1 When we were safely ashore, we learnt 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 lit a fire and made us all welcome.
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.
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.”
5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire without being harmed at all.