Acts 28

1 Once we were safely [having escaped, rescued] ashore, we learned [came to know, discovered] that the island [a landmass surrounded by water] was called [named, known as] Malta [Melita, a place of refuge]. word study 2 The islanders [barbarous people, foreigners] showed us extraordinary [no little, uncommon] kindness [benevolence, love for humanity]. They kindled [set on fire, lit] a fire [a concrete blaze] and welcomed [received, took in] all of us because it was raining [a shower, present rain] and cold [a lack of warmth, chilly]. word study 3 Paul [the Roman apostle] gathered a bundle of sticks [brushwood, dry sticks], and as he laid them on the fire [a concrete blaze], a viper [a poisonous snake], driven out by the heat [warmth], fastened itself [attached] to his hand [the instrument of power]. word study 4 When the islanders [barbarians, foreigners] saw the creature [venomous beast, wild animal] hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely [without doubt, certainly] this man is a murderer [one who takes a life, a killer]. Although he was saved [rescued, delivered] from the sea, Justice [vengeance, condemnation] has not allowed [permitted, suffered] him to live [have life, exist].” word study 5 But Paul [then, indeed] shook [having shaken off, to shake off] the creature [wild animal, beast] off into the fire [flames, purification] and suffered [experienced, endured] no [none, nothing] ill effects [harm, evil]. word study 6 The islanders [the people of Malta, native inhabitants] were expecting him [Paul, the apostle] to swell up [to become inflamed, as if poisoned] or suddenly [without warning, unexpectedly] drop dead [to fall down lifeless]. But after waiting a long time [a great while, with much anticipation] and seeing nothing unusual [no harm, no evil] happen to him, they changed their minds [turned about in opinion, had a change of heart] and said he was a god [a divine being, having God’s nature]. word study 7 Nearby [in the same quarters, around that place] stood an estate [lands, possessions] belonging to Publius [a Roman governor], the chief official [first, foremost] of the island [a specific island, a place of refuge]. He welcomed [received, entertained] us and entertained [hosted, lodged] us hospitably [with kindness, courtesy] for three [a specific number of] days [a period of time, a season]. word study 8 The father [male parent, patriarch] of Publius was sick [afflicted, suffering] in bed, suffering from fever [a high temperature, inflammation] and dysentery [a severe intestinal illness, bloody flux]. Paul went in [entered, came to] to see him, and after praying [worshiping, petitioning God] and placing his hands [laying on, imparting] on him, he healed [restored to health, cured] the man. word study 9 After this [specific event] had happened, the rest [remaining ones] of the sick [having weakness] on the island [a place of isolation] came [approached] and were cured [healed] as well [also]. word study 10 The islanders [showed great respect, honored us highly] honored us in many ways [with many honors, gifts] and supplied [laded us with, provided] our needs [necessities, requirements] when we were ready [prepared, about] to sail [set sail, depart]. word study 11 After [following, subsequent to] three months we set sail [departed, embarked] in an Alexandrian [from the city of Alexandria, Egyptian] ship [vessel, boat] that had [spent the winter, remained] wintered [to stay during the cold season, to tarry] in the island [a piece of land surrounded by water, an isolated place]. It had the Twin Brothers [Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux, the twin gods] as a figurehead. word study 12 Putting in [touching, landing] at Syracuse [a city in Sicily], we stayed [tarried, remained] there [in that place] three [a specific number of] days [a period of 24 hours]. word study 13 From there [whence, from that place] we weighed anchor and came [arrived, reached] to Rhegium. After [following, with] one day [a 24-hour period, a period of time], a south [the southern region] wind [a gentle breeze] came up [arose, sprang up], and on the second [next, following] day we arrived [came, reached] at Puteoli [a city in Italy, known for its mineral springs]. word study 14 There we found [came across, discovered] some brothers [fellow Christians, brethren] who invited [desired, entreated] us to spend [tarry, remain] the week [seven days, a period of completion] with them [in their company, among them]. And so [thus, in this way] we came [went, traveled] to Rome [the capital city, the center of the empire]. word study 15 The brothers [fellow Christians, believers] there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum [marketplace, gathering place] of Appius and the Three Taverns [inns, resting places] to meet us. When Paul [the apostle, formerly Saul] saw them, he was encouraged [took courage, felt confident] and gave thanks [expressed gratitude, praised] to God [the Almighty, Creator]. word study 16 When [at the specific point in time] we arrived [came, entered] in Rome [the capital city of Italy], Paul [the Roman apostle] was permitted [allowed, suffered] to stay [remain, dwell] by himself [alone, in solitude], with [together, in companionship] a soldier [a common warrior, guardian] to guard [watch, protect] him [Paul, the prisoner]. word study 17 After three [a specific number