| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1When we were safely on shore, we learned that the island was called Malta. | 1Once ashore, we then learned that the island was called Malta. |
| 2The people who lived there were unusually kind to us. It had started to rain and was cold, so they started a bonfire and invited us to join them around it. | 2The local people showed us extraordinary kindness, for they lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. |
| 3Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and put it on the fire. A poisonous snake was forced out by the heat and attached itself to Paul's hand. | 3As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself to his hand. |
| 4When the people who lived there saw the snake hanging from his hand, they told one another, "This man must be a murderer! He may have escaped from the sea, but Justice won't let him live." | 4When the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "This man is probably a murderer, and though he has escaped the sea, Justice does not allow him to live!" |
| 5But he shook the snake into the fire and wasn't harmed. | 5However, he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. |
| 6They 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. | 6They expected that he would swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. |
| 7The governor of the island, whose name was Publius, owned estates in that part of the island. He welcomed us and entertained us with great hospitality for three days. | 7Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. |
| 8The 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. | 8Publius'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. |
| 9After that had happened, the rest of the sick people on the island went to him and were healed. | 9After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. |
| 10The islanders honored us in many ways, and when we were about to sail again, they supplied us with everything we needed. | 10So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed. |
| 11Three months later, we continued our sailing onboard an Alexandrian ship that had spent the winter at the island. It had the Twin Brothers as its figurehead. | 11After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead. |
| 12We stopped at Syracuse and stayed there for three days. | 12Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days. |
| 13Then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. A day later, a south wind began to blow, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. | 13From there, after making a circuit along the coast, we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli. |
| 14There we found some brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. After this, we arrived in Rome. | 14There we found believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. |
| 15The brothers there heard about us and came as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and felt encouraged. | 15Now the believers from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. |
| 16When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier who was guarding him. | 16When we entered Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him. |
| 17Three days later, Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. When they assembled, he told them, "Brothers, although I haven't done anything against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. | 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 ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. |
| 18They examined me and wanted to let me go because there was no reason for me to receive the death penalty in my case. | 18After they examined me, they wanted to release me, since I had not committed a capital offense. |
| 19But the Jews objected and forced me to appeal to the emperor, even though I have no countercharge to bring against my own people. | 19Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar; it was not as though I had any accusation against my nation. |
| 20That's why I asked to see you and speak with you, since it is for the hope of Israel that I'm wearing this chain." | 20For this reason I've asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I'm wearing this chain." |
| 21The Jewish leaders told him, "We haven't received any letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or mentioned anything bad about you. | 21Then they said to him, "We haven't received any letters about you from Judea. None of the brothers has come and reported or spoken anything evil about you. |
| 22However, we'd like to hear from you what you believe, because people are talking against this sect everywhere." | 22But we would like to hear from you what you think. For concerning this sect, we are aware that it is spoken against everywhere." |
| 23So they set a day to meet with Paul and came out in large numbers to see him where he was staying. From morning until evening, he continued to explain the kingdom of God to them, trying to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. | 23After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and witnessed about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. |
| 24Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others wouldn't believe. | 24Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe. |
| 25They disagreed with one another as they were leaving, so Paul added this statement: "The Holy Spirit was so right when he spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah! | 25Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement: "The Holy Spirit correctly spoke through the prophet Isaiah to your ancestors |
| 26He said, 'Go to this people and say, "You will listen and listen but never understand, and you will look and look but never see! | 26when He said, Go to these people and say: You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive. |
| 27For this people's minds have become stupid, and their ears can barely hear, and they have shut their eyes so that they may never see with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn and let me heal them."' | 27For the hearts of these people have grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted, and I would heal them. |
| 28You must understand that this message about God's salvation has been sent to the gentiles, and they will listen." | 28Therefore, let it be known to you that this saving work of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen!" |
| 29 | 29After he said these things, the Jews departed, while engaging in a prolonged debate among themselves. |
| 30For two whole years Paul lived in his own rented place and welcomed everyone who came to him. | 30Then he stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, |
| 31He continued to preach about the kingdom of God and to teach boldly and freely about the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. | 31proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with full boldness and without hindrance. |
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