Acts of the Apostles 28

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Once we had come safely through, we discovered that the island was cal ed Malta.	1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.
2 The inhabitants treated us with unusual kindness. They made us all welcome by lighting a huge firebecause it had started to rain and the weather was cold.	2 And 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.
3 Paul had collected a bundle of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a viper brought out by theheat attached itself to his hand.	3 And 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.
4 When the inhabitants saw the creature hanging from his hand they said to one another, 'That manmust be a murderer; he may have escaped the sea, but divine justice would not let him live.'	4 And 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.
5 However, he shook the creature off into the fire and came to no harm,	5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
6 although they were expecting him at any moment to swell up or drop dead on the spot. After they hadwaited a long time without seeing anything out of the ordinary happen to him, they changed their minds andbegan to say he was a god.	6 Howbeit 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.
7 In that neighbourhood there were estates belonging to the chief man of the island, whose name wasPublius. He received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.	7 In 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.
8 It happened that Publius' father was in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to seehim, and after a prayer he laid his hands on the man and healed him.	8 And 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.
9 When this happened, the other sick people on the island also came and were cured;	9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:
10 they honoured us with many marks of respect, and when we sailed they put on board the provisionswe needed.	10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
11 At the end of three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island; she came fromAlexandria and her figurehead was the Twins.	11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.
12 We put in at Syracuse and spent three days there;	12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
13 from there we followed the coast up to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up and onthe second day we made Puteoli,	13 And 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:
14 where we found some brothers and had the great encouragement of staying a week with them. Andso we came to Rome.	14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.
15 When the brothers there heard about us they came to meet us, as far as the Forum of Appius and theThree Taverns. When Paul saw them he thanked God and took courage.	15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appiiforum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
16 On our arrival in Rome Paul was al owed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guardedhim.	16 And 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.
17 After three days he cal ed together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them,'Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested inJerusalem and handed over to the Romans.	17 And 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.
18 They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of nothing involving thedeath penalty;	18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
19 but the Jews lodged an objection, and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, though not because I hadany accusation to make against my own nation.	19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.
20 That is why I have urged you to see me and have a discussion with me, for it is on account of thehope of Israel that I wear this chain.'	20 For 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.
21 They answered, 'We have received no letters from Judaea about you, nor has any of the brothersarrived here with any report or story of anything to your discredit.	21 And 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.
22 We think it would be as wel to hear your own account of your position; al we know about this sect isthat it encounters opposition everywhere.'	22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
23 So they arranged a day with him and a large number of them visited him at his lodgings. He put hiscase to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them about Jesus, arguing from the Law ofMoses and the prophets from early morning until evening;	23 And 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.
24 and some were convinced by what he said, while the rest were sceptical.	24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
25 So they disagreed among themselves and, as they went away, Paul had one last thing to say to them,'How aptly the Holy Spirit spoke when he told your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah:	25 And 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,
26 Go and say to this people: Listen and listen but never understand! Look and look but never perceive!	26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
27 This people's heart is torpid, their ears dul ed, they have shut their eyes tight, to avoid using their eyesto see, their ears to hear, using their heart to understand, changing their ways and being healed by me.	27 For 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.
28 'You must realise, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the gentiles;they wil listen to it.'	28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
29	29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
30 He spent the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He welcomed all who came to visithim,	30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ with completefearlessness and without any hindrance from anyone.	31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.