| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Once we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta. | 1After we had safely reached shore, we learned that the island was called Malta. |
| 2The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold. | 2The local inhabitants showed us extraordinary kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain and was cold. |
| 3Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand. | 3When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. |
| 4When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” | 4When the local people saw the creature hanging from Paul's hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself has not allowed him to live!" |
| 5But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. | 5However, Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. |
| 6The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. | 6But they were expecting that he was going to swell up or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. |
| 7Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. | 7Now in the region around that place were fields belonging to the chief official of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests for three days. |
| 8The 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. | 8The 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. |
| 9After this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured as well. | 9After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick also came and were healed. |
| 10The islanders honored us in many ways and supplied our needs when we were ready to sail. | 10They also bestowed many honors, and when we were preparing to sail, they gave us all the supplies we needed. |
| 11After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered in the island. It had the Twin Brothers as a figurehead. | 11After three months we put out to sea in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the "Heavenly Twins" as its figurehead. |
| 12Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there three days. | 12We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. |
| 13From there we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day, a south wind came up, and on the second day we arrived at Puteoli. | 13From there we cast off and arrived at Rhegium, and after one day a south wind sprang up and on the second day we came to Puteoli. |
| 14There we found some brothers who invited us to spend the week with them. And so we came to Rome. | 14There we found some brothers and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way we came to Rome. |
| 15The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God. | 15The brothers from there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. When he saw them, Paul thanked God and took courage. |
| 16When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him. | 16When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him. |
| 17After three days, he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. | 17After three days Paul called the local Jewish leaders together. When they had assembled, he said to them, "Brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, from Jerusalem I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. |
| 18They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me. | 18When they had heard my case, they wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me. |
| 19But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, even though I have no charge to bring against my nation. | 19But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar--not that I had some charge to bring against my own people. |
| 20So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” | 20So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel." |
| 21The leaders replied, “We have not received any letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the brothers from there reported or even mentioned anything bad about you. | 21They replied, "We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there and reported or said anything bad about you. |
| 22But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.” | 22But we would like to hear from you what you think, for regarding this sect we know that people everywhere speak against it." |
| 23So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. | 23They set a day to meet with him, and they came to him where he was staying in even greater numbers. From morning until evening he explained things to them, testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets. |
| 24Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe. | 24Some were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe. |
| 25They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: | 25So they began to leave, unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah |
| 26‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” | 26when he said, 'Go to this people and say, "You will keep on hearing, but will never understand, and you will keep on looking, but will never perceive. |
| 27For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’ | 27For the heart of this people has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them."' |
| 28Be advised, therefore, that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” | 28"Therefore be advised that this salvation from God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen!" |
| 30Paul stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to visit him. | 30Paul lived there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him, |
| 31Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. | 31proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without restriction. |
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