1
Καὶ διασωθέντες τότε ⸀ἐπέγνωμεν ὅτι ⸀Μελίτη ἡ νῆσος καλεῖται.
And having been brought safely through, we then recognized that the island is called Malta.
2
οἵ ⸀τε βάρβαροι παρεῖχον οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν φιλανθρωπίαν ἡμῖν, ⸀ἅψαντες γὰρ πυρὰν προσελάβοντο πάντας ἡμᾶς διὰ τὸν ὑετὸν τὸν ἐφεστῶτα καὶ διὰ τὸ ψῦχος.
And the barbarians showed us a love of men not of the ordinary kind; for kindling a fire they took us all in, because of the rain that had come on and because of the cold.
3
συστρέψαντος δὲ τοῦ Παύλου φρυγάνων ⸀τι πλῆθος καὶ ἐπιθέντος ἐπὶ τὴν πυράν, ἔχιδνα ⸀ἀπὸ τῆς θέρμης ⸀ἐξελθοῦσα καθῆψε τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ.
And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
4
ὡς δὲ εἶδον οἱ βάρβαροι κρεμάμενον τὸ θηρίον ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ, ⸂πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔλεγον⸃· Πάντως φονεύς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος ὃν διασωθέντα ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης ἡ δίκη ζῆν οὐκ εἴασεν.
And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging from his hand, they were saying to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer, whom, though brought safely through from the sea, Justice has not allowed to live.”
Why this rendering
Acts.28.4 Observation
Syntactic observation
Πάντως φονεύς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος ὃν διασωθέντα ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης ἡ δίκη ζῆν οὐκ εἴασεν — surely this man is a murderer, whom, though brought safely through from the sea, Justice has not allowed to live. ἡ δίκη, Justice, stands as subject with the article — a word Greeks used as the name of a goddess. The base text does not mark whether it is used as a name or as a word (there are no capitals); this edition keeps Justice and does not paraphrase it as the goddess. βάρβαροι, barbarians, is the word for those who do not speak Greek — this edition renders it in the same key as 6:1 Ἑλληνιστής (Greek-speaking) and not as savages. V.6, changing their minds they said that he was a god — a repetition of Lystra at 14:11 (the gods have become like men), but this time the base text records no rebuttal from Paul. διασῴζω, brought safely through, stands in vv.1 and 4 — the verb of 27:43-44. θηρίον, beast, is the word of Mark 1:13, with the wild beasts, and of 11:6 — for a viper this edition drops wild (a site rule).
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “Justice” — with the article as it stands, not paraphrased as the goddess
Basis What the base text does not mark the translation does not decide.
5
ὁ μὲν οὖν ἀποτινάξας τὸ θηρίον εἰς τὸ πῦρ ἔπαθεν οὐδὲν κακόν·
But he, shaking the beast off into the fire, suffered no harm.
6
οἱ δὲ προσεδόκων αὐτὸν μέλλειν πίμπρασθαι ἢ καταπίπτειν ἄφνω νεκρόν. ἐπὶ πολὺ δὲ αὐτῶν προσδοκώντων καὶ θεωρούντων μηδὲν ἄτοπον εἰς αὐτὸν γινόμενον, ⸀μεταβαλόμενοι ἔλεγον ⸂αὐτὸν εἶναι θεόν⸃.
And they were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but when they had waited a long time and observed nothing out of place happening to him, changing their minds they said that he was a god.
7
Ἐν δὲ τοῖς περὶ τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον ὑπῆρχεν χωρία τῷ πρώτῳ τῆς νήσου ὀνόματι Ποπλίῳ, ὃς ἀναδεξάμενος ἡμᾶς ⸂τρεῖς ἡμέρας⸃ φιλοφρόνως ἐξένισεν.
Now in the area around that place there were fields belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who received us and for three days lodged us in a friendly way.
8
ἐγένετο δὲ τὸν πατέρα τοῦ Ποπλίου πυρετοῖς καὶ ⸀δυσεντερίῳ συνεχόμενον κατακεῖσθαι, πρὸς ὃν ὁ Παῦλος εἰσελθὼν καὶ προσευξάμενος ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῷ ἰάσατο αὐτόν.
And it came to pass that the father of Publius was lying held by fevers and dysentery, to whom Paul went in, and having prayed and laid his hands on him, healed him.
9
τούτου ⸀δὲ γενομένου καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ οἱ ⸂ἐν τῇ νήσῳ ἔχοντες ἀσθενείας⸃ προσήρχοντο καὶ ἐθεραπεύοντο,
And when this had happened, the rest also who had illnesses on the island were coming and being healed;
10
οἳ καὶ πολλαῖς τιμαῖς ἐτίμησαν ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀναγομένοις ἐπέθεντο τὰ πρὸς ⸂τὰς χρείας⸃.
and they honoured us with many honours, and when we were putting out to sea they put on board the things for our needs.
11
Μετὰ δὲ τρεῖς μῆνας ⸀ἀνήχθημεν ἐν πλοίῳ παρακεχειμακότι ἐν τῇ νήσῳ Ἀλεξανδρίνῳ, παρασήμῳ Διοσκούροις.
And after three months we put out to sea in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered on the island, with the Dioscuri as its sign.
12
καὶ καταχθέντες εἰς Συρακούσας ἐπεμείναμεν ἡμέρας τρεῖς,
And putting in at Syracuse we stayed on three days;
13
ὅθεν ⸀περιελόντες κατηντήσαμεν εἰς Ῥήγιον. καὶ μετὰ μίαν ἡμέραν ἐπιγενομένου νότου δευτεραῖοι ἤλθομεν εἰς Ποτιόλους,
from there, taking away, we arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind came on, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,
14
οὗ εὑρόντες ἀδελφοὺς παρεκλήθημεν ⸀παρ’ αὐτοῖς ἐπιμεῖναι ἡμέρας ἑπτά· καὶ οὕτως εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην ἤλθαμεν.
where finding brothers we were urged to stay on with them seven days; and so we came to Rome.
15
κἀκεῖθεν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἀκούσαντες τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν ⸀ἦλθαν εἰς ἀπάντησιν ἡμῖν ἄχρι Ἀππίου Φόρου καὶ Τριῶν Ταβερνῶν, οὓς ἰδὼν ὁ Παῦλος εὐχαριστήσας τῷ θεῷ ἔλαβε θάρσος.
And from there the brothers, hearing the things about us, came to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns; and seeing them Paul gave thanks to God and took courage.
16
Ὅτε δὲ ⸀εἰσήλθομεν εἰς Ῥώμην, ⸂ἐπετράπη τῷ Παύλῳ⸃ μένειν καθ’ ἑαυτὸν σὺν τῷ φυλάσσοντι αὐτὸν στρατιώτῃ.
And when we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who was keeping him.
17
Ἐγένετο δὲ μετὰ ἡμέρας τρεῖς συγκαλέσασθαι ⸀αὐτὸν τοὺς ὄντας τῶν Ἰουδαίων πρώτους· συνελθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἔλεγεν πρὸς αὐτούς· ⸂Ἐγώ, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί⸃, οὐδὲν ἐναντίον ποιήσας τῷ λαῷ ἢ τοῖς ἔθεσι τοῖς πατρῴοις δέσμιος ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων παρεδόθην εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῶν Ῥωμαίων,
And it came to pass that after three days he called together those who were the leading men of the Jews; and when they had come together he was saying to them, “Men, brothers, I, having done nothing contrary to the people or the customs of our fathers, was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
first here Jews Ἰουδαῖος Ioudaios
first here Romans Ῥωμαῖος Rhōmaios
18
οἵτινες ἀνακρίναντές με ἐβούλοντο ἀπολῦσαι διὰ τὸ μηδεμίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου ὑπάρχειν ἐν ἐμοί·
who, having examined me, wanted to release me, because there was no cause of death in me.
19
ἀντιλεγόντων δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἠναγκάσθην ἐπικαλέσασθαι Καίσαρα, οὐχ ὡς τοῦ ἔθνους μου ἔχων τι ⸀κατηγορεῖν.
But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to call upon Caesar — not as having anything to accuse my nation of.
first here Caesar Καῖσαρ Kaisar
20
διὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν αἰτίαν παρεκάλεσα ὑμᾶς ἰδεῖν καὶ προσλαλῆσαι, ἕνεκεν γὰρ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὴν ἅλυσιν ταύτην περίκειμαι.
For this cause, then, I asked to see you and to speak to you; for it is because of the hope of Israel that this chain lies about me.”
first here Israel Ἰσραήλ Israēl
Why this rendering
Acts.28.20 Observation
Syntactic observation
ἕνεκεν γὰρ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὴν ἅλυσιν ταύτην περίκειμαι — for because of the hope of Israel I am wearing this chain. ἅλυσις, chain, is the word of Peter’s two chains (12:6-7), Paul’s two chains (21:33) and the Gerasene’s chains (Mark 5:3-4) — this edition joins all seven places with one word (Luke 8:29 was realigned on 2026-09-19). The hope of Israel (ἡ ἐλπὶς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ) is the hope of 23:6 (hope and resurrection of the dead), 24:15, and 26:6-7 (the hope of the promise) — the last defence in Acts ends on that word. V.17, handed over into the hands of the Romans (παρεδόθην εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῶν Ῥωμαίων), is the fulfilment-sentence of Agabus at 21:11, will hand him over into the hands of the nations — the words are the same (παραδίδωμι, χεῖρες). V.19, I was compelled to call upon Caesar — the verb ἐπικαλέω of 25:11, at the last of its Caesar-places (25:11, 12, 21, 25; 26:32; 28:19). V.22 ἀντιλέγεται, spoken against, is the verb of Simeon at Luke 2:34, a sign spoken against (σημεῖον ἀντιλεγόμενον) — from the first chapters of Luke to the last of Acts.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “chain” — six places, one word; “spoken against” — as Luke 2:34
Basis Simeon’s word returns at Rome.
21
οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπαν· Ἡμεῖς οὔτε γράμματα περὶ σοῦ ἐδεξάμεθα ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας, οὔτε παραγενόμενός τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἀπήγγειλεν ἢ ἐλάλησέν τι περὶ σοῦ πονηρόν.
