1 And having been saved, then they knew that the island is called Malta, 2 and the foreigners were showing us no ordinary kindness, for having kindled a fire, they received us all, because of the pressing rain, and because of the cold; 3 but Paul having gathered together a quantity of sticks, and having laid [them] on the fire, a viper—having come out of the heat—fastened on his hand. 4 And when the foreigners saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Certainly this man is a murderer, whom, having been saved out of the sea, the justice did not permit to live”; 5 he then, indeed, having shaken off the beast into the fire, suffered no evil, 6 and they were expecting him to be about to be inflamed, or to suddenly fall down dead, and they, expecting [it] a long time, and seeing nothing uncommon happening to him, changing [their] minds, said he was a god. 7 And in the neighborhood of that place were lands of the principal man of the island, by name Publius, who, having received us, courteously lodged [us for] three days; 8 and it came to pass, the father of Publius was lying, oppressed with fevers and dysentery, to whom Paul, having entered and having prayed, having laid [his] hands on him, healed him; 9 this, therefore, being done, also the others in the island having sicknesses were coming and were healed; 10 who also honored us with many honors, and we setting sail—they were loading [us] with the things that were necessary. 11 And after three months, we set sail in a ship (that had wintered in the island) of Alexandria, with the sign Dioscuri, 12 and having landed at Syracuse, we remained three days, 13 there having gone around, we came to Rhegium, and after one day, a south wind having sprung up, the second [day] we came to Puteoli, 14 where, having found brothers, we were called on to remain with them seven days, and thus we came to Rome; 15 and there, the brothers having heard the things concerning us, came forth to meet us, as far as [the] Forum of Appius, and Three Taverns—whom Paul having seen, having given thanks to God, took courage. 16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the captain of the barracks, but Paul was permitted to remain by himself, with the soldier guarding him. 17 And it came to pass after three days, Paul called together those who are the principal men of the Jews, and they having come together, he said to them: “Men, brothers, I—having done nothing contrary to the people, or to the customs of the fathers—a prisoner from Jerusalem, was delivered up into the hands of the Romans; 18 who having examined me, were willing to release [me], because of there being no cause of death in me, 19 and the Jews having spoken against [it], I was constrained to appeal to Caesar—not as having anything to accuse my nation of; 20 for this cause, therefore, I called for you to see and to speak with [you], for because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” 21 And they said to him, “We neither received letters concerning you from Judea, nor did anyone who came of the brothers declare or speak any evil concerning you, 22 and we think it good from you to hear what you think, for indeed, concerning this sect it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere”; 23 and having appointed him a day, more of them came to him, to the lodging, to whom he was setting [it] forth, testifying fully the Kingdom of God, persuading them also of the things concerning Jesus, both from the Law of Moses, and the Prophets, from morning until evening, 24 and some, indeed, were believing the things spoken, and some were not believing. 25 And not being agreed with one another, they were going away, Paul having spoken one word, “The Holy Spirit spoke well through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 26 saying, Go on to this people and say, With hearing you will hear, and you will not understand, and seeing you will see, and you will not perceive, 27 for the heart of this people was made obtuse, and with the ears they barely heard, and they closed their eyes, lest they may see with the eyes, and may understand with the heart, and should turn, and I may heal them. 28 Be it known, therefore, to you, that the salvation of God was sent to the nations, these also will hear it”; 29 [[and he having said these things, the Jews went away, having much debate among themselves;]] 30 and Paul remained an entire two years in his own hired [house], and was receiving all those coming in to him, 31 preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness—unforbidden.
Acts · Literal Standard Version
Acts 28 Literal Standard Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Publius
The leading man of the island of Malta who hosted Paul and his companions for three days; Paul healed his father of fever and dysentery.
Cited in the guide: Acts 28:7; Acts 28:8
Places
Rome
The empire's heart. Paul wrote his great letter to the church here before arriving in chains, then ministered under guard while awaiting trial before Caesar.
Cited in the guide: Acts 28:16; Romans 1:7; Acts 19:21
Malta (shipwreck)
Cross references (28)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 27:26; Acts 27:44; Acts 27:39; Acts 16:10
- 2 Colossians 3:11; Romans 1:14; Hebrews 13:2; Acts 28:4; 2 Corinthians 11:27
- 3 Matthew 23:33; Matthew 12:34; Acts 28:4; 2 Corinthians 11:23; Matthew 3:7
- 4 Luke 13:2; Luke 13:4; Acts 28:2; Acts 28:5; John 7:24
- 5 Luke 10:19; Mark 16:18; Psalm 91:13; Revelation 9:3–4; Numbers 21:6–9
- 6 Acts 12:22; Acts 14:11–13; Matthew 21:9
- 7 Matthew 10:40–41; Acts 13:7; Luke 19:6–9; Acts 18:12; Acts 28:2
- 8 Acts 9:40; Mark 6:5; Matthew 9:18; James 5:14–16; Matthew 10:8
- 9 Matthew 4:24; Acts 5:12; Acts 5:15; Mark 6:54–56
- 10 1 Thessalonians 2:6; Matthew 6:31–34; Philippians 4:19; Philippians 4:11–12; Ezra 7:27
- 11 Acts 27:6; Isaiah 45:20; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Acts 6:9; Jonah 1:5
- 13 Acts 27:13
- 14 Acts 20:6; Genesis 7:4; Acts 21:7–8; Acts 21:4; Genesis 8:10–12
- 15 Hebrews 13:3; Romans 15:24; Acts 10:25; Exodus 4:14; Psalm 27:14
- 16 Acts 27:3; Acts 24:23; Acts 28:30–31; Romans 1:7–15; Acts 23:11
- 17 Acts 25:8; Acts 6:14; Acts 25:10; Acts 22:5; Acts 21:33–40
- 18 Acts 26:31–32; Acts 23:29; Acts 22:24–25; Acts 22:30; Acts 24:10
- 19 Acts 26:32; Acts 25:25; Acts 25:21; Acts 25:10–12; 1 Peter 2:22–23
- 20 Acts 26:6–7; 2 Timothy 2:9; Ephesians 6:20; Acts 26:29; Philippians 1:13
- 21 Isaiah 41:11; Isaiah 54:17; Isaiah 50:8; Acts 22:5; Exodus 11:7
- 22 Acts 24:14; 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 3:16; Acts 16:20–21; 1 Peter 4:14–16
- 23 Acts 19:8; Acts 17:2–3; Acts 18:28; Acts 26:22–23; Luke 24:26–27
- 24 Acts 14:4; Acts 17:4–5; Acts 19:8–9; Acts 18:6–8; Romans 3:3
- 25 Matthew 15:7; Mark 7:6; 2 Peter 1:21
- 26 Isaiah 6:9–10; Ezekiel 12:2; Isaiah 42:19–20; Matthew 13:14–15; Mark 4:12
- 27 Isaiah 6:10
- 28 Luke 2:30–32; Acts 26:17–18; Romans 3:29–30; Luke 3:6; Romans 15:8–16
- 31 Acts 4:29; Ephesians 6:19–20; Acts 28:23; Matthew 4:23; Philippians 1:14
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"Showed," he says, "no little kindness to us--barbarians" (as they were )--"having kindled a fire:" else it were of no use that their lives be saved, if the wintry weather must destroy them. Then Paul having taken brushwood, laid it on the fire.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)