New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Acts 28
2
The people of the island were unusually kind. It was raining and cold. So they built a fire and welcomed all of us.
Reference
3
Paul gathered some sticks and put them on the fire. A poisonous snake was driven out by the heat. It fastened itself on Paul's hand.
Reference
4
The people of the island saw the snake hanging from his hand. They said to each other, "This man must be a murderer. He escaped from the sea. But Justice won't let him live." Justice was the name of a goddess.
Reference
6
The people expected him to swell up. They thought he would suddenly fall dead. They waited for a long time. But they didn't see anything unusual happen to him. So they changed their minds. They said he was a god.
Reference
References God
Acts 12:22
7
Publius owned property nearby. He was the chief official on the island. He welcomed us to his home. For three days he took care of us. He treated us with kindness.
People
8
His father was sick in bed. The man suffered from fever and dysentery. So Paul went in to see him. Paul prayed for him. He placed his hands on him and healed him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Mark 6:5
Mark 16:18
Matthew 9:18
1 Corinthians 12:9
1 Corinthians 12:28
Matthew 10:1
Matthew 10:8
Prayer
Acts 9:40
10
The people of the island honored us in many ways. When we were ready to sail, they gave us the supplies we needed.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Thessalonians 2:6
11
After three months we headed out to sea. We sailed in a ship that had stayed at the island during the winter. It was a ship from Alexandria. On the front of it the figures of twin gods were carved. Their names were Castor and Pollux.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 27:6
12
We landed at Syracuse and stayed there for three days.
📍 Syracuse
13
From there we sailed to Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up. The day after that, we reached Puteoli.
📍 Locations
14
There we found some believers. They invited us to spend a week with them. At last we came to Rome.
15
The brothers and sisters there had heard we were coming. They traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw these people, he thanked God and was cheered up.
Reference
📍 Locations
Parallel theme
Hebrews 13:3
17
Three days later Paul called a meeting of the Jewish leaders. So they came. Paul said to them, "My brothers, I have done nothing against our people. I have also done nothing against what our people of long ago practiced. But I was arrested in Jerusalem. I was handed over to the Romans.
Reference
18
"They questioned me. And they wanted to let me go. They saw I wasn't guilty of any crime worthy of death.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 23:29
19
But the Jews objected. So I had to make an appeal to Caesar. "It wasn't that I had anything against my own people.
Reference
20
I share Israel's hope. That is why I am held with this chain. So I have asked to see you and talk with you."
Reference
Hope
Acts 23:6
Acts 24:15
Parallel theme
Acts 26:29
Ephesians 6:20
2 Timothy 2:9
Philippians 1:13
Acts 21:33
21
They replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea about you. None of our companions who came from there has reported or said anything bad about you.
Reference
22
But we want to hear what your ideas are. We know that people everywhere are talking against those who believe as you do."
Reference
23
They decided to meet Paul on a certain day. At that time even more people came to the place where he was staying. From morning until evening, he told them about God's kingdom and explained it to them. Using the Law of Moses and the Prophets, he tried to get them to believe in Jesus.
Reference
25
They didn't agree with each other. They began to leave after Paul had made a final statement. He said, "The Holy Spirit was right when he spoke to your people long ago. Through Isaiah the prophet the Spirit said,
Reference
26
" 'Go to your people. Say to them, "You will hear but never understand. You will see but never know what you are seeing."
Reference
27
These people's hearts have become stubborn. They can barely hear with their ears. They have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes. They might hear with their ears. They might understand with their hearts. They might turn, and then I would heal them.' --(Isaiah 6:9,10)
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 6:10
28
"Here is what I want you to know. God has sent his salvation to people who are not Jews. And they will listen!"
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 22:21
Acts 15:17
Acts 18:6
Romans 4:11
References God
Acts 15:14
Acts 11:18
Acts 14:27
Salvation
Luke 3:6
Isaiah 52:10
Isaiah 49:6
30
For two whole years Paul stayed there in a house he rented. He welcomed all who came to see him.
31
He preached boldly about God's kingdom. No one could keep him from teaching people about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Reference
Kingdom
Acts 28:23
Matthew 4:23
Acts 20:25
Acts 8:12
Luke 8:1
References God
Acts 4:31
References Jesus
Acts 5:42
References Lord
Acts 4:29
2 Timothy 4:17
Philippians 1:14
Summary of Acts 28
Acts 28 brings Paul's long journey to Rome to its conclusion, beginning with the survivors of the shipwreck reaching Malta and ending with Paul living under house arrest while openly preaching about God's kingdom and Jesus Christ.
After surviving the terrible storm and shipwreck described in the previous chapter, Paul and the other 275 people discover that they have landed on the island of Malta.
The local people welcome them warmly, building a fire because the weather is cold and rainy.
While Paul is gathering wood for the fire, a poisonous snake comes out because of the heat and bites him on the hand.
The islanders immediately assume that Paul must be a murderer who has escaped the sea but is now receiving divine punishment.
