1 Estando já salvos, soubemos então que a ilha se chamava Malta.
2 Os indígenas usaram conosco de não pouca humanidade; pois acenderam uma fogueira e nos recolheram a todos por causa da chuva que caía, e por causa do frio.
3 Ora havendo Paulo ajuntado e posto sobre o fogo um feixe de gravetos, uma víbora, fugindo do calor, apegou-se-lhe à mão.
4 Quando os indígenas viram o réptil pendente da mão dele, diziam uns aos outros: Certamente este homem é homicida, pois, embora salvo do mar, a Justiça não o deixa viver.
5 Mas ele, sacudindo o réptil no fogo, não sofreu mal nenhum.
6 Eles, porém, esperavam que Paulo viesse a inchar ou a cair morto de repente; mas tendo esperado muito tempo e vendo que nada de anormal lhe sucedia, mudaram de parecer e diziam que era um deus.
7 Ora, nos arredores daquele lugar havia umas terras que pertenciam ao homem principal da ilha, por nome Públio, o qual nos recebeu e hospedou bondosamente por três dias.
8 Aconteceu estar de cama, enfermo de febre e disenteria, o pai de Públio; Paulo foi visitá-lo, e havendo orado, impôs-lhe as mãos, e o curou.
9 Feito isto, vinham também os demais enfermos da ilha, e eram curados;
10 e estes nos distinguiram com muitas honras; e, ao embarcarmos, puseram a bordo as coisas que nos eram necessárias.
11 Passados três meses, partimos em um navio de Alexandria que invernara na ilha, o qual tinha por insígnia Castor e Pólux.
12 E chegando a Siracusa, ficamos ali três dias;
13 donde, costeando, viemos a Régio; e, soprando no dia seguinte o vento sul, chegamos em dois dias a Putéoli,
14 onde, achando alguns irmãos, fomos convidados a ficar com eles sete dias; e depois nos dirigimos a Roma.
15 Ora, os irmãos da lá, havendo recebido notícias nossas, vieram ao nosso encontro até a praça de Ápio e às Três Vendas, e Paulo, quando os viu, deu graças a Deus e cobrou ânimo.
16 Quando chegamos a Roma, {o centurião entregou os presos ao general do exército, mas,} a Paulo se lhe permitiu morar à parte, com o soldado que o guardava.
17 Passados três dias, ele convocou os principais dentre os judeus; e reunidos eles, disse-lhes: Varões irmãos, não havendo eu feito nada contra o povo, ou contra os ritos paternos, vim contudo preso desde Jerusalém, entregue nas mãos dos romanos;
18 os quais, havendo-me interrogado, queriam soltar-me, por não haver em mim crime algum que merecesse a morte.
19 Mas opondo-se a isso os judeus, vi-me obrigado a apelar para César, não tendo, contudo, nada de que acusar a minha nação.
20 Por esta causa, pois, vos convidei, para vos ver e falar; porque pela esperança de Israel estou preso com esta cadeia.
21 Mas eles lhe disseram: Nem recebemos da Judéia cartas a teu respeito, nem veio aqui irmão algum que contasse ou dissesse mal de ti.
22 No entanto bem quiséramos ouvir de ti o que pensas; porque, quanto a esta seita, notório nos é que em toda parte é impugnada.
23 Havendo-lhe eles marcado um dia, muitos foram ter com ele à sua morada, aos quais desde a manhã até a noite explicava com bom testemunho o reino de Deus e procurava persuadí-los acerca de Jesus, tanto pela lei de Moisés como pelos profetas.
24 Uns criam nas suas palavras, mas outros as rejeitavam.
25 E estando discordes entre si, retiraram-se, havendo Paulo dito esta palavra: Bem falou o Espírito Santo aos vossos pais pelo profeta Isaías,
26 dizendo: Vai a este povo e dize: Ouvindo, ouvireis, e de maneira nenhuma entendereis; e vendo, vereis, e de maneira nenhuma percebereis.
27 Porque o coração deste povo se endureceu, e com os ouvidos ouviram tardamente, e fecharam os olhos; para que não vejam com os olhos, nem ouçam com os ouvidos, nem entendam com o coração nem se convertam e eu os cure.
28 Seja-vos pois notório que esta salvação de Deus é enviada aos gentios, e eles ouvirão.
29 {E, havendo ele dito isto, partiram os judeus, tendo entre si grande contenda.}
30 E morou dois anos inteiros na casa que alugara, e recebia a todos os que o visitavam,
31 pregando o reino de Deus e ensinando as coisas concernentes ao Senhor Jesus Cristo, com toda a liberdade, sem impedimento algum.
1 And when we got safe {to land} we then knew that the island was called Melita.
2 But the barbarians shewed us no common kindness; for, having kindled a fire, they took us all in because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.
3 And Paul having gathered a {certain} quantity of sticks together in a bundle and laid {it} on the fire, a viper coming out from the heat seized his hand.
4 And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said to one another, This man is certainly a murderer, whom, {though} saved out of the sea, Nemesis has not allowed to live.
5 *He* however, having shaken off the beast into the fire, felt no harm.
6 But *they* expected that he would have swollen or fallen down suddenly dead. But when they had expected a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, changing their opinion, they said he was a god.
7 Now in the country surrounding that place were the lands belonging to the chief man of the island, by name Publius, who received us and gave {us} hospitality three days in a very friendly way.
8 And it happened that the father of Publius lay ill of fever and dysentery; to whom Paul entered in, and having prayed and laid his hands on him cured him.
9 But this having taken place, the rest also who had sicknesses in the island came and were healed:
10 who also honoured us with many honours, and on our leaving they made presents to us of what should minister to our wants.
11 And after three months we sailed in a ship which had wintered in the island, an Alexandrian, with {the} Dioscuri for its ensign.
12 And having come to Syracuse we remained three days.
13 Whence, going in a circuitous course, we arrived at Rhegium; and after one day, the wind having changed to south, on the second day we came to Puteoli,
14 where, having found brethren, we were begged to stay with them seven days. And thus we went to Rome.
15 And thence the brethren, having heard about us, came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Tres Tabernae, whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage.
16 And when we came to Rome, {the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the praetorian prefect, but} Paul was allowed to remain by himself with the soldier who kept him.
17 And it came to pass after three days, that he called together those who were the chief of the Jews; and when they had come together he said to them, Brethren, *I* having done nothing against the people or the customs of our forefathers, have been delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
18 who having examined me were minded to let me go, because there was nothing worthy of death in me.
19 But the Jews speaking against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not as having anything to accuse my nation of.
20 For this cause therefore I have called you to {me} to see and to speak to you; for on account of the hope of Israel I have this chain about me.
21 And they said to him, For our part, we have neither received letters from Judaea concerning thee, nor has any one of the brethren who has arrived reported or said anything evil concerning thee.
22 But we beg to hear of thee what thou thinkest, for as concerning this sect it is known to us that it is everywhere spoken against.
23 And having appointed him a day many came to him to the lodging, to whom he expounded, testifying of the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from early morning to evening.
24 And some were persuaded of the things which were said, but some disbelieved.
25 And being disagreed among themselves they left; Paul having spoken one word, Well spoke the Holy Spirit through Esaias the prophet to our fathers,
26 saying, Go to this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear and not understand, and seeing ye shall see and not perceive.
27 For the heart of this people has become fat, and they hear heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
28 Be it known to you therefore, that this salvation of God has been sent to the nations; *they* also will hear {it}.
29 {And he having said this, the Jews went away, having great reasoning among themselves.}
30 And he remained two whole years in his own hired lodging, and received all who came to him,
31 preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all freedom unhinderedly.