English Standard Version
Acts 28:5
5He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
Acts 28:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
- New International Version (NIV)But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.
Context of Acts 28:5
3When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. 4When 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." He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 6They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. 7Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.
Read all of Acts 28Acts 28:5 word by word
Ὁ μὲν οὖν τὸ θηρίον εἰς τὸ πῦρ ἔπαθεν οὐδὲν κακόν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
- he shook offἀποτινάσσωapotinassō · to shake offG660
- the beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
- and feltπάσχωpaschō pathō penthō · to sufferG3958
- noοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- harmκακόςkakos · evil/harm: harmG2556
Cross-references for Acts 28:5
- Numbers 21:6Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.
- Psalms 91:13You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
- Mark 16:18they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
- Luke 10:19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
- John 3:14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
- Romans 16:20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
- Revelation 9:3Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.
Commentaries on Acts 28:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm - This is a presumptive evidence that the viper did not bite St. Paul: it fastened on his hand, but had no power to injure him.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And he shook off - In this was remarkably fulfilled the promise of the Saviour Mark 16:18; “They shall take up serpents,” etc.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 28:5
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries