The Explanation

Paul had been on a ship in a huge storm. Now the ship was broken. But everyone swam to land. They landed on an island called Malta.

The people who lived there were kind. It was cold and rainy, so they made a big fire. Paul helped. He gathered sticks and threw them on the flames. But hiding in the sticks was a snake, a viper. It bit onto Paul's hand and would not let go.

The people on the island gasped. "This man must be a murderer," they whispered to each other. "He escaped the sea, but now justice will get him after all." They watched, waiting for Paul to swell up and fall down dead.

But Paul just shook the snake off into the fire. Nothing happened to him. Not a swollen hand, not a fever, nothing at all. The people waited and waited. Then they changed their minds completely. "He must be a god," they said.

Paul was no god. He was just a man that God was taking care of.

Nearby lived Publius, the most important man on the island. He welcomed the shipwrecked travelers into his home for three days. His father was very sick with fever. Paul walked in, prayed, laid his hands on the sick man, and he was healed. Soon everyone on the island who was sick came to Paul, and they were healed too. When the travelers finally sailed away, the islanders loaded the ship with everything they needed.

After three months at sea, they arrived closer and closer to Rome. Christians came out to meet Paul on the road, some walking many miles just to see him. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and felt strong again.

In Rome, Paul was allowed to live in his own rented house, guarded by a soldier. He called the Jewish leaders together and told them his story honestly: he had done nothing wrong, but he had been arrested anyway. Many people came to hear him. From morning until evening, he explained about God's kingdom and about Jesus. Some believed him. Others did not.

Paul stayed two whole years in that house. Anyone could come to him. And with all boldness, without anyone stopping him, he kept teaching about Jesus.

What Does This Mean?

Think about it: Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake, and nothing happened. Would you have been scared to shake off a snake like that? Paul trusted God, even in danger.

The islanders were wrong about Paul twice. First they thought he was a murderer. Then they thought he was a god. He was neither. He was just a man God was using.

Even in a rented house, guarded by a soldier, nobody could stop Paul from talking about Jesus. That is the real ending of this book: nothing can lock up the good news.

The Common Thread

From a shipwreck to a snakebite to a house in Rome, God kept Paul safe. Not because Paul was special, but because God had a promise for him: this news about Jesus must reach everyone, not just the Jewish people, but all nations. That is exactly what Paul says at the end. God's rescue is for the whole world, including you.

For You

When something scary happens to you, like Paul with the snake, you can still trust God is with you. And when someone needs help, like Publius's sick father, you can pray for them, just like Paul did. You do not need to be big or important. God can use you right where you are, even in your own house, even today.

Talk About It

Would you have been afraid to shake off the snake like Paul did? Why do you think he wasn't scared?

Paul kept teaching about Jesus even while guarded by a soldier. Where could you talk about Jesus this week?

Praying Together

Dear God, thank You for taking care of Paul on the island and in Rome. Thank You that nothing can stop Your good news. Help us trust You when we are scared, and help us tell others about Jesus too. Amen.