9
Word of the healing got around fast, and soon everyone on the island who was sick came and got healed.
10
We spent a wonderful three months on Malta. They treated us royally, took care of all our needs and outfitted us for the rest of the journey.
11
When an Egyptian ship that had wintered there in the harbor prepared to leave for Italy, we got on board. The ship had a carved Gemini for its figurehead: "the Heavenly Twins."
12
We put in at Syracuse for three days
13
and then went up the coast to Rhegium. Two days later, with the wind out of the south, we sailed into the Bay of Naples.
14
We found Christian friends there and stayed with them for a week.
15
Friends in Rome heard we were on the way and came out to meet us. One group got as far as Appian Court; another group met us at Three Taverns - emotion-packed meetings, as you can well imagine. Paul, brimming over with praise, led us in prayers of thanksgiving.
16
When we actually entered Rome, they let Paul live in his own private quarters with a soldier who had been assigned to guard him.
17
Three days later, Paul called the Jewish leaders together for a meeting at his house. He said, "The Jews in Jerusalem arrested me on trumped-up charges, and I was taken into custody by the Romans. I assure you that I did absolutely nothing against Jewish laws or Jewish customs.
18
After the Romans investigated the charges and found there was nothing to them, they wanted to set me free,
19
but the Jews objected so fiercely that I was forced to appeal to Caesar. I did this not to accuse them of any wrongdoing or to get our people in trouble with Rome. We've had enough trouble through the years that way.