Paul stays at Malta
Early Church · Draft · BSB
Content revision: 2dd43ae5885cdc25 · No editorial review date recorded
Date: c. AD 59–62
On Malta the islanders welcome the survivors. Paul shakes off a viper unharmed and heals the father of Publius, the island’s chief official, and many others; after three months the islanders provide what the travelers need.
Primary Scripture
28:1 Once we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta.
28:2 The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.
28:3 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.
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.”
28:5 But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
28:6 The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
28:7 Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days.
28:8 The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man.
28:9 After this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured as well.
28:10 The islanders honored us in many ways and supplied our needs when we were ready to sail.
Location evidence
Event map marker: Identified site; [longitude, latitude] = [14.53244, 35.85283]. This is a teaching marker, not an exact event venue.
Melita: Identified site. Coordinates [longitude, latitude]: [14.53244, 35.85283]. Classification source: rule.
Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire
Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire
Interpretation and reuse
Narrative order is a reading arrangement, not a proven chronology. Dates retain their stated uncertainty. An identified locality does not establish the exact venue or prove an event. Region extents and routes are illustrative, not surveyed boundaries or ancient roads. Draft material has not completed editorial review.
Record source: theographic (383)
Record source: editorial
Events and places adapted from Theographic Bible Metadata (github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata), CC BY-SA 4.0. This adapted data is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Place coordinates from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. https://berean.bible/licensing.htm