Paul and the Viper at Malta

Illustration of Paul and the Viper at Malta
A viper struck the shipwrecked apostle's hand - and Malta watched him shake it into the fire and feel no harm.

Shipwrecked on Malta in the cold and rain, Paul was helping gather sticks for the fire the islanders had kindled when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened on his hand. The Maltese drew the obvious conclusion: 'No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.' Paul simply shook the beast off into the fire and felt no harm. The onlookers waited for him to swell or fall down dead - and when nothing happened, swung to the opposite verdict and said he was a god. The incident opened the whole island to the gospel: the chief man Publius hosted the survivors, Paul healed his fever-stricken father, and the sick from across Malta came and were healed - fulfilling, almost to the letter, Jesus's promise that his witnesses would take up serpents and not be hurt.

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Details

Category
Deliverance
Testament
New Testament
Performed by
God

Key Chapters

Acts 28 Paul in Rome 5 min read

Key Passages

The Viper Shaken Off

Acts 28:3-6

A3nd when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

4 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. 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. 6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

Explore Related

Characters

Paul Paul, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was a zealous Pharisee who actively persecuted early Christiansโ€ฆ Publius Publius served as the chief official of Malta when the apostle Paul and other survivors of a violentโ€ฆ Luke Luke was a first-century physician and a close companion of the apostle Paul during his missionary travels,โ€ฆ

Places

Malta Malta, referred to as Melita in the New Testament, is the island where the apostle Paul was shipwreckedโ€ฆ

Themes

Redemption To redeem means to buy back. From Boaz purchasing Ruth's inheritance to Christ purchasing his people withโ€ฆ Faith Without faith it is impossible to please God. From Abraham leaving everything for an unknown land to aโ€ฆ Sovereignty of God The Lord reigns. From Joseph's slavery to Daniel's lions' den, Scripture reveals a God who works all thingsโ€ฆ

Did You Know?

1

The Maltese changed their verdict on Paul from 'murderer' to 'god' in minutes - the exact reverse of Lystra, where crowds first called him a god and then stoned him.

2

Malta today venerates Paul as its patron; tradition holds the island's Christianity began with this shipwreck, making it one of Europe's oldest Christian communities.

3

Luke records that after the viper and the healings, the islanders 'honoured us with many honours' and loaded the ship with supplies - a shipwreck that ended with a fully provisioned departure.