Acts 28:4

Acts 28:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
• New International Version (NIV)When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”

Context of Acts 28:4

2And the natives showed us extraordinary kindness and hospitality; for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, since it had begun to rain and was cold. 3But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper crawled out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, Justice [the avenging goddess] has not permitted him to live.” 5Then Paul [simply] shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6But they stood watching and expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began saying that he was a god.

Acts 28:4 word by word

Ὡς δὲ εἶδον οἱ βάρβαροι κρεμάμενον τὸ θηρίον ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ, πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔλεγον· πάντως φονεύς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος, ὃν διασωθέντα ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης ἡ δίκη ζῆν οὐκ εἴασεν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• whenὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• the barbariansὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the barbariansβάρβαροςbarbaros · barbarianG915
• sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• theθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
• hangκρεμάωkremannumi · to hangG2910
• onἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• handχείρcheir · handG5495
• they saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• amongπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• themselvesἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• No doubtπάντωςpantōs · surelyG3843
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a murdererφονεύςphoneus · murdererG5406
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• he hath escapedδιασῴζωdiasōzō · to saveG1295
• the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
• yet vengeanceδίκηdikē · condemnationG1349
• sufferethἐάωeaō · to allowG1439
• notοὐou · noG3756
• to liveζάωzaō · to liveG2198

Cross-references for Acts 28:4

• Acts 28:2And the natives showed us extraordinary kindness and hospitality; for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, since it had begun to rain and was cold.
• Acts 28:5Then Paul [simply] shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
• Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
• Isaiah 13:21But desert creatures will lie down there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches also will live there, and wild goats will dance there.
• Isaiah 43:20The beasts of the field will honor Me, Jackals and ostriches, Because I have given waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen.
• Zephaniah 2:15This is the joyous city Which dwells carelessly [feeling so secure], Who says in her heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.” What a desolation she has become, A lair for [wild] animals! Everyone who passes by her will hiss [in scorn] And wave his hand in contempt.
• Luke 13:2Jesus replied to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they have suffered in this way?
• John 7:24Do not judge by appearance [superficially and arrogantly], but judge fairly and righteously.”
• John 9:1While He was passing by, He noticed a man [who had been] blind from birth.
• Genesis 4:8Cain talked with Abel his brother [about what God had said]. And when they were [alone, working] in the field, Cain attacked Abel his brother and killed him.
• Genesis 9:5For your lifeblood I will most certainly require an accounting; from every animal [that kills a person] I will require it. And from man, from every man’s brother [that is, anyone who murders] I will require the life of man.
• Genesis 42:21And they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty regarding our brother [Joseph], because we saw the distress and anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us [to let him go], yet we would not listen [to his cry]; so this distress and anguish has come on us.”
• Numbers 35:31Moreover, you shall not accept a ransom [in exchange] for the life of a murderer guilty and sentenced to death; but he shall certainly be put to death.
• Proverbs 28:17A man who is burdened with the guilt of human blood (murder) Will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him or give him refuge.
• Isaiah 26:21Listen carefully, the Lord is about to come out of His [heavenly] place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their wickedness [their sin, their injustice, their wrongdoing]; The earth will reveal the [innocent] blood shed upon her And will no longer cover her slain.
• Matthew 23:35so that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Commentaries on Acts 28:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The venomous beast - , The venomous animal; for is a general name among the Greek writers for serpents, vipers, scorpions, wasps, and such like creatures. Though the viper fastened on Paul's hand, it does not appear that it really bit him; but the Maltese supposed that it had, because they saw it fasten on his hand. Vengeance suffereth not to live - These heathens had a general knowledge of retributive justice; and they thought that the stinging of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The venomous beast - The English word “beast” we usually apply to an animal of larger size than a viper. But the original ́ thērionis applicable to animals of any kind, and was especially applied by Greek writers to serpents. See Schleusner. No doubt - The fact that the viper had fastened on him; and that, as they supposed, he must now certainly die, was the proof from which they inferred his guilt. Is a murderer - Why they thought he was a murderer…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-6The people of Malta believed that justice was a personal power or a god who punished criminals. When nothing bad happened to Paul, they changed their minds. They saw that he was not harmed by the snake. So they thought he had power over snakes and said that he must be a god (compare 14:11–12). But this was not true. Paul did not have special power in himself. Instead, his survival showed that God was protecting him (compare Mark 16:17–18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-64-6. No doubt this man is a murderer--His chains, which they would see, might strengthen the impression. whom ... vengeance suffereth not to live--They believed in a Supreme, Resistless, Avenging Eye and Hand, however vague their notions of where it resided.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 28:4

• Barbarian
• Melita (Malta)
• Minister, Christian
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Attain
• Barbarian
• Compass
• Concern
• Confidence
• Constrain
• Escape
• Foreship
• James

Commentaries on Acts 28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings