Acts 28:8

Easy-to-Read Version

Publius' father was very sick. He had a fever and dysentery, but Paul went to him and prayed for him. He laid his hands on the man and healed him.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him.

King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe that the father of Publius lay sicke of a feuer, and of a bloody-flixe, to whom Paul entred in, and prayed, and layed his hands on him, and healed him.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him.

New American Standard Bible
And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with a recurring fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after he prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.

New Century Version
Publius' father was sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, and put his hands on the man and healed him.

Amplified Bible
And it happened that the father of Publius was sick [in bed] with recurring attacks of fever and dysentery; and Paul went to him, and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.

Legacy Standard Bible
And it happened that the father of Publius was lying afflicted with fever and dysentery; and Paul, going to see him and having prayed, laid his hands on him and healed him.

Berean Standard Bible
The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man.

Contemporary English Version
His father was in bed, sick with fever and stomach trouble, and Paul went to visit him. Paul healed the man by praying and placing his hands on him.

Complete Jewish Bible
Now it so happened that Publius' father was lying in bed, sick with fever attacks and dysentery. Sha'ul went in to him, prayed, placed his hands on him and healed him.

Darby Translation
And it happened that the father of Publius lay ill of fever and dysentery; to whom Paul entered in, and having prayed and laid his hands on him cured him.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And so it was, that the father of Publius lay sicke of the feauer, and of a bloodie flixe: to whom Paul entred in, and when he prayed, he laide his hands on him, and healed him.

George Lamsa Translation
But the father of Pub''li-us was sick with fever and dysentery: so Paul went in to where he was lying and prayed, then he laid his hand on him and healed him.

Good News Translation
Publius' father was in bed, sick with fever and dysentery. Paul went into his room, prayed, placed his hands on him, and healed him.

Lexham English Bible
And it happened that the father of Publius was lying down, afflicted with fever and dysentery. Paul went to him and after praying, he placed his hands on him and healed him.

Literal Translation
And it happened the father of Publius was lying down, suffering from fevers and dysentery; to whom Paul, entering and praying, laying on his hands, cured him.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And the father of Publius was ill, with a disease of the stomach; to whom Paul went, and put his hands on him, with prayer, and made him well.

Hebrew Names Version
It was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Sha'ul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.

International Standard Version
The father of Publius happened to be sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, and healed him by placing his hands on him.Mark 6:5; 7:32; 16:18; Luke 4:40; Acts 19:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:9,28; James 5:14-15;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But the father of Publios was ill in a fever, and a disease of the bowels. And Paulos went in to him, and prayed and laid his hand on him, and healed him.

Murdock Translation
And the father of Publius was sick with a fever and dysentery. And Paul went in to him, and prayed, and laid his hand on him, and healed him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And it came to passe, that the father of Publius lay sicke of a feuer, and of a bloody flixe: to whom Paul entred in, & prayed, and layde his handes on hym, and healed hym.

English Revised Version
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.

World English Bible
It was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and bloody flux; to whom Paul went in, and having prayed, laid his hands on him and healed him.

Weymouth's New Testament
It happened, however, that his father was lying ill of dysentery aggravated by attacks of fever; so Paul went to see him, and, after praying, laid his hands on him and cured him.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And it bifel, that the fader of Pupplius lai trauelid with fyueris and blodi flux. To whom Poul entride, and whanne he hadde preied, and leid his hondis on hym, he helide hym.

Update Bible Version
And it was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying his hands on him healed him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass that the father of Publius lay sick with a fever, and a bloody-flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.

New English Translation
The father of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and after praying, placed his hands on him and healed him.

New King James Version
And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him.

New Living Translation
As it happened, Publius's father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him.

New Life Bible
The father of Publius was sick with a stomach sickness. Paul went to see him. He prayed and laid his hands on him and the man was healed.

New Revised Standard
It so happened that the father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it so happened that, the father of Publius, with feverish heats and dysentery distressed, was lying prostrate: unto whom Paul entering in and praying, laid his hands on him, and healed him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux. To whom Paul entered in. And when he had prayed and laid his hands on him, he healed him.

Revised Standard Version
It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery; and Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And it fortuned that the father of Publius laye sicke of a fiever and of a bluddy flixe. To who Paul entred in and prayde and layde his hondes on him and healed him.

Young's Literal Translation
and it came to pass, the father of Publius with feverish heats and dysentery pressed, was laid, unto whom Paul having entered, and having prayed, having laid [his] hands on him, healed him;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
It fortuned wha Publius father laye sicke of the feuers and of a bloudy fluxe, Paul wente in vnto him, and prayed, and layed the handes on him, and healed him.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Publius's father happening then to lie sick of a fever, and a dysentery, Paul made him a visit, pray'd by him, gave him imposition of hands, and cur'd him.

Simplified Cowboy Version
The ranch owner's father was sick in bed. He had a bad case of the scours and a fever that wouldn't break. Paul went in to see him and put his hands on the sick man in prayer. Then the old boy got up as if nothing had ever been wrong.