However, Paul simply shakes the snake into the fire and suffers no harm.
When the people wait for him to swell up or suddenly die and nothing happens, they completely change their opinion and begin saying that Paul must be a god.
Paul does not use this event to seek personal glory; instead, his time on Malta becomes another opportunity for ministry.
The chief official of the island, Publius, welcomes Paul and his companions into his home.
Publius's father is seriously sick with fever, and Paul prays for him, places his hands on him, and heals him.
After this happens, other sick people from the island come to Paul and are also healed.
The islanders respond by honoring Paul and his companions and providing them with supplies when they eventually leave.
Paul therefore spends about three months on Malta, and what began as a terrible shipwreck becomes an unexpected opportunity for healing, service, and sharing the message of Jesus.
After winter has passed, Paul and the others leave Malta on another Alexandrian ship heading toward Italy.
They travel through Syracuse, Rhegium, and Puteoli, eventually reaching the Italian mainland.
At Puteoli they find Christians and stay with them for seven days, showing that Christian communities already exist in Italy before Paul reaches Rome.
When Christians in Rome hear that Paul is coming, some travel a considerable distance to meet him.
When Paul sees them, he thanks God and is encouraged, showing how meaningful Christian fellowship is to him after years of opposition, imprisonment, and difficult travel.
Eventually Paul arrives in Rome, the destination that Jesus had promised he would reach.
Although Paul is still a prisoner, the Roman authorities allow him to live in a rented house with only one soldier guarding him.
This gives Paul an unusual amount of freedom, allowing him to receive visitors and continue teaching.
After only three days, Paul calls together the Jewish leaders in Rome and explains why he has arrived as a prisoner.
He makes clear that he has done nothing against the Jewish people or their traditions and that Roman authorities had found no reason to execute him.
Paul explains that opposition from some Jewish leaders eventually forced him to appeal to Caesar, but he emphasizes that he is not trying to accuse his own people.
Instead, he explains that he is in chains because of the hope of Israel, especially the hope connected with God's promises and the resurrection.
The Jewish leaders in Rome tell Paul that they have not received reports from Judea accusing him and that they want to hear his views because Christianity is being spoken against in many places.
They arrange a meeting, and a large number of people come to Paul's lodging.
For the entire day, Paul explains God's kingdom and teaches about Jesus, using the Law of Moses and the Prophets to show why he believes Jesus is the promised Messiah.
As throughout Acts, the response is divided.
Some people believe Paul's message, while others refuse to believe.
Paul then quotes the prophet Isaiah to explain why some people hear God's message but do not understand it, because their hearts have become resistant to God's truth.
He concludes by declaring that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and that they will listen.
This statement summarizes one of the most important themes of Acts: the Gospel begins in Jerusalem but eventually spreads throughout the Roman world and reaches people from many different nations.
The final verses describe Paul living for two full years in his own rented house, where he welcomes everyone who comes to him.
Although he is still under Roman guard, Paul continues to preach about God's kingdom and teach people about Jesus Christ.
The final words of Acts are especially powerful because Paul is preaching boldly and without anyone stopping him.
The book does not give a detailed account of Paul's eventual trial, release, later travels, or death, but instead ends by showing that the mission of the Gospel continues.
The central message of Acts 28 is that God's mission cannot be stopped by storms, shipwrecks, snakes, imprisonment, opposition, or political power.
Paul's journey to Rome is filled with danger, but each difficult situation becomes another opportunity for him to serve God and tell people about Jesus.
The chapter also shows how Paul's circumstances repeatedly change without changing his purpose.
On Malta he is serving and healing people; on the journey to Rome he is encouraging frightened travelers; in Rome he is explaining his case to Jewish leaders; and under house arrest he continues teaching anyone who comes to him.
Historically, the chapter provides important details about Malta, ancient Mediterranean travel, Roman ports, and the early Christian community in Rome.
The three-month stay on Malta corresponds to the winter period when Mediterranean sea travel was especially dangerous, and the subsequent journey through Sicily and southern Italy follows a realistic route toward Rome.
Puteoli was one of the major ports serving Rome, making it a natural place for Paul to encounter Christians before continuing toward the capital.
The meeting with Christians from Rome is also significant because it confirms that the Gospel had already reached Rome before Paul arrived there.
The chapter's final scene is therefore not really about Paul's imprisonment but about the freedom of God's message.
Paul is physically restricted to a house and guarded by a soldier, yet he continues preaching openly.
The Roman Empire can control Paul's movements, but it cannot control the message he proclaims.
Acts begins with the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem and being commanded to become witnesses to Jesus to the ends of the earth.
It ends with Paul, a prisoner in Rome, still proclaiming God's kingdom and teaching about Jesus.
This creates a powerful sense that the story is not truly finished.
Acts ends with the Gospel still moving forward.
After surviving the terrible storm and shipwreck described in the previous chapter, Paul and the other 275 people discover that they have landed on the island of Malta.
The local people welcome them warmly, building a fire because the weather is cold and rainy.
