Acts 28
1 And when we were escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melita.
2 And the barbarians showed us no common kindness; for they kindled a fire, and
received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a
viper came out by reason of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4 And when the barbarians saw the [venomous] creature hanging from his hand,
they said one to another, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath
escaped from the sea, yet Justice hath not suffered to live.
5 Howbeit he shook off the creature into the fire, and took no harm.
6 But they expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly:
but when they were long in expectation and beheld nothing amiss came to him,
they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of
the island, named Publius, who received us, and entertained us three days
courteously.
8 And it was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery:
unto whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying his hands on him healed him.
9 And when this was done, the rest also that had diseases in the island came,
and were cured:
10 who also honored us with many honors; and when we sailed, they put on board
such things as we needed.
11 And after three months we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered
in the island, whose sign was The Twin Brothers.
12 And touching at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
13 And from thence we made a circuit, and arrived at Rhegium: and after one day
a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli;
14 where we found brethren, and were entreated to tarry with them seven days:
and so we came to Rome.
15 And from thence the brethren, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far
as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns; whom when Paul saw, he thanked
God, and took courage.
16 And when we entered into Rome, Paul was suffered to abide by himself with the
soldier that guarded him.
17 And it came to pass, that after three days he called together those that were
the chief of the Jews: and when they were come together, he said unto them, I,
brethren, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our
fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans:
18 who, when they had examined me, desired to set me at liberty, because there
was no cause of death in me.
19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar;
not that I had aught whereof to accuse my nation.
20 For this cause therefore did I entreat you to see and to speak with [me] :
for because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters from Judaea concerning
thee, nor did any of the brethren come hither and report or speak any harm of
thee.
22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this
sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.
23 And when they had appointed him a day, they came to him into his lodging in
great number; to whom he expounded [the matter], testifying the kingdom of God,
and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the
prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed after that Paul had
spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your
fathers,
26 saying, Go thou unto this people, and say, By hearing ye shall hear, and
shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise
perceive:
27 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed; Lest, haply they should perceive with their
eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn
again, And I should heal them.
28 Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is sent unto the
Gentiles: they will also hear.
29 (Ommitted)
30 And he abode two whole years in his own hired dwelling, and received all that
went in unto him,
31 preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord
Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him.