[b] showed us unusual ^(I)kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 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 ^(J)the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ^(K)“No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, ^(L)Justice^[c] has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ He, however, ^(M)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, ^(N)they changed their minds and ^(O)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 ^(P)prayed, and ^(Q)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,^[d] 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 ^(R)a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods^[e] as a figurehead.