'[After]1we were brought safely through,2we4then3learned4that5the7island8was called9Malta.6 The1native people3showed4us9unusual57kindness,8for11they kindled10a fire12andwelcomed13us15all,14because16it had begun20to rain18and21wascold.24 When1Paul4had gathered1a bundle7of sticks5and8put9themon10the11fire,12a viper13came out17because of14the15heat16andfastened on18his21hand.20 When1the4native people5saw3the7creature8hanging6from9his12hand,11they said15to13one another,14“No doubt16this21man20is18a murderer.17Thoughhe has escaped23from24the25sea,26Justice28has31not30allowed31him22to live.”29 He,1however,3shook off4the5creature6into7the8fire9andsuffered10no11harm.12 They1were waiting3for him4to swell up6or7suddenly9fall down8dead.10But13when15they14had waited15a long time1112and16saw17no18misfortune19come22to20him,21they changed their minds23andsaid24thathe25was26a god.27 Now2in1the3neighborhood of4that7place6were8lands9belongingto the10chief man11of the12island,13named14Publius,15who16received17us18andentertained22ushospitably21forthree19days.20 It happened1thatthe3father4of Publius6lay11sick10with fever7and8dysentery.9AndPaul15visited16him13and17prayed,18andputting19hishands21on19him22healed23him.24 And2when3this1had taken place,3the5rest6of the peopleon8the9island10who had11diseases12alsocame13and14were cured.15 They1also2honored5us6greatly,3and7when we were about to sail,8they put on9boardwhatever [we] needed.10111213 After1three3months4we set sail5in6a ship7that had wintered8in9the10island,11a ship ofAlexandria,12with the twin gods14as a figurehead.13 Putting in2at3Syracuse,4we stayed5therefor three7days.6 Andfrom there1we made a circuit2andarrived3at4Rhegium.5And6after7one8day9a south wind11sprang up,10and on thesecond day12we came13to14Puteoli.15 There1we4found2brothers3andwere invited4to stay7with5them6forseven9days.8And10so11we came15to12Rome.14 And1the2brothers3there,1when they heard4about6us,7came8as far as12the Forum of14Appius13and15Three16Taverns17to9meet10us.11On seeing19them,18Paul21thanked22God24andtook25courage.26 And2when1we came3into4Rome,5Paul8was allowed6to stay9by10himself,11with12the soldier16who guarded14him.15 After3three5days4he7called together6the localleaders12of the10Jews,11and2when13they15had gathered,13he said16to17them,18“Brothers,21thoughI19had done24nothing22against23ourpeople26or27the28customs29of ourfathers,31yetI was delivered35asa prisoner32from33Jerusalem34into36the37hands38of the39Romans.40 When2they1had examined2me,3they wished4to set [me] at liberty,5because67there was11no8reason9for thedeath penalty10in12[my case].13 But2becausethe3Jews4objected,1I was compelled5to appeal6to Caesar7— though9Ihad13no8[charge]14to bring against15my12nation.11 For1this2reason,5therefore,3I have asked6to see8you7and9speak with10you,since12it isbecause of11the13hope of14Israel16thatI am wearing20this19chain.”18 And2they1said5to3him,4“We6have received11no7letters8from12Judea14about9you,10and none1517of the18brothers19coming16herehas reported20or21spoken22any23evil26about24you.25 But2we desire1to hear5from3you4what6your views are,7for10with regard to8this13sect12we know141516that17everywhere18it is spoken against.”19 When they had appointed1a day4for him,3they came5to6him7at8hislodging10in greater numbers.11From33morning34till35evening36he expounded13to them,12testifying14to the15kingdom16of God18and20trying to convince19them21about22Jesus24both26from25the27Law28of Moses29and30from33the31Prophets.32 And1some2were convinced4by what he said,56but8others7disbelieved.9 And2disagreeing1among themselves,45they departed6afterPaul9had made7one11statement:10“The14Holy17Spirit15wasright13in saying18to23your26fathers25through19Isaiah20the21prophet:22 ‘Go2to3this6people,5and7say,8“You will indeed hear910but11never1213understand,14and15you will indeed see1617but18never1920perceive.”21 For2this7people’s6heart4has grown dull,1and8with [their] ears10they can12barely11hear,12and13their16eyes15they have closed;17lest18they should see19with [their] eyes21and22hear25with [their] ears24and26understand29with [their] heart28and30turn,31and32I would heal33them.’34 Therefore2let it be3known1to you4that5this9salvation11of God13has been sent8to the6Gentiles;7they14will listen.”16 No text1 He lived1theretwo3whole4years3at5his own6expense,7and8welcomed9all10who came12to13him,14 proclaiming1the2kingdom3of God5and6teaching7about9the10Lord11Jesus12Christ13with14all15boldness16andwithout hindrance.17