Acts 28

Paul on the Island of Malta

1 When we were safe on land, we learned that the island was called Malta.2 The people who lived there were very good to us. Because it was raining and very cold, they made a fire and welcomed all of us.3 Paul gathered a pile of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and bit him on the hand.4 The people living on the island saw the snake hanging from Paul’s hand and said to each other, “This man must be a murderer! He did not die in the sea, but Justice 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and was not hurt.

6 The people thought that Paul would swell up or fall down dead. They waited and watched him for a long time, but nothing bad happened to him. So they changed their minds and said, “He is a god!”
7 There were some fields around there owned by Publius, an important man on the island. He welcomed us into his home and was very good to us for three days.8 Publius’ father was sick with a fever and dysentery. 9 After this, all the other sick people on the island came to Paul, and he healed them, too.

10-11 The people on the island gave us many honors. When we were ready to leave, three months later, they gave us the things we needed.

We got on a ship from Alexandria that had stayed on the island during the winter. On the front of the ship was the sign of the twin gods. 

Paul Goes to Rome

12 We stopped at Syracuse for three days.13 From there we sailed to Rhegium. The next day a wind began to blow from the south, and a day later we came to Puteoli.14 We found some believers there who asked us to stay with them for a week. Finally, we came to Rome.15 The believers in Rome heard that we were there and came out as far as the Market of Appius 

Paul in Rome

16 When we arrived at Rome, Paul was allowed to live alone, with the soldier who guarded him.
17 Three days later Paul sent for the leaders there. When they came together, he said, “Brothers, I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors. But I was arrested in Jerusalem and given to the Romans.18 After they asked me many questions, they could find no reason why I should be killed. They wanted to let me go free,19 but the evil people there argued against that. So I had to ask to come to Rome to have my trial before Caesar. But I have no charge to bring against my own people.

20 That is why I wanted to see you and talk with you. I am bound with this chain because I believe in the hope of Israel.”
21 They answered Paul, “We have received no letters from Judea about you. None of our Jewish brothers who have come from there brought news or told us anything bad about you.

22 But we want to hear your ideas, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this religious group.”
23 Paul and the people chose a day for a meeting and on that day many more of the Jews met with Paul at the place he was staying. He spoke to them all day long. Using the law of Moses and the prophets’ writings, he explained the kingdom of God, and he tried to persuade them to believe these things about Jesus.24 Some believed what Paul said, but others did not.

25 So they argued and began leaving after Paul said one more thing to them: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

26 ‘Go to this people and say:
You will listen and listen, but you will not understand. You will look and look, but you will not learn,

27 because these people have become stubborn. They don’t hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise, they might really understand what they see with their eyes and hear with their ears.
They might really understand in their minds and come back to me and be healed.’ t
28 “I want you to know that God has also sent his salvation to all nations, and they will listen!” [29 After Paul said this, the Jews left. They were arguing very much with each other.] 30 Paul stayed two full years in his own rented house and welcomed all people who came to visit him.31 He boldly preached about the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ, and no one stopped him.

Romans 1

1 From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus. God called me to be an apostle and chose me to tell the Good News.
2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures.3-4 The Good News is about God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. As a man, he was born from the family of David. But through the Spirit of holiness he was declared to be God’s Son with great power by rising from the dead.5 Through Christ, God gave me the special work of an apostle, which was to lead people of all nations to believe and obey. I do this work for him.

6 And you who are in Rome are also called to belong to Jesus Christ.

7 To all of you in Rome whom God loves and has called to be his holy people:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Prayer of Thanks

8 First I want to say that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because people everywhere in the world are talking about your faith.9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart by telling the Good News about his Son, knows that I always mention you10 every time I pray. I pray that I will be allowed to come to you, and this will happen if God wants it.11 I want very much to see you, to give you some spiritual gift to make you strong.12 I mean that I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you.

13 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I planned many times to come to you, but this has not been possible. I wanted to come so that I could help you grow spiritually as I have helped the other non-Jewish people.
14 I have a duty to all people—Greeks and those who are not Greeks, the wise and the foolish.

15 That is why I want so much to preach the Good News to you in Rome.
16 I am not ashamed of the Good News, because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes—to save the Jews first, and then to save non-Jews.17 The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself—that it begins and ends with faith. As the Scripture says, “But those who are right with God will live by faith.” 

