Acts 28:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.

NIV: But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.

NASB: However, Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.

CSB: But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.

NLT: But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.

KJV: And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

NKJV: But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.

Over the last two years, Paul has been attacked, beaten, falsely imprisoned, storm-tossed, and shipwrecked (Acts 21—27). Now, he's trying to warm himself on a cold and rainy island when a snake of some type grabs his hand. The locals expect Paul to die from this. What they know or think about the snake is unclear, but they would know Paul is a prisoner. They probably aren't up to date on how appealed the false charges since the governors of Judea wouldn't give him justice. For whatever reasons, they determine he must be a murderer: the gods tried to kill him with a storm and are now sending a serpent to finish the job (Acts 28:1–4).

Paul is unperturbed. God has promised that Paul will get to Rome, and Paul does not doubt that promise (Acts 23:11). He nonchalantly shakes the snake off and doesn't drop dead.

At that point, the locals will decide he must be a god (Acts 28:6). Undoubtedly, Paul refutes their conclusion (Acts 14:12–18). However, he uses the opportunity presented to heal the island leader's father and others from the island. The islanders respond by providing the castaways with everything they need for their three-month stay (Acts 28:6–10).

This passage has an interesting tie to the disputed ending of Mark. The earliest, most accurate copies of the gospel of Mark end at Mark 16:8, but other versions continue to verse 20. Mark 16:14–18 purportedly records a version of the Great Commission Jesus gave the disciples which is more authentically provided in Matthew 28:19–20. Mark 16:17–18 includes the phrase, "And these signs will accompany those who believe…they will pick up serpents with their hands." The disputed passage does not contradict any theological truths found in the Bible; casting out demons, speaking in new tongues, healing, and other miracles are authenticated in the early chapters of Acts. The assurance about picking up serpents, however, has led to the dangerous practice of snake-handling. Just because Paul survives this encounter doesn't mean Christians should make snake-handling a habit.

Acts 28:1–6 describes the people of Malta's impression of Paul. He and others traveling on an Alexandrian ship have wrecked on the shores of the small island. As soon as they reach land, the weather turns cold and rainy. Paul surprises the islanders by surviving a viper bite unharmed. The locals quickly surmise he must be a god, and the island's leader invites him to stay in his home. Paul heals the leader's father and several others from the island, and the locals see to the survivors' needs (Acts 28:7–10).

Acts 28 records Paul's three-month stay on the island of Malta and two-year house arrest in Rome. On Malta, God empowers Paul to perform healing miracles which endear him to the locals. Once he reaches the shores of Italy, many other believers accompany him on his last leg to Rome. In Rome, he finds the Jews just as accepting of Jesus as elsewhere; some believe, but many don't. Paul reaffirms his mission to the Gentiles and spends his time preaching while under house arrest.

Acts 28 is the end of Luke's story of the witness of Jesus' story (Acts 1:8). After his wrongful imprisonment in Caesarea Maritima, Paul appealed his case to Caesar (Acts 25:1–12). He, Aristarchus, and Luke survived a raging winter storm before finally reaching Rome (Acts 27). Again under house arrest, Paul is able to share Jesus' offer of forgiveness with any who wish to visit. While there, he writes the letters Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. After two years, Paul is released; tradition says he takes one more evangelistic tour before being arrested and eventually martyred around AD 67.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.