Acts · Majority Standard Bible
Acts 28 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Once we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta.
1 Καὶ διασωθέντες τότε ἐπέγνωσαν ὅτι Μελίτη ἡ νῆσος καλεῖται.
2 The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.
2 οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι παρεῖχον οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν φιλανθρωπίαν ἡμῖν· ἀνάψαντες γὰρ πυρὰν προσελάβοντο πάντας ἡμᾶς διὰ τὸν ὑετὸν τὸν ἐφεστῶτα καὶ διὰ τὸ ψῦχος.
3 Paul 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.
3 συστρέψαντος δὲ τοῦ Παύλου φρυγάνων πλῆθος καὶ ἐπιθέντος ἐπὶ τὴν πυράν, ἔχιδνα ἀπὸ τῆς θέρμης διεξελθοῦσα καθῆψε τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ.
4 When 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 has not allowed him to live.”
4 ὡς δὲ εἶδον οἱ βάρβαροι κρεμάμενον τὸ θηρίον ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἔλεγον πρὸς ἀλλήλους· πάντως φονεύς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος, ὃν διασωθέντα ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης ἡ Δίκη ζῆν οὐκ εἴασεν.
5 But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
5 ὁ μὲν οὖν ἀποτινάξας τὸ θηρίον εἰς τὸ πῦρ ἔπαθεν οὐδὲν κακόν·
6 The 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.
6 οἱ δὲ προσεδόκων αὐτὸν μέλλειν πίμπρασθαι ἢ καταπίπτειν ἄφνω νεκρόν. ἐπὶ πολὺ δὲ αὐτῶν προσδοκώντων καὶ θεωρούντων μηδὲν ἄτοπον εἰς αὐτὸν γινόμενον, μεταβαλλόμενοι ἔλεγον θεὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι.
7 Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.
7 Ἐν δὲ τοῖς περὶ τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον ὑπῆρχε χωρία τῷ πρώτῳ τῆς νήσου ὀνόματι Ποπλίῳ, ὃς ἀναδεξάμενος ἡμᾶς τρεῖς ἡμέρας φιλοφρόνως ἐξένισεν.
8 The 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.
8 ἐγένετο δὲ τὸν πατέρα τοῦ Ποπλίου πυρετοῖς καὶ δυσεντερίῳ συνεχόμενον κατακεῖσθαι· πρὸς ὃν ὁ Παῦλος εἰσελθὼν καὶ προσευξάμενος καὶ ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῷ ἰάσατο αὐτόν.
9 After this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured as well.
9 τούτου οὖν γενομένου καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ οἱ ἔχοντες ἀσθενείας ἐν τῇ νήσῳ προσήρχοντο καὶ ἐθεραπεύοντο·
10 The islanders honored us in many ways and supplied our needs when we were ready to sail.
10 οἳ καὶ πολλαῖς τιμαῖς ἐτίμησαν ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀναγομένοις ἐπέθεντο τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν.
11 After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered in the island. It had the Twin Brothers as a figurehead.
11 Μετὰ δὲ τρεῖς μῆνας ἀνήχθημεν ἐν πλοίῳ παρακεχειμακότι ἐν τῇ νήσῳ, Ἀλεξανδρίνῳ, παρασήμῳ Διοσκούροις,
12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.
12 καὶ καταχθέντες εἰς Συρακούσας ἐπεμείναμεν ἡμέρας τρεῖς·
13 From there we sailed around and came to Rhegium. After one day, a south wind came up, and on the second day we arrived at Puteoli.
13 ὅθεν περιελθόντες κατηντήσαμεν εἰς Ῥήγιον, καὶ μετὰ μίαν ἡμέραν ἐπιγενομένου νότου δευτεραῖοι ἤλθομεν εἰς Ποτιόλους·
14 There we found some brothers who invited us to spend the week with them. And so we came to Rome.
14 οὗ εὑρόντες ἀδελφοὺς παρεκλήθημεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς ἐπιμεῖναι ἡμέρας ἑπτά, καὶ οὕτως εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην ἤλθομεν.
15 The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God.
15 κἀκεῖθεν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἀκούσαντες τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθον εἰς ἀπάντησιν ἡμῖν ἄχρις Ἀππίου φόρου καὶ Τριῶν ταβερνῶν, οὓς ἰδὼν ὁ Παῦλος εὐχαριστήσας τῷ Θεῷ ἔλαβε θάρσος.
