1 And when we were escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melitēnē. 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 †quantity of sticks and laid on the fire, a viper came out from the heat, and fastened on his :hand. 4 And when the barbarians saw the beast 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 come to him, they changed their minds, and said he was a god. 7 Now in the neighborhood of that :place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, Publius by name; 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 :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 three days. 13 And from thence we made a circuit, and arrived at Rhēgium: and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second 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 thence the brethren, when they heard about 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, after three days he called together those that were the first among the Jews: and when they were come together, he said unto them, I, men and brethren, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans: 18 who, when they had examined me, intended to set me free, because of death no cause was in me. 19 But when the Jews contradicted, I was constrained to appeal to Cæsar; not that I had aught whereof to accuse my :nation. 20 For this cause therefore did I invite 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 :Judæa concerning thee, nor did any of the brethren come hither and report or speak any evil of thee. 22 But we deem it proper 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, quite a number came unto him to the lodging; to whom he expounded, testifying the kingdom of :God, and persuading them concerning :Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some consented to the things spoken, some however disbelieved. 25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they were dismissed, :Paul uttering one saying [that], Well spake the Holy :Spirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your :fathers, 26 saying,
Go unto this :people, and say,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in nowise understand; And looking ye shall look, and shall in nowise see:
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross,
And their ears are dull of hearing,
And their :eyes they have closed;
Lest haply they shall see with their eyes, And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart, And turn again,
And I shall heal them.
28 Be it known therefore to you, that this :salvation of :God is sent to the nations: and THEY will hear.
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, without hindrance.