Contextual Overview

¹ When we were safe on land, we learned that the island was called Malta. ² The people who lived there were very good to us. It was raining and very cold, so they built a fire and welcomed all of us. ³ Paul gathered a pile of sticks for the fire. He was putting the sticks on the fire, and a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and bit him on the hand. ⁴ When the people living on the island saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said, "This man must be a murderer! He did not die in the sea, but Justice does not want him to live." ⁵ But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and was not hurt. ⁶ The people thought he would swell up or fall down dead. They waited and watched him for a long time, but nothing bad happened to him. So they changed their opinion. They said, "He is a god!" ⁷ There were some fields around that same area. They were owned by a man named Publius, the most important Roman official on the island. He welcomed us into his home and was very good to us. We stayed in his house for three days. ⁸ Publius' father was very sick. He had a fever and dysentery, but Paul went to him and prayed for him. He laid his hands on the man and healed him. ⁹ After this happened, all the other sick people on the island came to Paul, and he healed them too. ¹⁰The people on the island gave us many honors. And after we had been there three months and were ready to leave, they provided us everything we needed for our trip. We got on a ship from Alexandria that had stayed on the island of Malta during the winter. On the front of the ship was the sign for the twin gods.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the father: Mark 1:30, Mark 1:31

prayed: Acts 9:40, 1 Kings 17:20-22, James 5:14-16

laid: Acts 9:17, Acts 9:18, Acts 19:11, Acts 19:12, Matthew 9:18, Mark 6:5, Mark 7:32, Mark 16:18, Luke 4:40, Luke 13:13

and healed: Matthew 10:1, Matthew 10:8, Luke 9:1-3, Luke 10:8, Luke 10:9, 1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:28

Reciprocal: Esther 6:3 - What honour Matthew 21:41 - and will let out Matthew 25:36 - was sick Mark 5:23 - lay thy hands

Cross-References

Genesis 24:3
Now I want you to make a promise to me. Promise to me before the Lord , the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry a girl from Canaan. We live among these people, but don't let him marry a Canaanite girl.

Genesis 28:1
Isaac called Jacob and blessed him. Then Isaac gave him a command and said, "You must not marry a Canaanite woman.

1 Samuel 8:6
So the elders asked for a king to lead them. Samuel thought this was a bad idea, so he prayed to the Lord .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass that the father of Publius,.... So that Publius was not an old man, though of so much dignity and wealth: the Arabic version, contrary to all copies, and other versions, reads, "the son of Publius":

lay sick of a fever; or fevers, of different sorts, a complication of them, which sometimes is the case; unless this was an intermitting fever, and the several fits of it are intended; or rather the plural number is put for the singular, to denote the vehemence of it, and which was attended with another disorder, and might be brought on by it:

and of a bloody flux; or dysentery, a pain of the bowels, as the Syriac version renders it; or an ulceration of the bowels, as the Arabic version; which occasioned a discharge of blood, so that his case was very threatening. This disease, according to modern writers y, is attended with a fever. The word "dysentery" here used properly signifies that kind of flux of the belly, characterized by the frequency of stools, or dejections, mixed with blood, and accompanied with gripes: the fever, ulcer, c. which attend it, are not essential to the disease though many both of the ancients and moderns think the ulcer is.--There are three kinds of "dysenteries"; the "first" when a laudable blood is evacuated from a mere plethora, or plenitude, without any disorder of the intestines, as in the haemorrhoidal flux; the "second" when a thin watery blood is evacuated, called the "hepatic" flux, though really arising from haemorrhoidal vessels; the "third" kind, which is that that is properly called the dysentery, is when blood is cast out, mixed with a purulent matter in the excrements: this is either "benign", i.e. without a fever, and not contagious; or "malignant", which is attended with a pestilential fever, and frequently ravages whole cities and provinces, happening most commonly in armies; in the last stage, a sort of caruncles are frequently ejected along with the purulent matter, which are difficult to be accounted for, unless from an excoriation and ulceration of the intestines: sometimes the intestines are even gangrened: this seems to have been the case of the father of Publius, which makes the following cure the more remarkable:

to whom Paul entered in; into the room where he was, no doubt with the consent and leave, if not at the request of Publius; the Ethiopic version adds, "and he entreated him to put his hand upon him"; that is, either Publius asked this favour of the apostle for his father, having heard of the affair of the viper, from whence he concluded there was something divine and extraordinary in him; or the father of Publius asked this for himself:

and prayed and laid his hands on him, and healed him; when Paul had entered the room, and found in what a bad condition the sick man was, he either kneeled down and prayed by him, or stood and prayed over him, and for him, that God would restore him to his health; and this he did, to let them know that he himself was not a god; and that the cure that would now be wrought would be from God, and not from himself, and therefore all the glory should be given to God; and he laid his hands on him, as a sign or symbol, or rite that was used in extraordinary cases, and agreeably to the direction and promise of Christ, Mark 16:18; and upon this a cure followed; both the diseases left him at once, and he was restored to health.

y See Chambers's Cyclopaedia in the word "Dysentery".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A bloody flux - Greek: dysentery.

And laid his hands on him ... - In accordance with the promise of the Saviour, Mark 16:18. This miracle was a suitable return for the hospitality of Publius, and would serve to conciliate further the kindness of the people, and prepare the way for Paul’s usefulness.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 28:8. The father of Publius lay sick — πυρετοις και δυσεντερια; Of a fever and dysentery; perhaps a cholera morbus.

Paul - prayed — That God would exert his power; and laid his hands on him, as the means which God ordinarily used to convey the energy of the Holy Spirit, and healed him; God having conveyed the healing power by this means. In such a disorder as that mentioned here by St. Luke, where the bowels were in a state of inflammation, and a general fever aiding the dysentery in its work of death, nothing less than a miracle could have made an instantaneous cure in the patient. Such a cure was wrought, and even the heathens saw that it was the hand of God.