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Acts 28:4

2 The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.

3 Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.

When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”

5 But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.

6 The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”
KJV
And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
WEB
When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.”
ASV
And when the barbarians saw the [venomous] creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped from the sea, yet Justice hath not suffered to live.
DARBY
And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said to one another, This man is certainly a murderer, whom, [though] saved out of the sea, Nemesis has not allowed to live.
BLB
And when the natives saw the beast hanging from his hand, they began to say to one another, “By all means this man is a murderer whom, having been saved from the sea, Dike did not permit to live.”
ÅB
Da nå de innfødte så ormen henge fra hånden hans, sa de til hverandre: Dette menneske må være en morder, som den hevnende rettferdigheten ikke gir lov til å leve, selv om han ble berget fra havet.
OTB
Da øyboerne så slangen henge fra hånden hans, sa de til hverandre: «Denne mannen må virkelig være en morder; selv om han unnslapp havet, har rettferdigheten ikke tillatt ham å leve.»
B1930
Da nu de innfødte så dyret henge ved hans hånd, sa de til hverandre: Dette menneske er visselig en morder, som den hevnende rettferdighet ikke gir lov til å leve, skjønt han er berget fra havet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Luke 13:2

    To this He replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this fate?

    Read in context

  • Luke 13:4

    Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them: Do you think that they were more sinful than all the others living in Jerusalem?

    Read in context

  • Acts 28:2

    The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.

    Read in context

  • Acts 28:5

    But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.

    Read in context

  • John 7:24

    Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”

    Read in context

  • John 9:1–2

    Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth,

    Read in context

  • Matthew 23:35

    And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 43:20

    The beasts of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I provide water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people.

    Read in context