1 After reaching land safely, we learned that the island was called Malta.
2 The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. Because it was rainy and cold, they built a fire and welcomed all of us.
3 Paul gathered a bunch of dry sticks and put them on the fire. As he did, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, latched on to his hand.
4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer! He was rescued from the sea, but the goddess Justice hasn’t let him live!"
5 Paul shook the snake into the fire and suffered no harm.
6 They expected him to swell up with fever or suddenly drop dead. After waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to claim that he was a god.
7 Publius, the island’s most prominent person, owned a large estate in that area. He welcomed us warmly into his home as his guests for three days.