28:1 After we had safely reached shore, 1 we learned that the island was called Malta. 2 28:2 The local inhabitants 3 showed us extraordinary 4 kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain 5 and was cold. 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood 6 and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 28:4 When the local people 7 saw the creature hanging from Paul’s 8 hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself 9 has not allowed him to live!” 10 28:5 However, 11 Paul 12 shook 13 the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 28:6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up 14 or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited 15 a long time and had seen 16 nothing unusual happen 17 to him, they changed their minds 18 and said he was a god. 19
28:7 Now in the region around that place 20 were fields belonging to the chief official 21 of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days. 28:8 The father 22 of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him 23 and after praying, placed 24 his hands on him and healed 25 him. 28:9 After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick 26 also came and were healed. 27 28:10 They also bestowed many honors, 28 and when we were preparing to sail, 29 they gave 30 us all the supplies we needed. 31