Good News Translation GNT
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 When we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta.
1
After we had escaped, we then learned that the island was called Malta.
2 The natives there were very friendly to us. It had started to rain and was cold, so they built a fire and made us all welcome.
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And the natives showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.
3 Paul gathered up a bundle of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a snake came out on account of the heat and fastened itself to his hand.
3
Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, when a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
4 The natives saw the snake hanging on Paul's 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."
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When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live."
5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire without being harmed at all.
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He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after waiting for a long time and not seeing anything unusual happening to him, they changed their minds and said, "He is a god!"
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They waited, expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7 Not far from that place were some fields that belonged to Publius, the chief of the island. He welcomed us kindly and for three days we were his guests.
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Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.
8 Publius' father was in bed, sick with fever and dysentery. Paul went into his room, prayed, placed his hands on him, and healed him.
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It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery; and Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him.
9 When this happened, all the other sick people on the island came and were healed.
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And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.
10 They gave us many gifts, and when we sailed, they put on board what we needed for the voyage.
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They presented many gifts to us; and when we sailed, they put on board whatever we needed.
11 After three months we sailed away on a ship from Alexandria, called "The Twin Gods," which had spent the winter in the island.
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After three months we set sail in a ship which had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the Twin Brothers as figurehead.
12 We arrived in the city of Syracuse and stayed there for three days.
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Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.
13 From there we sailed on and arrived in the city of Rhegium. The next day a wind began to blow from the south, and in two days we came to the town of Puteoli.
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And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhe'gium; and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Pute'oli.
14 We found some believers there who asked us to stay with them a week. And so we came to Rome.
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There we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.
15 The believers in Rome heard about us and came as far as the towns of Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was greatly encouraged.
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And the brethren there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Ap'pius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them Paul thanked God and took courage.
16 When we arrived in Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier guarding him.
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And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.
17 After three days Paul called the local Jewish leaders to a meeting. When they had gathered, he said to them, "My fellow Israelites, even though I did nothing against our people or the customs that we received from our ancestors, I was made a prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
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After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, "Brethren, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
18 After questioning me, the Romans wanted to release me, because they found that I had done nothing for which I deserved to die.
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When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case.
19 But when the Jews opposed this, I was forced to appeal to the Emperor, even though I had no accusation to make against my own people.
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But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar--though I had no charge to bring against my nation.
20 That is why I asked to see you and talk with you. As a matter of fact, I am bound in chains like this for the sake of him for whom the people of Israel hope."
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For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain."
21 They said to him, "We have not received any letters from Judea about you, nor have any of our people come from there with any news or anything bad to say about you.
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And they said to him, "We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brethren coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you.
22 But we would like to hear your ideas, because we know that everywhere people speak against this party to which you belong."
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But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against."
23 So they set a date with Paul, and a large number of them came that day to the place where Paul was staying. From morning till night he explained to them his message about the Kingdom of God, and he tried to convince them about Jesus by quoting from the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets.
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When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he expounded the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets.
24 Some of them were convinced by his words, but others would not believe.
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And some were convinced by what he said, while others disbelieved.
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!
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So, as they disagreed among themselves, they departed, after Paul had made one statement: "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
26 For he said, "Go and say to this people: You will listen and listen, but not understand; you will look and look, but not see,
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'Go to this people, and say, You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive.
27 because this people's minds are dull, and they have stopped up their ears and closed their eyes. Otherwise, their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand, and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them.' "
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For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.'
28 And Paul concluded: "You are to know, then, that God's message of salvation has been sent to the Gentiles. They will listen!"
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Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen."
30 For two years Paul lived in a place he rented for himself, and there he welcomed all who came to see him.
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And he lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him,
31 He preached about the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ, speaking with all boldness and freedom.
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preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.