And they said to him, “We have neither received writings about you from Judea, nor has any of the brothers come and reported or spoken anything evil about you.
first here Judea Ἰουδαία Ioudaia
22
ἀξιοῦμεν δὲ παρὰ σοῦ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ φρονεῖς, περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῆς αἱρέσεως ταύτης γνωστὸν ⸂ἡμῖν ἐστιν⸃ ὅτι πανταχοῦ ἀντιλέγεται.
But we think it right to hear from you what you think; for as for this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.”
23
Ταξάμενοι δὲ αὐτῷ ἡμέραν ⸀ἧκον πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ξενίαν πλείονες, οἷς ἐξετίθετο διαμαρτυρόμενος τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ πείθων τε ⸀αὐτοὺς περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἀπό τε τοῦ νόμου Μωϋσέως καὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἀπὸ πρωῒ ἕως ἑσπέρας.
And having appointed a day for him, more of them came to him at his lodging, to whom he set it out, solemnly testifying to the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning until evening.
first here Jesus Ἰησοῦς Iēsous
first here Moses Μωϋσῆς Mōysēs
24
καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐπείθοντο τοῖς λεγομένοις οἱ δὲ ἠπίστουν,
And some were persuaded by the things said, but others did not believe.
25
ἀσύμφωνοι δὲ ὄντες πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀπελύοντο, εἰπόντος τοῦ Παύλου ῥῆμα ἓν ὅτι Καλῶς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐλάλησεν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ⸀ὑμῶν
And being not in agreement with one another, they were sent away, after Paul had said one word: “Well did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers,
first here Isaiah Ἠσαΐας Ēsaias
26
⸀λέγων· Πορεύθητι πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον καὶ εἰπόν· Ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε·
saying, ‘Go to this people and say: Hearing you will hear and never understand, and seeing you will see and never perceive.
Why this rendering
Acts.28.26 Observation
Syntactic observation
Πορεύθητι πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον καὶ εἰπόν· Ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε — go to this people and say: hearing you will hear and never understand. Isaiah 6:9-10 for the fourth time across the Gospels and Acts — Matt 13:14-15 (longest), Mark 4:12 and Luke 8:10 (short), John 12:40 (a different form), and here. The Acts quotation is the same Septuagint text as Matthew’s with go to this people and say prefixed — this edition renders the part shared with Matt 13:14-15 in the same sentence. Matthew cites it as is filled up in them; Paul as the Holy Spirit spoke well through Isaiah. And I heal them (ἰάσομαι) — ἰάομαι, heal, comes twice in this chapter: v.8 Paul healed the father of Publius, and v.27 lest … I heal them. V.28 τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ, this salvation of God, is the word (σωτήριον) of Simeon at Luke 2:30, your salvation, and 3:6, all flesh will see the salvation of God — and the base text does not print v.29 (the Received Text’s the Jews departed, having much dispute among themselves).
Rendering options · 1
Adopted the sentence of Matt 13:14-15; no v.29
Basis The same Septuagint text in the same words; v.29 skipped as the base text skips it.
27
ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν· μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς.
For the heart of this people has grown dull, and with their ears they heard heavily, and their eyes they closed — lest they see with the eyes and hear with the ears and understand with the heart and turn, and I heal them.’
28
γνωστὸν οὖν ⸂ἔστω ὑμῖν⸃ ὅτι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπεστάλη ⸀τοῦτο τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ· αὐτοὶ καὶ ⸀ἀκούσονται.
Let it be known to you, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the nations; they will hear.”
30
⸀Ἐνέμεινεν ⸀δὲ διετίαν ὅλην ἐν ἰδίῳ μισθώματι, καὶ ἀπεδέχετο πάντας τοὺς εἰσπορευομένους πρὸς αὐτόν,
And he remained two whole years in his own rented lodging, and was welcoming all who came in to him,
31
κηρύσσων τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ διδάσκων τὰ περὶ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάσης παρρησίας ἀκωλύτως.
proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.
first here Christ Χριστός Christos
Why this rendering
Acts.28.31 Observation
Syntactic observation
κηρύσσων τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ διδάσκων τὰ περὶ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάσης παρρησίας ἀκωλύτως — proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. The last word of Acts, ἀκωλύτως, unhindered, is unique in the New Testament. It is the negative adverb of κωλύω (prevent: 8:36 what prevents me?; 10:47; 11:17; 16:6 the Spirit prevented) — the book ends on the negation of prevent. The kingdom of God (ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ) is what the risen Jesus spoke of for forty days at 1:3 — first chapter and last share the phrase. παρρησία, openness, is the word of 4:13, 29, 31. V.30 διετία, two years, is the word of the two years at Caesarea (24:27). The base text does not say how the trial ended — this edition adds nothing. Acts 28 — 1,002 verses in the base text, which does not print 8:37, 15:34, 24:7 or 28:29 and folds 19:41 into v.40 — ends here.
Rendering options · 1
Adopted “unhindered” — the negation of κωλύω as the last word
Basis The base text’s last word as the last word.