1 When we made it to shore safely we learned that the island was called Malta.2 The natives there were very friendly to us. It started to rain and was cold, so they built a fire and made us all welcome.3 Paul gathered an armful of sticks and put them on the fire. A snake came out on account of the heat and fastened itself to his hand.4 The natives saw the snake hanging on Pauls hand and said to one another: »This man must be a murderer, but Fate will not let him live, even though he escaped from the sea.«5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire without being harmed at all.6 The people were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. They waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him. They changed their minds and said he was a god.7 A man named Publius, who was the governor of the island, had property around the area. He welcomed us and treated us kindly. We were his guests for three days.8 His father was sick in bed. He suffered from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, placed his hands on him, and made him well.9 After that happened, other sick people on the island went to Paul and were made well.10 They honored us with many gifts. When we were going to set sail, they put whatever we needed on board.11 After three months we sailed on an Alexandrian ship that wintered at the island. The ship had the gods Castor and Pollux carved on its front.12 We stopped at the city of Syracuse and stayed there three days.13 We sailed from Syracuse and arrived at the city of Rhegium. The next day a south wind began to blow, and two days later we arrived at the city of Puteoli.14 We came across some of the brothers, who kept us with them for seven days; and so we arrived at Rome.15 When the brothers had news for us they came out from town as far as Appius Forum Market place on the Appian Road and the Three Taverns to have a meeting with us. Paul saw them and praised God. He was encouraged.16 When we arrived at Rome they allowed Paul to have a house for himself and the armed man who kept watch over him.17 Then after three days he sent for the chief men of the Jews. When they assembled, he said to them: »My brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the ways of our fathers, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.18 »They questioned me and were ready to set me free, for they found me not guilty of any crime deserving death.19 »When the Jews brought charges against me again I presented my cause to Caesar for I said nothing against my nation.20 The reason I sent for you is to talk with you. I am in these chains because of the hope of Israel.«21 They said to him: »We have not had letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers have come to us to give an account or say any evil about you.22 »We desire to hear your opinion concerning this sect. We have knowledge that it is attacked in all places.«23 So they set a date with Paul. A large number of them came that day to the place where Paul was staying. From morning till night he explained his message about the Kingdom of God to them. He tried to convince them about Jesus by quoting from the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets.24 Some of them were convinced by his words, but others did not believe.25 So they left, disagreeing among themselves, after Paul had said this one thing: »How well the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Isaiah to your ancestors!«26 He said, »Go and say to this people, You will listen and listen, but not understand. You will look and look, but not see.27 »These people have closed their mind and are hard of hearing. They have shut their eyes so that their eyes never see. Their ears never hear. Their minds never understand. They never turn to me for healing.28 »You need to know that God has sent his salvation to people who are not Jews. They will listen.«29 After he said this the Jews left arguing among themselves.30 Paul rented a place to live for two full years and welcomed everyone who came to him.31 He spread the message about Gods Kingdom and taught boldly about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one stopped him!
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.