Acts 28

Modern

Literal

Ashore on Malta

¹Once we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta.

¹And having been saved, then we found out that the island is called Malta.

²The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.

²And the natives were showing not just the ordinary kindness to us. For having kindled a fire, they received all of us because of the rain setting in and because of the cold.

³Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.

³Now on Paul having gathered a multitude of sticks and having laid them on the fire, a viper, having come out from the heat, fastened itself on his hand.

⁴When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice^a has not allowed him to live.”

⁴And when the natives saw the beast hanging from his hand, they began to say to one another, “By all means this man is a murderer whom, having been saved from the sea, Dike did not permit to live.”

⁵But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.

⁵Then indeed, having shaken off the creature into the fire, he suffered no harm.

⁶The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

⁶But they were expecting him to be about to become inflamed or suddenly to fall down dead. But on their waiting a great while and seeing nothing amiss happening to him, having changed their opinion, they began declaring him to be a god.

⁷Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.

⁷Now in the parts around that place were lands of the chief of the island, named Publius, who, having received us, entertained us hospitably for three days.

⁸The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man.

⁸And it came to pass that the father of Publius was lying, oppressed with fevers and dysentery, toward whom Paul, having entered and having prayed, having laid the hands on him, healed him.

⁹After this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured as well.

⁹And on this having taken place, also the rest in the island having infirmities were coming and were healed,

¹⁰The islanders honored us in many ways and supplied our needs when we were ready to sail.

¹⁰who also honored us with many honors, and on setting sail, they laid on us the things for our needs.

Paul Arrives in Italy

¹¹After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered in the island. It had the Twin Brothers^a as a figurehead.

¹¹And after three months, we sailed in an Alexandrian ship having wintered in the island, with a figurehead of the Dioscuri.

¹²Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

¹²And having put in at Syracuse, we stayed three days,

¹³From there we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day, a south wind came up, and on the second day we arrived at Puteoli.

¹³from where, having cast off, we arrived at Rhegium. And after one day, a south wind having come up, on the second day we came to Puteoli,

¹⁴There we found some brothers who invited us to spend the week with them. And so we came to Rome.

¹⁴where having found some brothers, we were entreated to remain with them seven days. And so we came to Rome.

¹⁵The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius^a and the Three Taverns^b to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God.

¹⁵And the brothers from there, having heard the things concerning us, came out as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us, whom Paul having seen, having given thanks to God, took courage.

Paul Preaches at Rome

¹⁶When we arrived in Rome,^a Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

¹⁶Now when we came to Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him.

¹⁷After 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 fathers, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.

¹⁷And it came to pass after three days that he called together those being leaders of the Jews. And on their having come together, he was saying to them, “Men, brothers, having done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, I was delivered from Jerusalem as a prisoner into the hands of the Romans,

¹⁸They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.

¹⁸who, having examined me, were wanting to let me go on account of not one cause of death existing in me.

¹⁹But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, even though I have no charge to bring against my nation.

¹⁹But on the Jews objecting, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not as having anything to accuse my nation.

²⁰So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

²⁰For this cause, therefore, I have called to see you and to speak to you. For because of the hope of Israel, I have around me this chain.”

²¹The leaders replied, “We have not received any letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the brothers from there reported or even mentioned anything bad about you.

²¹And they said to him, “We received neither letters concerning you from Judea, nor did any of the brothers having arrived report or say anything evil concerning you.

²²But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”

²²But we count it worthy to hear from you what you think, for truly, concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”

²³So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

²³Then, having appointed to him a day, many came to him to the lodging, to whom he expounded from morning to evening, fully testifying to the kingdom of God and persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

²⁴Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe.

²⁴And indeed, some were persuaded of the things being said, but some refused to believe.

²⁵They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

²⁵And being discordant with one another they began to leave, Paul having said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly by the prophet Isaiah to your fathers,

²⁶‘Go to this people and say,

“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”

²⁶saying: ‘Go to this people and say, “In hearing you will hear and never understand; and in seeing you will see and never perceive.”

²⁷For this people’s heart has grown callous;

they hardly hear with their ears,

and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

understand with their hearts,

and turn, and I would heal them.’^a

²⁷For the heart of this people grew dull, and with the ears they barely hear, and they have closed their eyes, lest ever they should see with the eyes, and should hear with the ears, and should understand with the heart, and should turn, and I will heal them.’

²⁸Be advised, therefore, that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”^a

²⁸Therefore be it known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”

²⁹—

³⁰Paul stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to visit him.

³⁰And he stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and he was welcoming all those coming to him,

³¹Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

³¹proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, freely.