Read the Bible

¹ And when we had 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 has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.⁵ Nevertheless 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 saw 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: to 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 onboard 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 there 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 brothers, and were entreated to tarry with them seven days: and so we came to Rome.¹⁵ And from there the brothers, 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 allowed 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 had come together, he said to them, I, men, brothers, having 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, desired to set me at liberty, because there was no cause of death in me.¹⁹ But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar; not that I had anything whereof to accuse my nation.²⁰ For this cause therefore I entreated 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 to him, We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any harm of you.²² But we desire to hear of you what you think: 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 until evening.²⁴ And some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.²⁵ And when they didn't agree among themselves, they departed after that Paul had spoken one word, Well did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers,²⁶ saying, "Go to this people, and say, By hearing you shall hear, and shall in no way understand; And seeing you shall see, and shall in no way perceive:²⁷ For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest, perhaps 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 to you, that this salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles: they will also hear.

³⁰ And he abode two whole years in his own rented dwelling, and received all that went in to him,³¹ preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him.