Acts 28:1–10
1Once we had safely escaped, we learned that the island was called Melita. 2The native people showed us extraordinary kindness. They built a fire and welcomed all of us because of the rain that was falling and the cold. 3Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and was laying them on the fire when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened onto his hand. 4When the natives saw the venomous creature hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Even though he escaped the sea, justice will not allow him to live." 5But he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6They kept watching, expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing wrong with him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. 7Nearby were estates belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius. He welcomed us and hospitably housed us for three days. 8It happened that Publius's father was lying sick with fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, prayed, laid his hands on him, and healed him. 9After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. 10They also honored us with many honors, and when we were departing, they loaded us with the supplies we needed.