1 When we were safe on land, we learned that the island was called Malta.
2 The people who lived there were very good to us. It was raining and very cold, so they built a fire and welcomed all of us.
3 Paul gathered a pile of sticks for the fire. He was putting the sticks on the fire, and a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and bit him on the hand.
4 When the people living on the island saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said, “This man must be a murderer! He did not die in the sea, but Justice does not want him to live.”
5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and was not hurt.