Acts 28:1-8

¹And when they were rescued, then they learned that the island was called Malta.

²And the natives were showing us extraordinary kindness; for having kindled a fire they accepted us all into their society, because of the rain which had begun, and because of the cold.

³But when Paul had gathered a large bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper having come out because of the heat, fastened on his hand.

⁴And when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Certainly this man is a murderer, whom though he was rescued from the sea, justice does not permit to continue living.”

⁵Then, having shaken off the creature into the fire, he suffered nothing harmful.

⁶And they were expecting him to be about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited for a long time and observed nothing unusual happening to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

⁷Now in the areas around that place were pieces of land belonging to the leading citizen of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us, and received us hospitably as guests for three days.

⁸And it came to pass that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery, to whom Paul came in and prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.