Acts 28

And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

1When we were safe on land, we found out the island was called Malta.

2And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

2The people who lived there were very kind to us. It was raining and cold. They made a fire and welcomed every one of us.

NoteThe KJV calls them "barbarous people." That did not mean they were wild or mean. It just meant they did not speak Greek. The verse says they were very kind.

3And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

3Paul picked up a bundle of sticks. He laid them on the fire. The heat drove out a viper, a snake with poison. It bit his hand and held on.

4And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

4The island people saw the snake hanging from his hand. They said to each other, "This man must be a killer. He got away from the sea. But justice will still not let him live."

5And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

5Paul shook the snake off into the fire. He was not hurt at all.

6Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

6They waited for his hand to swell, or for him to drop down dead. They watched a long time. Nothing bad happened to him. So they changed their minds. They said he was a god.

7In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.

7Nearby was land that belonged to the most important man on the island. His name was Publius. He welcomed us and cared for us kindly for three days.

8And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.

8The father of Publius was sick in bed. He had a fever and a bad sickness in his belly. Paul went in to him. Paul prayed and put his hands on him. Then the man got well.

NoteThe KJV says "a bloody flux." That is an old name for a sickness in the belly that makes a person bleed.

9So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:

9After that happened, other sick people on the island came too. They were made well.

10Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.

10The people showed us honor in many ways. When we sailed away, they gave us everything we needed.

11And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.

11Three months later we sailed away on a ship from the city of Alexandria. It had waited out the winter at the island. Its front was carved with Castor and Pollux, twin brothers from old stories.

12And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.

12We stopped at the city of Syracuse and stayed there three days.

13And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:

13From there we sailed around the coast and came to Rhegium. A day later the wind blew from the south. The next day we reached Puteoli.

NoteThe KJV says they "fetched a compass." That does not mean a tool. It means the ship sailed a curving path around the coast.

14Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.

14There we found some brothers who followed Jesus. They asked us to stay with them a week. Then we went on toward Rome.

15And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

15The believers in Rome heard we were coming. They walked out to meet us. Some came as far as the Market of Appius, and some to a place called Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and felt braver.

16And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.

16When we got to Rome, the officer handed the prisoners to the captain of the guard. But Paul was allowed to live by himself, with one soldier to watch him.

NoteThe KJV says Paul was "suffered" to live by himself. In old English, "suffer" often meant "allow." No one was hurting him here.

17And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

17Three days later Paul called the Jewish leaders to come together. When they came, he said, "Brothers, I have done nothing wrong to our people. I have not gone against the ways our fathers taught us. Even so, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.

18Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.

18They asked me questions. They wanted to let me go. I had done nothing that deserved death.

19But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.

19But some of the Jewish leaders spoke against that. So I had to ask Caesar, the ruler of Rome, to hear my case. I am not blaming my own people for anything.

20For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

20That is why I asked to see you and talk with you. I wear this chain because of the hope of Israel."

21And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.

21They said to him, "No letters about you came to us from Judea. No brother who came here said anything bad about you.

22But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.

22But we would like to hear what you think. We know that people everywhere speak against this group."

23And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

23So they picked a day to meet him. Many people came to the house where he was staying. From morning until evening Paul explained about God's kingdom. He tried to show them the truth about Jesus. He used the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, men who spoke God's messages long ago.

24And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.

24Some believed what he said. Others did not believe.

25And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

25They did not agree with each other, so they began to leave. Before they went, Paul said one more thing. "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your fathers through the prophet Isaiah.

26Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

26God said, 'Go to these people and tell them this. You will hear and hear, but you will not understand. You will look and look, but you will not see.

27For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

27The hearts of these people have grown hard. Their ears hardly hear. They have shut their eyes. If they had not, they would see with their eyes. They would hear with their ears. They would understand in their hearts. They would turn back to me, and I would heal them.'

28Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

28So know this. God has sent his saving help to the people who are not Jews. They will listen to it."

29And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.

29When Paul said this, the Jewish leaders left. They argued about it a lot among themselves.

ManuscriptsMost modern translations leave this verse out. It is in the Greek text the King James translators worked from, but not in the older manuscripts found since, so scholars generally take it as a copyist’s addition rather than part of the original.

30And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,

30Paul stayed there two whole years in a house he paid for. He welcomed everyone who came to see him.

31Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

31He told them about God's kingdom. He taught them about the Lord Jesus Christ. He spoke boldly, and no one stopped him.