Acts 28: Paul on Malta and in Rome

Short answer: Acts 28 recounts Paul's escape to Malta, where he is unharmed by a viper and heals many, then his journey to Rome, where he lives under guard and proclaims God's Kingdom to Jewish leaders and others. The chapter closes with Paul teaching boldly for two years, while some believe and some reject the message.

What Acts 28 says

After the shipwreck, the survivors learn the island is Malta. The natives show unusual kindness, building a fire because of rain and cold. Paul gathers sticks, and a viper fastens on his hand. The natives conclude he must be a murderer whom justice has not let live. Paul shakes the creature into the fire and is unharmed. When no harm comes, the crowd changes its mind and calls him a god. Nearby, Publius, the chief man, welcomes them for three days. His father is sick with fever and dysentery. Paul prays, lays hands on him, and heals him. Others on the island with diseases come and are cured. The islanders honor them and supply what they need when they sail.

After three months, they set sail on an Alexandrian ship that had wintered there, marked with the Twin Brothers. They touch at Syracuse for three days, then circle to Rhegium. A south wind rises, and on the second day they reach Puteoli. There they find brothers and are urged to stay seven days. So they come to Rome. Brothers from there, hearing of them, meet them as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul sees them, he thanks God and takes courage. On entering Rome, the centurion delivers the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul is allowed to stay by himself with a soldier guarding him.

After three days Paul calls together the leaders of the Jews. He explains that he did nothing against the people or ancestral customs, yet was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem to the Romans. The Romans examined him and wanted to release him because he had no capital charge. But when the Jews objected, he was forced to appeal to Caesar, not to accuse his nation. He asks to see them and speak, because for the hope of Israel he is bound with this chain. They reply that they have received no letters from Judea about him, nor have any brothers come to report or speak evil of him. They want to hear what he thinks, noting that this sect is spoken against everywhere.

They appoint a day, and many come to his lodging. From morning until evening he explains and testifies about God's Kingdom, persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. Some believe, and some disbelieve. When they disagree among themselves, they leave after Paul speaks one word, that the Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah to the fathers about a people who hear but do not understand, see but do not perceive, whose heart has grown callous, ears dull, and eyes closed, lest they turn and be healed. Paul declares that God's salvation is sent to the nations, and they will listen. The Jews depart, disputing greatly. Paul stays two whole years in his own rented house, welcoming all who come, preaching God's Kingdom and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn’t harmed.” (Acts 28:5) — Paul shakes the viper into the fire and is not harmed, showing that the expected harm does not come and setting up the crowd's reversal in the next verse.
• “The father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.” (Acts 28:8) — Paul prays and lays hands on Publius's father, and he is healed, marking the first of many healings on the island and showing God's mercy to a Gentile household.
• “From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.” (Acts 28:15) — Brothers from Rome meet Paul at the Market of Appius and the Three Taverns, and he thanks God and takes courage, a moment of encouragement before he enters the city as a prisoner.
• “preaching God’s Kingdom, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.” (Acts 28:31) — The chapter ends with Paul preaching God's Kingdom and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance, despite his chains.

Gospel connection

Acts 28 shows the gospel reaching Rome, the center of the Gentile world, just as Jesus told his disciples they would be witnesses to the ends of the earth. Paul, though a prisoner, is not silenced. He heals the sick on Malta, and in Rome he explains God's Kingdom from the Law and the Prophets, persuading people about Jesus. The mixed response, some believing and some disbelieving, echoes Israel's history, yet the salvation of God goes to the nations, who will listen. This chapter connects to the wider story: the promised hope of Israel is fulfilled in Jesus, and the message now goes out to all, even as Paul remains in chains. The ending is open, pointing to the ongoing work of the gospel.

Application

This chapter asks readers to trust God's providence in unexpected places. Paul did not choose Malta or house arrest, yet he served where he was. A reader might consider how to speak of Jesus in ordinary settings, whether at home, at work, or in a season of limitation. It also calls for patience with mixed responses. Some will believe, some will not. Like Paul, we can keep explaining and persuading from the Scriptures without forcing outcomes. The chapter invites us to welcome those who come, as Paul welcomed all who came to him, and to keep teaching with boldness, even when circumstances seem to hinder. Finally, it encourages us to take courage from fellow believers, as Paul did when brothers met him on the road.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not say Paul was formally acquitted or that he was released after the two years. It does not describe the outcome of his appeal to Caesar. It does not name the viper's species or claim Paul performed healings by his own power. It does not tell us what happened to the ship's cargo or the other prisoners. It does not record the content of Paul's teaching beyond its source in the Law and the Prophets and its focus on God's Kingdom and Jesus. It does not say all the Jews rejected the message, only that some believed and some disbelieved. It does not explain why the Jews disputed among themselves after Paul's final word. It does not state that Paul's rented house was his own property. It does not give the names of the brothers who met him or the captain of the guard.

Questions for study

1. How do the natives of Malta first interpret Paul's viper bite, and how does their view change after he is unharmed?
2. What does Paul do for Publius's father, and how does that lead to further healings on the island?
3. How does Paul describe his legal situation to the Jewish leaders in Rome, and why does he say he is bound?
4. What is the mixed response to Paul's teaching in verse 24, and how does Paul explain it using Isaiah?
5. What does the final description of Paul's two years in Rome emphasize about his work and its limits?

Keep reading

Related studies: Acts 10 Bible Study, Acts 11 Bible Study, Acts 12 Bible Study, Acts 13 Bible Study.

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FAQ

Why did the people of Malta think Paul was a god after the viper did not harm him?

They first assumed he was a murderer whom justice would not let live, but when he showed no swelling or sudden death, they changed their minds and said he was a god. The text presents this as their conclusion, not as a true statement.

What did Paul teach the Jewish leaders in Rome?

He explained and testified about God's Kingdom, persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning until evening. The content centered on the hope of Israel and the Scriptures they already knew.

How does Acts end for Paul?

Paul stays two whole years in his own rented house, welcoming all who come to him, preaching God's Kingdom and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. The chapter does not record a release or a trial outcome.