Acts 28

Chapter 28

A snake bites Paul on the island of Malta

1So then we were on the shore and we were all safe. We discovered that the island was called Malta. 2The people who lived on the island were very kind to us. Rain was falling and the weather was cold. So the people lit a fire and they helped all of us.

3Paul picked up some small branches to put on the fire. When he did this, a dangerous snake came out from among the sticks. It had felt the heat from the fire. The snake bit Paul's hand and it held on to it. 4The people who lived on the island saw the snake. They saw that it was hanging from Paul's hand. So they said to each other, ‘We know now that this man murdered someone. He did not die in the sea but now the snake will kill him. The god who punishes people for the bad things that they do will not let him live.’

5Then Paul waved his hand about so that the snake fell off into the fire. The snake had not hurt Paul in any way. 6So the people watched Paul carefully. They thought that his body would become very sick. They thought that he might die suddenly. They waited for a long time. But they did not see anything bad happen to Paul. So then they thought something different about Paul. They said, ‘This man is certainly a god!’

7There was an important officer who ruled the island. He was called Publius. He had some fields near to the shore where we had made the fire. He was very kind to us. He asked us to stay in his house. We stayed there for three days. 8Publius's father was lying in bed because he was ill. His body was hot and he was very sick. Paul went into his room to see him. Paul prayed for him and he put his hands on the man's head. As a result, the man became well again. 9After Paul did this, the other sick people on the island came to him. He caused them also to become well again. 10The people gave us many gifts. Later, we got ready to leave the island on another ship. People gave us the things that we needed for the journey.

Paul finishes his journey to Rome

11When we left Malta, we had been there for three months. We got on a ship that was called ‘The Twin Gods’. #28:11 The twin gods were two Greek gods called Castor and Pollux. The people from Greece thought that these gods were very powerful. It had come from Alexandria and it had stayed in Malta during the winter.

12We sailed across the sea and we arrived at the city of Syracuse. We stayed there for three days. #28:12 Syracuse was a port on the east coast of the island of Sicily.

13We left Syracuse and we sailed to the city of Rhegium. The next day, the wind began to blow from the south, so we sailed more quickly. The day after that, we arrived at the town of Puteoli. #28:13 Puteoli was a port near Naples in Italy. People who wanted to go to Rome got off their ships here.

14We found some believers there. They asked us to stay with them for one week. After this we travelled to Rome. 15The believers in Rome had heard about us. So they came out of the city to meet us at ‘The Market of Appius’ and ‘The Three Hotels’. #28:15 The Market of Appius was 50 kilometres from Rome. The Three Hotels was 40 kilometres from Rome. When Paul saw the believers, he thanked God for them. He was very happy that they had come to meet him.

16When we arrived in Rome, the Roman officer said to Paul, ‘You may live in a house by yourself, but a soldier will be there as a guard to watch you.’

Paul tells people in Rome about the kingdom of God

17After three days, Paul asked the leaders of the Jews in Rome to meet with him. When they met together, Paul said to them, ‘Friends, I am a Jew, as you are. I tell you that I have never done anything bad against our people. I have always obeyed the rules that our ancestors gave to us. But the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem took hold of me. They gave me to the Roman rulers so that they would judge me. 18The Roman rulers asked me questions about what I had done. They discovered that I had not done anything wrong. There was no reason that they should kill me. So they wanted to let me go free.

19But the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem did not agree with that. So then I asked the Roman rulers to send me here to Rome. I wanted Caesar himself to judge me. That was the only thing that I could do. I did not want to say anything bad against my own people. 20That is why I want to talk with you now. I want to tell you why I am a prisoner here. It is because I believe in the one that God promised to send to us who are Jews.’

21The Jewish leaders said to Paul, ‘We have not received any letters about you from Judea. Our Jewish friends who have come here from Judea have not told us this news. They have not said anything bad about you. 22But we know that people everywhere are saying bad things about your new group. So we would like you to tell us your ideas.’

23So the Jewish leaders in Rome chose a day to meet again with Paul. When that day arrived, a large number of Jews came to the house where Paul was staying. Paul talked to them from the morning until the evening. He explained his message about the kingdom of God. He showed them what Moses and the other prophets had written in the Bible. He tried to show them that Jesus was God's special Messiah. 24Some of them believed that Paul's message was true. But other Jews who were there refused to believe him. 25So they argued with each other about Paul's message. When they began to leave the house, Paul said, ‘The Holy Spirit spoke a true message to your ancestors. He gave this message to Isaiah, the prophet:

26“Go and say to this people,

‘You will listen and listen,

but you will not understand.

You will look and look,

but you will not see anything.’

27These people do not want to understand.

They are like people who have shut their ears.

They are like people who have shut their eyes.

If they did want to look,

then they would really see.

If they did want to listen,

then they would really hear.

They would understand my message.

They would turn back to obey me.

Then I would forgive them

and I would make them well.” ’ #28:27 See Isaiah 6:9-10.

28Paul then said to the Jews there, ‘You do not want to listen to God's message. But the Gentiles will listen! They will understand how God will save them.’

29[After Paul had said this, the Jews left. They were still arguing with each other.] #28:29 Many copies of the Bible do not have this verse.

30Paul lived in a house in Rome for two years. He paid money to live in the house. Many people came to visit him there. He was very happy to see them all. 31He told people clearly about the kingdom of God. He taught them about the Lord Jesus Christ. He was not afraid to do this and nobody tried to stop him.

Currently Selected:

Acts 28: EASY

Highlight

Copy