Atos 28

A ilha de Malta

1 Estando já salvos, *cp.At 27.1; vd.16.10soubemos, *cp.At 27.39então, que *At 27.26a ilha se chamava Malta. 2 *Rm 1.14;1Co 14.11;Cl 3.11;At 28.4Os indígenas trataram-nos com muita humanidade, porque, acendendo uma fogueira, *cp.Rm 14.1acolheram-nos a todos por causa da chuva que caía e por causa do frio. 3 Tendo Paulo ajuntado e posto sobre a fogueira um feixe de gravetos, uma víbora, fugindo por causa do calor, mordeu-lhe a mão. 4 Quando os indígenas viram o réptil pendente da mão de Paulo, diziam uns para os outros: *cp.Lc 13.2,4Certamente, este homem é homicida, pois, embora salvo do mar, a Justiça não o deixou viver. 5 Porém ele, *Mc 16.18sacudindo o réptil no fogo, não sofreu mal algum; 6 mas eles esperavam que ele viesse a inchar ou a cair morto de repente. Porém, tendo esperado muito tempo e vendo que nada de anormal lhe sucedia, mudando de parecer, *At 14.11diziam que era ele um deus.

Públio hospeda a Paulo

7 Na vizinhança daquele lugar, havia algumas terras pertencentes ao homem principal da ilha, chamado Públio, o qual nos recebeu e hospedou com muita bondade, por três dias. 8 Estando doente de cama, com febre e disenteria, o pai de Públio, Paulo foi visitá-lo, e, *cp.At 9.40;Tg 5.14s.tendo feito oração, *Mc 5.23impôs-lhe as mãos, e o curou. 9 Feito isso, os outros doentes da ilha vinham também e eram curados, 10 e estes nos distinguiram com muitas honras e, ao partirmos, puseram a bordo o que nos era necessário.

A continuação da viagem

11 No fim de três meses, fizemos ao mar em um *At 27.6navio de Alexandria, que havia invernado na ilha, o qual tinha por insígnia Castor e Pólux. 12 Tocando em Siracusa, ficamos aí três dias, 13 donde, bordejando, chegamos a Régio. No dia seguinte, soprou o vento sul, e chegamos em dois dias a Putéoli, 14 onde, tendo achado alguns *At 1.15irmãos, estes nos rogaram que ficássemos com eles sete dias; e assim fomos a Roma. 15 Tendo aí os irmãos sabido 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.

Paulo em Roma

16 Quando chegamos a Roma*Alguns manuscritos inserem: O centurião entregou os presos ao general do exército, porém., *cp.At 24.23permitiu-se a Paulo que ficasse em um aposento particular com o soldado que o guardava.

Paulo convoca os judeus

17 Decorridos três dias, convocou ele os *cp.At 13.50;25.2judeus principais; e, havendo-se reunido eles, disse-lhes: Eu, *At 22.5irmãos, *At 25.8apesar de nada ter feito contra o nosso povo ou contra *At 6.14o rito de nossos pais, desde Jerusalém fui entregue preso nas mãos dos romanos, 18 que, tendo-me interrogado, *At 26.32queriam soltar-me, por não haver em mim *At 23.29crime algum que merecesse morte; 19 mas, opondo-se a isso os judeus, fui obrigado *At 25.11a apelar para César, não tendo, contudo, coisa alguma de que acusar a minha nação. 20 Por esse motivo, mandei chamar-vos, para vos ver e falar; pois *At 26.6s.pela esperança de Israel estou preso com *At 21.33esta corrente. 21 Porém eles lhe disseram: Não recebemos carta da Judeia a teu respeito, nem veio de lá *At 22.5irmão algum que contasse ou dissesse mal de ti. 22 Mas desejaríamos ouvir de ti o que pensas; pois relativamente a esta *At 24.14seita sabemos que, por toda parte, é ela *cp.1Pe 2.12;3.16;4.14,16impugnada.

Paulo prega em Roma

23 Tendo-lhe marcado um dia, foram em grande número ter com ele *Fm 22à sua morada; aos quais desde a manhã até a noite, *Lc 16.28; cp.At 1.3;23.11dando testemunho, expunha o reino de Deus, persuadindo-os acerca de Jesus pela *At 8.35Lei de Moisés e pelos profetas. 24 *At 14.4Uns se deixavam persuadir por suas palavras, e outros permaneciam incrédulos; 25 e, não estando entre si concordes, retiravam-se quando Paulo lhes disse estas palavras: Bem falou o Espírito Santo a vossos pais pelo profeta Isaías:

26 *Is 6.9-10Vai a este povo e dize:

*At 28.26-27;Mt 13.14s.Certamente, ouvireis e, de nenhum modo, entendereis;

certamente, vereis e, de nenhum modo, percebereis.

27 Pois o coração deste povo se fez pesado,

e os seus ouvidos se fizeram tardos,

e eles fecharam os olhos,

para não suceder que, vendo com os olhos

e ouvindo com os ouvidos,

entendam no coração e se convertam,

e eu os sare.

28 Ficai sabendo, portanto, que *At 13.26;Sl 98.3;Lc 2.30essa salvação de Deus é enviada *vd.At 13.46;9.15aos gentios; eles também a ouvirão*Alguns manuscritos inserem v. 29: E havendo ele dito isto, partiram os judeus, tendo entre si grande contenda.. 29 [E havendo ele dito isto, partiram os judeus, tendo entre si grande contenda.]

Fica prisioneiro durante dois anos

30 Durante dois anos inteiros, permaneceu no seu aposento alugado e recebia todos os que vinham ter com ele, 31 *cp.Mt 4.23; cp.20.25;At 28.23pregando o reino de Deus e ensinando as coisas concernentes ao Senhor Jesus Cristo, *2Tm 2.9com toda a liberdade e sem impedimento.

1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 3 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. 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. 6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. 8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. 9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: 10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.

11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. 12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days. 13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: 14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. 15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. 16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.

17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. 19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. 20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. 21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judæa concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee. 22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against. 23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. 25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, 26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.

30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.