of] days, he called together [to assemble, convoke] the leaders [chief, principal men] of the Jews [people from Judah, Israelites]. When they had gathered [assembled, come together], he said to them, “Brothers [fellow Jews, brethren], although I have done [committed, acted] nothing [no wrong, no evil] against our people [nation, community] or the customs [traditions, laws] of our fathers [ancestors, forefathers], I was taken [seized, apprehended] prisoner [captive, in bonds] in Jerusalem [the holy city] and handed over [delivered, surrendered] to the Romans [the ruling authorities, Gentiles]. word study 18 They examined [investigated, questioned] me and wanted [desired, were willing] to release [set free, liberate] me, because [on account of, due to] there was no basis [cause, charge] for a death [physical or spiritual] sentence [punishment, judgment] against me [toward me, in my case]. word study 19 But when the Jews objected [spoke against it], I was compelled [constrained, forced] to appeal [call on, invoke] to Caesar [the Roman emperor, ruling power], even though I have [possess, hold] no [none, nothing] charge [accusation, fault] to bring [accuse, speak against] against my nation [people, Gentiles, ethnic group]. word study 20 So for this reason [therefore, as a consequence] I have called [requested, invited] to see you and speak with you [to talk to, converse with]. It is because of [on account of, due to] the hope [expectation, trust] of Israel [the chosen people, God’s nation] that I am bound [restrained, confined] with this chain [physical restraint, bondage].” word study 21 The leaders [Jewish elders, chief priests] replied, “We have not received any letters [written messages, epistles] about you from Judea [the region of southern Palestine], nor have any of the brothers [fellow Christians, believers] from there reported [announced, declared] or even mentioned [spoken, uttered] anything bad [evil, harmful] about you [concerning your character, reputation]. word study 22 But we consider [deem worthy, think deserving of respect] your views [opinions, thoughts, what you think] worth hearing [deserving to be listened to], because we know [are acquainted with, aware of] that people [men, humans] everywhere [in all places, throughout the world] are speaking [talking, saying] against [in opposition to, in disagreement with] this [the Christian] sect [group, party, religious movement].” word study 23 So they set a day [to meet at an appointed time] to meet with Paul, and many people [a large crowd, a great number] came to the place [his lodging, where he was staying] he was staying. He expounded [explained, gave a detailed account] to them from morning [at dawn, early] to evening [until nightfall], testifying [bearing witness, giving a solemn declaration] about the kingdom [the royal power, the dominion] of God [the supreme Creator, the one true deity] and persuading [convincing, urging] them about Jesus [the Messiah, the Savior] from the Law [the teachings, the commandments] of Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] and the Prophets [the messengers of God, the spokesmen]. word study 24 Some [certain ones, a few] of them were convinced [persuaded, had faith] by what he said [the things spoken, his message], but others [some, a few] refused [disbelieved, would not trust] to believe [have faith, trust]. word study 25 They disagreed [could not agree, were discordant] among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy [set apart, sacred] Spirit [the divine breath] was right [spoke well, truly] when He spoke [uttered, declared] to your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] through [by means of, through the agency of] Isaiah [Esaias] the prophet [one who speaks for God]: word study 26 ‘Go to this people [a specific nation or group] and say, “You will be ever hearing [with the ear, but not necessarily understanding] but never understanding [comprehending or perceiving]; you will be ever seeing [looking at, but not necessarily discerning] but never perceiving [grasping the spiritual significance].” word study 27 For this people’s heart has grown callous [has become spiritually dull, waxed gross]; they hardly hear [with difficulty, with dull ears] with their ears, and they have closed [shut, winked with] their eyes. Otherwise they might see [perceive, understand] with their eyes, hear [listen, obey] with their ears, understand [comprehend, discern] with their hearts, and turn [repent, be converted], and I would heal [cure, restore spiritually] them.’ word study 28 Be advised [be it known], therefore, that God’s [the one true deity] salvation [deliverance, spiritual rescue] has been sent [dispatched, appointed] to the Gentiles [non-Jewish people, nations], and they will listen [hear, obey, understand]!” word study 30 Paul [the Roman apostle] stayed [remained, dwelt] there [in his own rented house] two full years [a period of two years] in his own rented house, welcoming [receiving] all [every] who came [entered] to visit [see, talk with] him [Paul, the prisoner]. word study 31 Boldly [with all confidence, without fear] and freely [without hindrance, unforbidden] he proclaimed [preaching, heralding] the kingdom [royal power, dominion] of God [the one true deity] and taught [instructing, guiding] about [concerning, regarding] the Lord [master, ruler] Jesus Christ [the anointed, Messiah]. word study