1 E, havendo escapado, então souberam que a ilha se chamava Malta.
2 E os bárbaros usaram conosco de não pouca humanidade; porque, acendendo uma grande fogueira, nos recolheram a todos por causa da chuva que caía, e por causa do frio.
3 E, havendo Paulo ajuntado uma quantidade de vides, e pondo-as no fogo, uma víbora, fugindo do calor, lhe acometeu a mão.
4 E os bárbaros, vendo-lhe a víbora pendurada na mão, diziam uns aos outros: Certamente este homem é homicida, visto como, escapando do mar, a justiça não o deixa viver.
5 Mas, sacudindo ele a víbora no fogo, não sofreu nenhum mal.
6 E eles esperavam que viesse a inchar ou a cair morto de repente; mas tendo esperado já muito, e vendo que nenhum incômodo lhe sobrevinha, mudando de parecer, diziam que era um deus.
7 E ali, próximo daquele lugar, havia umas herdades que pertenciam ao principal da ilha, por nome Públio, o qual nos recebeu e hospedou benignamente por três dias.
8 E aconteceu estar de cama enfermo de febre e disenteria o pai de Públio, que Paulo foi ver, e, havendo orado, pôs as mãos sobre ele, e o curou.
9 Feito, pois, isto, vieram também ter com ele os demais que na ilha tinham enfermidades, e sararam.
10 Os quais nos distinguiram também com muitas honras; e, havendo de navegar, nos proveram das coisas necessárias.
11 E três meses depois partimos num navio de Alexandria que invernara na ilha, o qual tinha por insígnia Castor e Pólux.
12 E, chegando a Siracusa, ficamos ali três dias.
13 De onde, indo costeando, viemos a Régio; e soprando, um dia depois, um vento do sul, chegamos no segundo dia a Potéoli.
14 Onde, achando alguns irmãos, nos rogaram que por sete dias ficássemos com eles; e depois nos dirigimos a Roma.
15 E de lá, ouvindo os irmãos novas de nós, nos saíram ao encontro à Praça de Ápio e às Três Vendas, e Paulo, vendo-os, deu graças a Deus e tomou ânimo.
16 E, logo que chegamos a Roma, o centurião entregou os presos ao capitào da guarda; mas a Paulo se lhe permitiu morar por sua conta à parte, com o soldado que o guardava.
17 E aconteceu que, três dias depois, Paulo convocou os principais dos judeus, e, juntos eles, lhes disse: Homens irmãos, não havendo eu feito nada contra o povo, ou contra os ritos paternos, vim contudo preso desde Jerusalém, entregue nas mãos dos romanos;
18 Os quais, havendo-me examinado, queriam soltar-me, por não haver em mim crime algum de morte.
19 Mas, opondo-se os judeus, foi-me forçoso apelar para César, não tendo, contudo, de que acusar a minha nação.
20 Por esta causa vos chamei, para vos ver e falar; porque pela esperança de Israel estou com esta cadeia.
21 Então eles lhe disseram: Nós não recebemos acerca de ti carta alguma da Judéia, nem veio aqui algum dos irmãos, que nos anunciasse ou dissesse de ti mal algum.
22 No entanto bem quiséramos ouvir de ti o que sentes; porque, quanto a esta seita, notório nos é que em toda a parte se fala contra ela.
23 E, havendo-lhe eles assinalado um dia, muitos foram ter com ele à pousada, aos quais declarava com bom testemunho o reino de Deus, e procurava persuadi-los à fé em Jesus, tanto pela lei de Moisés como pelos profetas, desde a manhã até à tarde.
24 E alguns criam no que se dizia; mas outros não criam.
25 E, como ficaram entre si discordes, despediram-se, dizendo Paulo esta palavra: Bem falou o Espírito Santo a nossos pais pelo profeta Isaías,
26 Dizendo:Vai a este povo, e dize:De ouvido ouvireis, e de maneira nenhuma entendereis;E, vendo vereis, e de maneira nenhuma percebereis.
27 Porquanto o coração deste povo está endurecido,e com os ouvidos ouviram pesadamente,e fecharam os olhos,para que nunca com os olhos vejam,Nem com os ouvidos ouçam,Nem do coração entendam,E se convertam,E eu os cure.
28 Seja-vos, pois, notório que esta salvação de Deus é enviada aos gentios, e eles a ouvirão.
29 E, havendo ele dito estas palavras, partiram os judeus, tendo entre si grande contenda.
30 E Paulo ficou dois anos inteiros na sua própria habitação que alugara, e recebia todos quantos vinham vê-lo;
31 Pregando o reino de Deus, e ensinando com toda a liberdade as coisas pertencentes ao Senhor Jesus Cristo, sem impedimento algum.
1 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta.
2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.
4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live."
5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days.
8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him.
9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured.
10 They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
11 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island —it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux.
12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days.
13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli.
14 There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome.
15 The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged.
16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
17 Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: "My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
18 They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death.
19 The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people.
20 For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain."
21 They replied, "We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you.
22 But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect."
23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.
24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.
25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
26 "'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving."
27 For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' [^1]
28 "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!"
29
30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.
31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ —with all boldness and without hindrance!