Section 28:1–10
Paul and the others stayed on Malta
In this section, someone from the island told the people from the ship that they were on Malta. The people of the island welcomed them. A deadly snake bit Paul but he did not die. Since he did not die, the people from the island thought he was a god.
Publius welcomed Paul, Luke, the centurion, and perhaps others into his home and had them stay. Paul healed the father of Publius by the power of God. Many people of the island heard this news. They brought all their sick people, and Paul miraculously healed them.
Other examples of headings for this section are:
Paul on the Island of Malta (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
We waited on Malta
Paragraph 28:1–6
28:1a
Once we were safely ashore: The Greek word here is literally “having been brought safely through.” God protected all of them from any danger as they swam or floated to shore while the storm was blowing. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
Once we had come safely through (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
After ⌊God⌋ had brought us all safely to shore
-or-
When we were safely ashore (Good News Translation)
28:1b
we: Here, the word we refers to all the people on the ship.
learned that the island was called Malta: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as learned usually means “recognize” or “learn.” Perhaps sailors finally recognized where they were now that they were on the shore. Ashore they could see more of the land than they could when on the ship. Or perhaps the people of the island told them they were on Malta so they learned the name of the island in that way. Other ways to translate this clause are:
found out that the island was called Malta (New International Version)
-or-
identified the island as Malta (Revised English Bible)
-or-
discovered that the island was called Malta (New Jerusalem Bible)
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