Acts 28:3

Verse

Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.

American Standard Version (1901)

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out by reason of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

Bible in Basic English

But when Paul had got some sticks together and put them on the fire, a snake came out, because of the heat, and gave him a bite on the hand.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And when Paul had gathered together a bundle of sticks, and had laid them on the fire, a viper coming out of the heat, fastened on his hand.

Free Bible Version

Paul collected a bundle of firewood and threw it on the fire. But a poisonous snake was driven out of the bundle because of the heat and bit him, fastening itself on his hand.

Geneva Bible 1599

And when Paul had gathered a nomber of stickes, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heate, and leapt on his hand.

King James (Authorized) Version

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

Plain English Version

Paul walked around and picked up some sticks and put them on the fire. But a cheeky snake jumped out from those sticks to get away from the fire, and it bit Paul’s hand and just hung on there.

Translation for Translators

Paul gathered some sticks and put them on the fire. But among those sticks was a snake that had come out from the fire to escape from the heat, and it fastened itself on Paul’s hand.

Unlocked Literal Bible

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and placed them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened onto his hand.

Noah Webster Bible

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

World English Bible

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.

Young's Literal Translation

but Paul having gathered together a quantity of sticks, and having laid [them] upon the fire, a viper — out of the heat having come — did fasten on his hand.

Context

Ashore on Malta

²The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.³Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand. ⁴When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”

Sermons

When the Serpent Bites Your Hand, Victory Is at the Door

Carter Conlon

2.1K

And the Lord Was With Joseph - Part 2

Steve Mays

1.1K

Tongues - Part 1

Ken Baird

519

Summary

In Acts 28:3, Paul is on the island of Malta after surviving a shipwreck. As he gathers sticks to build a fire, a viper latches onto his hand. Despite the danger, Paul remains unharmed, and the locals interpret this event as a sign of divine protection. This miraculous event serves as a demonstration of God's power and presence in Paul's life, reinforcing his role as a messenger of the Gospel. It also showcases God's faithfulness in preserving His servants amidst perilous circumstances.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

There came a viper out of the heat - We may naturally suppose that there had been fuel laid before on the fire, and that the viper was in this fuel, and that it had been revived by the heat; and, when St. Paul laid his bundle on the fire, the viper was then in a state to lay hold on his hand.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks,.... Had picked up some sticks, and put them in a bundle fit for the fire, as everyone was busy to assist in this extremity; nor did the apostle think such an action below him, who in all things was a man of great humility and condescension: and laid them on the fire; to increase it: there came a viper out of the heat: a viper is a kind of serpent, which brings forth its young living, to the number of twenty, only one in a day, which come forth wrapped up in thin skins, which break on the third day, and set them at liberty; and so is reckoned among viviparous animals, from whence it seems to have its name, whereas other serpents lay eggs and hatch them. It is said (k), that this remarkable reptile has the biggest and flattest head of all the serpent kind; its usual length is about half an ell, and its thickness an inch; its snout is not unlike that of a hog; it has sixteen small immovable teeth in each jaw, besides two other large, sharp, hooked, hollow, transparent, canine teeth, situate at each side of the upper jaw, which are those that do the mischief: these are flexible in their articulation, and are ordinarily laid flat along the jaw, the animal never raising them but when it would bite The roots or bases of these teeth, or fangs, are encompassed with a vesicle or bladder, containing the quantity of a large drop of a yellow insipid salivous juice.--It has only one row of teeth, whereas all other serpents have two; its body is not at all fetid, whereas the inner parts of the bodies of other serpents are intolerable.--It creeps very slowly, and never leaps like other serpents, though it is nimble enough to bite when provoked.--Its body is of two colours, ash coloured or yellow, and the ground speckled with longish brown spots; the scales under its belly are of the colour of well polished steel. Its bite is exceeding venomous, and its poison the most dangerous. Now when this viper here is said to come out of the heat, the meaning is, that it came out from the sticks, which were laid upon the fire, being forced from thence by the heat of it: and so the Syriac version renders it, "there came out of them" (the sticks) "a viper, because of the heat of the fire"; it lay quiet among the sticks, among which, and such like things, this creature often lies; but when the fire began to heat it, it sprung out: and fastened on his hand; or wrapped itself about his hand: the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, "bit his hand"; but that does not seem so likely, since he felt no harm by it; the Ethiopic version, "hung upon his hand"; which agrees with what follows; nor is it inconsistent with its wrapping itself about his hand, which is the more proper signification of the word used. (k) Chambers's Cyclopaedia in the word "Viper".

Acts 28:3

Ashore on Malta

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.

American Standard Version (1901)

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out by reason of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

Bible in Basic English

But when Paul had got some sticks together and put them on the fire, a snake came out, because of the heat, and gave him a bite on the hand.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And when Paul had gathered together a bundle of sticks, and had laid them on the fire, a viper coming out of the heat, fastened on his hand.

Free Bible Version

Paul collected a bundle of firewood and threw it on the fire. But a poisonous snake was driven out of the bundle because of the heat and bit him, fastening itself on his hand.

Geneva Bible 1599

And when Paul had gathered a nomber of stickes, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heate, and leapt on his hand.

King James (Authorized) Version

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

Plain English Version

Paul walked around and picked up some sticks and put them on the fire. But a cheeky snake jumped out from those sticks to get away from the fire, and it bit Paul’s hand and just hung on there.

Translation for Translators

Paul gathered some sticks and put them on the fire. But among those sticks was a snake that had come out from the fire to escape from the heat, and it fastened itself on Paul’s hand.

Unlocked Literal Bible

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and placed them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened onto his hand.

Noah Webster Bible

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

World English Bible

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.

Young's Literal Translation

but Paul having gathered together a quantity of sticks, and having laid [them] upon the fire, a viper — out of the heat having come — did fasten on his hand.

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Acts 28:3

Verse

Context

Ashore on Malta

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Acts 28:3

Ashore on Malta

When the Serpent Bites Your Hand, Victory Is at the Door

And the Lord Was With Joseph - Part 2

Tongues - Part 1

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes