New Testament: Acts 28.1–6

To read the Bible in a year, read Acts 28.1–15 on July 29, In the year of our Lord Christ 2024

By Don Ruhl 

After the ship wrecked on which Paul and his friends were traveling to Rome, the people of Malta, the island where they swam to, showed great kindness to the survivors: “Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold” (Acts 28.1–2). 

Paul did not sit down and expect everything to be done for him (the centurion may have made Paul work), but he gathered wood for fire, and then a viper, attached to a stick, leapt off the wood and bit Paul, staying attached to him: “But 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” (Acts 28.3). 

Look what the rescuers concluded: “So 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 the sea, yet justice does not allow to live’” (Acts 28.4). 

However, Paul shook off the creature and nothing happened to him (Acts 28.5–6). When nothing happened to Paul, they changed their opinion 180º and concluded that he was a god! 

Listen to people switch their opinions. It can go the other way also. They can conclude someone is a god and then decide he is a criminal. Therefore, do not let their criticisms destroy you and do not swallow their compliments, for later they may reverse their minds. 

Questions from today’s reading and devotional: 

• Who was the leading citizen of the island? 
• Where did brethren from Rome meet Paul? 

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Don preaches with the Savage Street Church of Christ in Grants Pass, Oregon. 

Listen to his sermons here: GrantsPassChurchOfChrist.com