28:3a

a bundle of sticks: This phrase in Greek can be translated as “any number of sticks.” This probably refers to Paul finding sticks on the ground and making a large stack of them. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

a large bundle of sticks (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
an armful of sticks (New Living Translation (2004))

sticks: The Greek word refers to sticks, pieces of woody shrubs, and perhaps smaller tree branches that have fallen. Some of the sticks were probably as thick or thicker than the viper.

28:3b

viper: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as viper refers to various kinds of poisonous snakes. Another English word is “adder.” They range from half a meter to two meters in length and are medium-thick or thick for that length of snake. In some languages vipers are not known. If so, explain that they are poisonous in your translation. For example:

poisonous snake (God’s Word)

driven out by the heat: The heat caused the snake to crawl out of the pile of sticks. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

came out because of the heat (Revised Standard Version)
-or-

The heat forced a poisonous snake out of the brushwood (God’s Word)
-or-

the heat caused a snake to crawl out (Contemporary English Version)

fastened itself to his hand: This phrase indicates that the snake bit Paul’s hand and did not let go after Paul pulled his hand away. Other ways to translate this are:

bit him on the hand (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
bit his hand and did not let go

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