ACTS Chapter 28 - Ashore On Malta

Ashore On Malta

Once safely on shore,

We found out that the island was called Malta.

2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness.

They built a fire and welcomed us

All because it was raining and cold.

3 Paul gathered a pole of brushwood

And as he put it on the fire,

A Viper, driven out by the heat,

Fastened itself on his hand.

4 When the Islanders saw the snake

Hanging from his hand,

They said to each other,

'THIS MAN MUST BE A MURDERER;

FOR THOUGH HE ESCAPED FROM THE SEA,

JUSTICE HAS NOT ALLOWED HIM TO LIVE.'

5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire

And suffered no ill effects.

6 The people expected him to swell up

Or suddenly fall over dead,

But after waiting for long time

And seeing nothing unusual happen to him,

They change their minds and said he was a god.

7 There was an estate nearby

That belonged to Publius,

The Chief Official of the Island.

He welcomed us to his home

and for three days entertained us hospitably.

8 His father was sick in bed,

Suffering from fever and dysentery.

Paul went into see him,

And after prayer, place his hands on him

And healed him.

9 When this had happened,

The rest of the sick on the island

Came and were Cured.

10 They honored us in many ways

And when we were ready to sail,

They furnished us with the supplies we needed.

Arrival At Rome

11 After three months we put out to sea in a ship

That had wintered in the island.

It was an Alexandrian ship

With the Figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux.

12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days.

13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium.

The next day the south wind came up,

And on the following day we reached Puteoli.

14 There we found some Brothers

Who invited us to spend a week with them.

And so we went to Rome.

15 The Brothers there had heard that we were coming,

And they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius

And Three Taverns to meet us.

At the sight of these men Paul thanked God

And was encouraged.

16 When we got to Rome,

Paul was allowed to live by himself,

With a soldier to guard him.

Paul Preaches At Rome Under Guard

17 Three days later he called together

The leaders of the Jews.

When they had assembled,

Paul said to them:

'My Brothers,

Although I have done nothing against our people

Or against the Customs of our Ancestors,

I was arrested in Jerusalem

And handed over to the Romans.

18 They examined me and wanted to release me,

Because I was not Guilty of any Crime deserving Death.

19 But when the Jews objected,

I was compelled to appeal to Caesar--

Not that I had any charge to bring against my own people.

20 For this reason I have asked to see you

And talk with you.

It is because of the Hope of Israel

That I am bound with this Chain.

21 They replied,

'We have not received any letters

From Judea concerning you,

And none of the Brothers who has come from there

Has reported or said anything bad about you.

22 BUT WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOUR VIEWS ARE,

FOR WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE EVERYWHERE

ARE TALKING AGINST THIS SECT.'

23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day,

And came in even larger numbers

To the Place where he was staying.

FROM MORNING TILL EVENING

HE EXPLAINED AND DECLARED TO THEM THE KINGDOM OF GOD

AND TRIED TO CONVINCE THEM ABOUT JESUS

FROM THE LAW OF MOSES

AND FROM THE PROPHETS.

24 Some were convinced by what he said,

But others would not believe.

25 They disagreed among themselves

And began to leave

After Paul had made his final statement:

THE HOLY SPIRIT SPOKE THE TRUTH

TO YOUR FOREFATHERS

WHEN HE SAID THROUGHT ISAIAH THE PROPHET:

26 'Go to this people and say,

You will be Ever Hearing but never Understanding;

You will be Ever Seeing but never Perceiving.

27 For this people's heart has become Calloused;

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 I would heal them.'

28 'THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO KNOW

THAT GOD'S SALVATION HAS BEEN SENT TO THE GENTILES,

AND THEY WILL LISTEN!'

30 For two whole years

Paul stayed there in his own rented house

And welcome all who came to see him.

31 BOLDY AND WITHOUT HINDRANCE

HE PREACHED THE KINGDOM OF GOD

AND TAUGHT ABOUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

(Acts 28)