| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1When we were safely on shore, we learned that the island was called Malta. | 1After we had safely reached shore, we 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 inhabitants showed us extraordinary kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain and was 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. | 3When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on 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 Paul's hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself has not allowed him to live!" |
| 5But he shook the snake into the fire and wasn't harmed. | 5However, Paul 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. | 6But they were expecting that he was going to swell up or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited a long time and had seen 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 region around that place were fields belonging to the chief official of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably as guests 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. | 8The father of Publius lay sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and after praying, placed his hands on him and healed him. |
| 9After that had happened, the rest of the sick people on the island went to him and were healed. | 9After this had happened, many of the people on the island who were sick also came and were healed. |
| 10The islanders honored us in many ways, and when we were about to sail again, they supplied us with everything we needed. | 10They also bestowed many honors, and when we were preparing to sail, they gave us all the supplies 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 put out to sea in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and had the "Heavenly Twins" as its figurehead. |
| 12We stopped at Syracuse and stayed there for three days. | 12We put in at Syracuse and stayed there 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 we cast off and arrived at Rhegium, and after one day a south wind sprang up and on 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 some brothers and were invited to stay with them seven days. And in this way 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. | 15The brothers from there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. When he saw them, Paul 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 allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding 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 Paul called the local Jewish leaders together. When they had assembled, he said to them, "Brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, from Jerusalem I was handed over as a prisoner to 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. | 18When they had heard my case, they wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me. |
| 19But the Jews objected and forced me to appeal to the emperor, even though I have no countercharge to bring against my own people. | 19But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar--not that I had some charge to bring against my own people. |
| 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." | 20So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel." |
| 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. | 21They replied, "We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there and reported or said anything bad 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 regarding this sect we know that people everywhere speak against it." |
| 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. | 23They set a day to meet with him, and they came to him where he was staying in even greater numbers. From morning until evening he explained things to them, testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about 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 convinced by what he said, but others refused to 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! | 25So they began to leave, unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah |
| 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 this people and say, "You will keep on hearing, but will never understand, and you will keep on looking, but will 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 heart of this people has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, 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." | 28"Therefore be advised that this salvation from God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen!" |
| 30For two whole years Paul lived in his own rented place and welcomed everyone who came to him. | 30Paul lived there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to 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 about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without restriction. |
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