All People Have Done Wrong

18 God’s anger is shown from heaven against all the evil and wrong things people do. By their own evil lives they hide the truth.19 God shows his anger because some knowledge of him has been made clear to them. Yes, God has shown himself to them.20 There are things about him that people cannot see—his eternal power and all the things that make him God. But since the beginning of the world those things have been easy to understand by what God has made. So people have no excuse for the bad things they do.21 They knew God, but they did not give glory to God or thank him. Their thinking became useless. Their foolish minds were filled with darkness.22 They said they were wise, but they became fools.

23 They traded the glory of God who lives forever for the worship of idols made to look like earthly people, birds, animals, and snakes.
24 Because they did these things, God left them and let them go their sinful way, wanting only to do evil. As a result, they became full of sexual sin, using their bodies wrongly with each other.

25 They traded the truth of God for a lie. They worshiped and served what had been created instead of the God who created those things, who should be praised forever. Amen.
26 Because people did those things, God left them and let them do the shameful things they wanted to do. Women stopped having natural sex and started having sex with other women.

27 In the same way, men stopped having natural sex and began wanting each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and in their bodies they received the punishment for those wrongs.
28 People did not think it was important to have a true knowledge of God. So God left them and allowed them to have their own worthless thinking and to do things they should not do.29 They are filled with every kind of sin, evil, selfishness, and hatred. They are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, lying, and thinking the worst about each other. They gossip30 and say evil things about each other. They hate God. They are rude and conceited and brag about themselves. They invent ways of doing evil. They do not obey their parents.31 They are foolish, they do not keep their promises, and they show no kindness or mercy to others.32 They know God’s law says that those who live like this should die. But they themselves not only continue to do these evil things, they applaud others who do them.

Romans 2

You People Also Are Sinful

1 If you think you can judge others, you are wrong. When you judge them, you are really judging yourself guilty, because you do the same things they do.2 God judges those who do wrong things, and we know that his judging is right.3 You judge those who do wrong, but you do wrong yourselves. Do you think you will be able to escape the judgment of God?4 He has been very kind and patient, waiting for you to change, but you think nothing of his kindness. Perhaps you do not understand that God is kind to you so you will change your hearts and lives.5 But you are stubborn and refuse to change, so you are making your own punishment even greater on the day he shows his anger. On that day everyone will see God’s right judgments.6 God will reward or punish every person for what that person has done.7 Some people, by always continuing to do good, live for God’s glory, for honor, and for life that has no end. God will give them life forever.8 But other people are selfish. They refuse to follow truth and, instead, follow evil. God will give them his punishment and anger.9 He will give trouble and suffering to everyone who does evil—to the Jews first and also to those who are not Jews.10 But he will give glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does good—to the Jews first and also to those who are not Jews.

11 For God judges all people in the same way.
12 People who do not have the law and who are sinners will be lost, although they do not have the law. And, in the same way, those who have the law and are sinners will be judged by the law.13 Hearing the law does not make people right with God. It is those who obey the law who will be right with him.14 (Those who are not Jews do not have the law, but when they freely do what the law commands, they are the law for themselves. This is true even though they do not have the law.15 They show that in their hearts they know what is right and wrong, just as the law commands. And they show this by their consciences. Sometimes their thoughts tell them they did wrong, and sometimes their thoughts tell them they did right.)

16 All these things will happen on the day when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge people’s secret thoughts. The Good News that I preach says this.

The Jews and the Law

17 What about you? You call yourself a Jew. You trust in the law of Moses and brag that you are close to God.18 You know what he wants you to do and what is important, because you have learned the law.19 You think you are a guide for the blind and a light for those who are in darkness.20 You think you can show foolish people what is right and teach those who know nothing. You have the law; so you think you know everything and have all truth.21 You teach others, so why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but you steal.22 You say that others must not take part in adultery, but you are guilty of that sin. You hate idols, but you steal from temples.23 You brag about having God’s law, but you bring shame to God by breaking his law,24 just as the Scriptures say: “Those who are not Jews speak against God’s name because of you.” 25 If you follow the law, your circumcision has meaning. But if you break the law, it is as if you were never circumcised.26 People who are not Jews are not circumcised, but if they do what the law says, it is as if they were circumcised.27 You Jews have the written law and circumcision, but you break the law. So those who are not circumcised in their bodies, but still obey the law, will show that you are guilty.28 They can do this because a person is not a true Jew if he is only a Jew in his physical body; true circumcision is not only on the outside of the body.29 A person is a Jew only if he is a Jew inside; true circumcision is done in the heart by the Spirit, not by the written law. Such a person gets praise from God rather than from people.