Acts 28:1-10

1So then we were on the shore and we were all safe. We discovered that the island was called Malta.

2The people who lived on the island were very kind to us. Rain was falling and the weather was cold. So the people lit a fire and they helped all of us.

3Paul picked up some small branches to put on the fire. When he did this, a dangerous snake came out from among the sticks. It had felt the heat from the fire. The snake bit Paul's hand and it held on to it.

4The people who lived on the island saw the snake. They saw that it was hanging from Paul's hand. So they said to each other, ‘We know now that this man murdered someone. He did not die in the sea but now the snake will kill him. The god who punishes people for the bad things that they do will not let him live.’

5Then Paul waved his hand about so that the snake fell off into the fire. The snake had not hurt Paul in any way.

6So the people watched Paul carefully. They thought that his body would become very sick. They thought that he might die suddenly. They waited for a long time. But they did not see anything bad happen to Paul. So then they thought something different about Paul. They said, ‘This man is certainly a god!’

7There was an important officer who ruled the island. He was called Publius. He had some fields near to the shore where we had made the fire. He was very kind to us. He asked us to stay in his house. We stayed there for three days.

8Publius's father was lying in bed because he was ill. His body was hot and he was very sick. Paul went into his room to see him. Paul prayed for him and he put his hands on the man's head. As a result, the man became well again.

9After Paul did this, the other sick people on the island came to him. He caused them also to become well again.

10The people gave us many gifts. Later, we got ready to leave the island on another ship. They gave us the things that we needed for the journey.