1
Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta.
2
The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us.
3
As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand.
4
The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.”
5
But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.
6
The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.
7
Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.