How do Melita hospitality and Roman discussions conclude this account?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Paul reaches Rome after hospitality and healings, speaks to Jewish chiefs, cites Isaias amid mixed belief and teaches two years without prohibition.

Chapter breakdown

After escaping, they learn that the island is Melita. Its people, called barbarians in the source, show great courtesy and kindle a fire because of rain and cold. Paul gathers sticks and puts them on it; a viper emerging from the heat fastens on his hand. The onlookers call him a murderer whom vengeance will not allow to live despite escaping the sea. He shakes the beast into the fire and suffers no harm. They expect swelling and sudden death, but after waiting and seeing no harm, change their judgment and call him a god.

Publius, the island’s chief man, has nearby possessions and entertains them courteously for three days. His father is sick with fever and bloody flux. Paul enters, prays and lays hands on him, healing him. Other diseased islanders come and are healed. They honour the company and provide necessities when it sails. After three months the travellers board an Alexandrian ship wintering there, with the sign of Castors. They stay three days at Syracusa, coast to Rhegium and, after a day, catch a south wind and reach Puteoli on the second day. Brethren request seven days with them before Rome. Roman brethren meet them at Appii Forum and Three Taverns; Paul thanks God and gains courage. At Rome he may dwell by himself with a guarding soldier.

After three days he gathers the Jewish chiefs. He says he has done nothing against the people or fathers’ customs, yet was given as a prisoner from Jerusalem to the Romans. They would have released him after examination because there was no cause for death, but Jewish contradiction constrained him to appeal to Caesar without accusing his nation. He bears the chain for Israel’s hope. The chiefs have received neither Judean letters nor travellers’ evil reports, and wish to hear his views because the sect is contradicted everywhere. Many come to his lodging on the appointed day, and from morning to evening he expounds the kingdom and persuades concerning Jesus from Moses’s law and the prophets. Some believe and others do not.

As they depart in disagreement, Paul attributes to the Holy Ghost through Isaias the words about hearing without understanding and seeing without perception. Their heart has grown gross, ears heavy and eyes shut, lest they see, hear, understand, convert and be healed. He declares salvation sent to the Gentiles, who will hear. The Jews leave with much reasoning. For two whole years Paul remains in his hired lodging, receives all visitors, and preaches the kingdom and Jesus’s concerns confidently and without prohibition.

The story inside

Onlookers’ murderer and god assertions are distinguished from narrative. Fever and bloody flux remain source wording, and full Isaias quotation meaning includes closed eyes, conversion and healing.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The island is called Melita in admitted text.
2
A soldier guards Paul while he lodges himself.
3
Some believe and some do not; no blanket ethnic verdict is supplied.

Test your recall

What do Roman chiefs say they have not received?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 127221–127241
28:1. And when we had escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melita. But the barbarians shewed us no small courtesy. 28:2. For kindling a fire, they refreshed us all, because of the present rain and of the cold. 28:3. And when Paul had gathered together a bundle of sticks and had laid them on the fire, a viper, coming out of the heat, fastened on his hand. 28:4. And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging on his hand, they said one to another: Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, who, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance doth not suffer him to live. 28:5. And he indeed, shaking off the beast into the fire, suffered no harm. 28:6. But they supposed that he would begin to swell up and that he would suddenly fall down and die. But expecting long and seeing that there came no harm to him, changing their minds, they said that he was a god.
Lines 127243–127252
28:7. Now in these places were possessions of the chief man of the island, named Publius: who, receiving us for three days, entertained us courteously. 28:8. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux. To whom Paul entered in. And when he had prayed and laid his hands on him, he healed him. 28:9. Which being done, all that had diseases in the island came and were healed.
Lines 127273–127288
28:16. And when we were come to Rome, Paul was suffered to dwell by himself, with a soldier that kept him. 28:17. And after the third day, he called together the chief of the Jews. And when they were assembled, he said to them: Men, brethren, I, having done nothing against the people or the custom of our fathers, was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 28:18. Who, when they had examined me, would have released me, for that there was no cause of death in me. 28:19. But the Jews contradicting it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar: not that I had anything to accuse my nation of. 28:20. For this cause therefore I desired to see you and to speak to you. Because that for the hope of Israel, I am bound with this chain.
Lines 127318–127329
28:28. Be it known therefore to you that this salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles: and they will hear it. 28:29. And when he had said these things, the Jews went out from him, having much reasoning among themselves. 28:30. And he remained two whole years in his own hired lodging: and he received all that came in to him, 28:31. Preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, without prohibition.