While Paul is gathering wood for the fire, a poisonous snake comes out because of the heat and bites him on the hand.
The islanders immediately assume that Paul must be a murderer who has escaped the sea but is now receiving divine punishment.
However, Paul simply shakes the snake into the fire and suffers no harm.
When the people wait for him to swell up or suddenly die and nothing happens, they completely change their opinion and begin saying that Paul must be a god.
Paul does not use this event to seek personal glory; instead, his time on Malta becomes another opportunity for ministry.
The chief official of the island, Publius, welcomes Paul and his companions into his home.
Publius's father is seriously sick with fever, and Paul prays for him, places his hands on him, and heals him.
After this happens, other sick people from the island come to Paul and are also healed.
The islanders respond by honoring Paul and his companions and providing them with supplies when they eventually leave.
Paul therefore spends about three months on Malta, and what began as a terrible shipwreck becomes an unexpected opportunity for healing, service, and sharing the message of Jesus.
After winter has passed, Paul and the others leave Malta on another Alexandrian ship heading toward Italy.
They travel through Syracuse, Rhegium, and Puteoli, eventually reaching the Italian mainland.
At Puteoli they find Christians and stay with them for seven days, showing that Christian communities already exist in Italy before Paul reaches Rome.
When Christians in Rome hear that Paul is coming, some travel a considerable distance to meet him.
When Paul sees them, he thanks God and is encouraged, showing how meaningful Christian fellowship is to him after years of opposition, imprisonment, and difficult travel.
Eventually Paul arrives in Rome, the destination that Jesus had promised he would reach.
Although Paul is still a prisoner, the Roman authorities allow him to live in a rented house with only one soldier guarding him.
This gives Paul an unusual amount of freedom, allowing him to receive visitors and continue teaching.
After only three days, Paul calls together the Jewish leaders in Rome and explains why he has arrived as a prisoner.
He makes clear that he has done nothing against the Jewish people or their traditions and that Roman authorities had found no reason to execute him.
Paul explains that opposition from some Jewish leaders eventually forced him to appeal to Caesar, but he emphasizes that he is not trying to accuse his own people.
Instead, he explains that he is in chains because of the hope of Israel, especially the hope connected with God's promises and the resurrection.
The Jewish leaders in Rome tell Paul that they have not received reports from Judea accusing him and that they want to hear his views because Christianity is being spoken against in many places.
They arrange a meeting, and a large number of people come to Paul's lodging.
For the entire day, Paul explains God's kingdom and teaches about Jesus, using the Law of Moses and the Prophets to show why he believes Jesus is the promised Messiah.
As throughout Acts, the response is divided.
Some people believe Paul's message, while others refuse to believe.
Paul then quotes the prophet Isaiah to explain why some people hear God's message but do not understand it, because their hearts have become resistant to God's truth.
He concludes by declaring that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and that they will listen.
This statement summarizes one of the most important themes of Acts: the Gospel begins in Jerusalem but eventually spreads throughout the Roman world and reaches people from many different nations.
The final verses describe Paul living for two full years in his own rented house, where he welcomes everyone who comes to him.
Although he is still under Roman guard, Paul continues to preach about God's kingdom and teach people about Jesus Christ.
The final words of Acts are especially powerful because Paul is preaching boldly and without anyone stopping him.
The book does not give a detailed account of Paul's eventual trial, release, later travels, or death, but instead ends by showing that the mission of the Gospel continues.
The central message of Acts 28 is that God's mission cannot be stopped by storms, shipwrecks, snakes, imprisonment, opposition, or political power.
Paul's journey to Rome is filled with danger, but each difficult situation becomes another opportunity for him to serve God and tell people about Jesus.
The chapter also shows how Paul's circumstances repeatedly change without changing his purpose.
On Malta he is serving and healing people; on the journey to Rome he is encouraging frightened travelers; in Rome he is explaining his case to Jewish leaders; and under house arrest he continues teaching anyone who comes to him.
Historically, the chapter provides important details about Malta, ancient Mediterranean travel, Roman ports, and the early Christian community in Rome.
The three-month stay on Malta corresponds to the winter period when Mediterranean sea travel was especially dangerous, and the subsequent journey through Sicily and southern Italy follows a realistic route toward Rome.
Puteoli was one of the major ports serving Rome, making it a natural place for Paul to encounter Christians before continuing toward the capital.
The meeting with Christians from Rome is also significant because it confirms that the Gospel had already reached Rome before Paul arrived there.
The chapter's final scene is therefore not really about Paul's imprisonment but about the freedom of God's message.
Paul is physically restricted to a house and guarded by a soldier, yet he continues preaching openly.
The Roman Empire can control Paul's movements, but it cannot control the message he proclaims.
Acts begins with the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem and being commanded to become witnesses to Jesus to the ends of the earth.
It ends with Paul, a prisoner in Rome, still proclaiming God's kingdom and teaching about Jesus.
This creates a powerful sense that the story is not truly finished.
Acts ends with the Gospel still moving forward.