Acts 28:3

Translations

Modern

Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.

Traditional

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.

Literal

Now on Paul having gathered a multitude of sticks and having laid them on the fire, a viper, having come out from the heat, fastened itself on his hand.

Latin

Cum congregasset autem Paulus sarmentorum aliquantam multitudinem, et imposuisset super ignem, vipera a calore cum processisset, invasit manum ejus.

Interlinear

Greek

English

Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.

Notes

Acts 28:3–6

The people of Malta believed that justice was a personal power or a god who punished criminals. When nothing bad happened to Paul, they changed their minds. They saw that he was not harmed by the snake. So they thought he had power over snakes and said that he must be a god (compare 14:11–12).

But this was not true. Paul did not have special power in himself. Instead, his survival showed that God was protecting him (compare Mark 16:17–18).

Acts 27:1–28:16

The graphic language describing sailing in the story of Paul's journey to Rome provides one of the best accounts of an ancient sea journey.
This is the last "we" section in Acts (see also 16:10–17; 20:5–15; 21:1–18). During Paul's two years of imprisonment, Luke probably researched his gospel throughout Judea and Galilee. Here, as part of Paul's sailing group, he had a personal witness of the dangers at sea.

Theme notes and profiles

Paul (Saul)

Events

Paul's Journey to Romec. AD 56
Paul stays at Maltac. AD 57

Related verses

Matthew 23:33
You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
Matthew 12:34
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
Acts 28:4
When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”
2 Corinthians 11:23
Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking as if I were out of my mind.) I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
Isaiah 41:24
Behold, you are nothing and your work is of no value. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.
Isaiah 59:5
They hatch the eggs of vipers and weave a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die; crack one open, and a viper is hatched.
2 Corinthians 6:9
…unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed;
Isaiah 30:6
This is the burden against the beasts of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lioness and lion, of viper and flying serpent, they carry their wealth on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people of no profit to them.
Job 20:16
He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.
Matthew 3:7
But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Amos 5:19
It will be like a man who flees from a lion, only to encounter a bear, or who enters his house and rests his hand against the wall, only to be bitten by a snake.

People

Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles, author of many NT epistles

Glossary

Adder Barbarian Book of the Acts of the Apostles Luke (Person) Luke, Gospel of Paul the Apostle Serpent Syracuse Travel Viper

Topics

Barbarian: A Foreigner Christian Minister: Hospitality to The Foreigners to Paul Fire in Houses: Made of Wood Melita (Malta): Paul Shipwrecked on the Coast of Paul is Bitten by a Viper and Miraculously Unharmed Reptiles: Viper Snakes Viper: Fastens on Paul's Hand

Acts 28:3

Translations?

Interlinear?

Notes?

Events?

Related verses?