16 When we arrived in Rome, the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
16 Ὅτε δὲ ἤλθομεν εἰς Ῥώμην, ὁ ἑκατοντάρχης παρέδωκε τοὺς δεσμίους τῷ στρατοπεδάρχῃ· τῷ δὲ Παύλῳ ἐπετράπη μένειν καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν σὺν τῷ φυλάσσοντι αὐτὸν στρατιώτῃ.
17 After three days, Paul 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.
17 Ἐγένετο δὲ μετὰ ἡμέρας τρεῖς συγκαλέσασθαι τὸν Παῦλον τοὺς ὄντας τῶν Ἰουδαίων πρώτους· συνελθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἔλεγε πρὸς αὐτούς· ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί, ἐγὼ οὐδὲν ἐναντίον ποιήσας τῷ λαῷ ἢ τοῖς ἔθεσι τοῖς πατρῴοις δέσμιος ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων παρεδόθην εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῶν Ῥωμαίων·
18 They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.
18 οἵτινες ἀνακρίναντές με ἐβούλοντο ἀπολῦσαι διὰ τὸ μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου ὑπάρχειν ἐν ἐμοί.
19 But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, even though I have no charge to bring against my nation.
19 ἀντιλεγόντων δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἠναγκάσθην ἐπικαλέσασθαι Καίσαρα, οὐχ ὡς τοῦ ἔθνους μου ἔχων τι κατηγορῆσαι.
20 So 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.”
20 διὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν αἰτίαν παρεκάλεσα ὑμᾶς ἰδεῖν καὶ προσλαλῆσαι· ἕνεκεν γὰρ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὴν ἅλυσιν ταύτην περίκειμαι.
21 The 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.
21 οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπον· ἡμεῖς οὔτε γράμματα περὶ σοῦ ἐδεξάμεθα ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας, οὔτε παραγενόμενός τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἀπήγγειλεν ἢ ἐλάλησέ τι περὶ σοῦ πονηρόν.
22 But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”
22 ἀξιοῦμεν δὲ παρὰ σοῦ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ φρονεῖς· περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς αἱρέσεως ταύτης γνωστόν ἐστιν ἡμῖν ὅτι πανταχοῦ ἀντιλέγεται.
23 So 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.
23 Ταξάμενοι δὲ αὐτῷ ἡμέραν ἧκον πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ξενίαν πλείονες, οἷς ἐξετίθετο διαμαρτυρόμενος τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ πείθων τε αὐτοὺς τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἀπό τε τοῦ νόμου Μωϋσέως καὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἀπὸ πρωῒ ἕως ἑσπέρας.
24 Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe.
24 καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐπείθοντο τοῖς λεγομένοις, οἱ δὲ ἠπίστουν.
25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to our fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
25 ἀσύμφωνοι δὲ ὄντες πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀπελύοντο, εἰπόντος τοῦ Παύλου ῥῆμα ἕν, ὅτι καλῶς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον ἐλάλησε διὰ Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν λέγον·
26 ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
26 πορεύθητι πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον καὶ εἶπον· ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε·
27 For 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.’
27 ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶ βαρέως ἤκουσαν, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν, μήποτε ἴδωσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσι καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσι καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς.
28 Be advised, therefore, that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”
28 γνωστὸν οὖν ἔστω ὑμῖν ὅτι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπεστάλη [τοῦτο] τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ, αὐτοὶ καὶ ἀκούσονται.
29 And when he had said these things, the Jews went away, disputing sharply among themselves.
29 καὶ ταῦτα αὐτοῦ εἰπόντος ἀπῆλθον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι πολλὴν ἔχοντες ἐν ἑαυτοῖς συζήτησιν.
30 Paul stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to visit him.
30 Ἔμεινε δὲ ὁ Παῦλος διετίαν ὅλην ἐν ἰδίῳ μισθώματι καὶ ἀπεδέχετο πάντας τοὺς εἰσπορευομένους πρὸς αὐτόν,
31 Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
31 κηρύσσων τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ διδάσκων τὰ περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάσης παρρησίας ἀκωλύτως.
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)