1 و َبَعدَ أنْ خَرَجنا مِنْ هَذا كُلِّهِ سالِمِينَ، عَلِمنا أنَّ الجَزِيرَةَ تُدعَى مالْطَةَ.

And having been saved, then they knew that the island is called Melita,

2 و َقَدْ أظهَرَ لَنا أهلُ الجَزِيرَةِ لُطفاً غَيرَ عادِيٍّ. فَرَحَّبُوا بِنا جَمِيعاً، وَأشعَلُوا لَنا ناراً لِأنَّ السَّماءَ بَدَأتْ تُمطِرُ وَكانَ الجَوُّ بارِداً.

and the foreigners were shewing us no ordinary kindness, for having kindled a fire, they received us all, because of the pressing rain, and because of the cold;

3 و َجَمَعَ بُولُسُ كَومَةً مِنَ العِصِيِّ، وَراحَ يَضَعُها عَلَى النّارِ. فَخَرَجَتْ أفعَى سامَّةٌ بِسَبَبِ الحَرِّ، وَالتَفَّتْ عَلَى يَدِهِ.

but Paul having gathered together a quantity of sticks, and having laid upon the fire, a viper -- out of the heat having come -- did fasten on his hand.

4 ف َلَمّا رَأى سُكّانُ الجَزِيرَةِ الأفعَى مُدَلّاةً مِنْ يَدِهِ، قالُوا بَعضُهُمْ لِبَعضٍ: «لا بُدَّ أنَّ هَذا الرَّجُلَ قاتِلٌ، فَمَعْ أنَّهُ نَجا مِنَ البَحرِ، إلّا أنَّ «العَدلَ» لَنْ يَسمَحَ لَهُ بِأنْ يَعِيشَ.»

And when the foreigners saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said unto one another, `Certainly this man is a murderer, whom, having been saved out of the sea, the justice did not suffer to live;'

5 أ مّا بُولُسُ فَنَفَضَ الأفعَى مِنْ يَدِهِ إلَى النّارِ، وَلَمْ يُصِبهُ أيُّ أذَىً.

he then, indeed, having shaken off the beast into the fire, suffered no evil,

6 ف َتَوَقَّعُوا أنْ يَتَوَرَّمَ أوْ أنْ يَسقُطَ مَيِّتاً، لَكِنَّهُمْ بَعدَ انتِظارٍ طَوِيلٍ لَمْ يَرَوا شَيئاً غَيْرَ عادِيٍّ يَحدُثُ لَهُ. فَغَيَّرُوا رَأيَهُمْ وَقالُوا إنَّهُ إلَهٌ!

and they were expecting him to be about to be inflamed, or to fall down suddenly dead, and they, expecting a long time, and seeing nothing uncommon happening to him, changing minds, said he was a god.

7 و َكانَتْ قُربَ ذَلِكَ المَكانِ حُقُولٌ لِرَجُلٍ اسْمُهُ بُوبلِيُوسَ، وَهُوَ أحَدُ وُجَهاءِ تِلْكَ المِنطَقَةِ. فَرَحَّبَ بِنا فِي بَيتِهِ، وَاستَضافَنا بِكُلِّ كَرَمٍ ثَلاثَةَ أيّامٍ.

And in the neighbourhood of that place were lands of the principal man of the island, by name Publius, who, having received us, three days did courteously lodge;

8 و َكانَ وَالِدُ بُوبلِيُوسَ طَرِيحَ الفِراشِ، مُصاباً بِحُمَّى وَإسْهالٍ دامٍ. فَدَخَلَ بُولُسُ لِيَزُورَهُ. وَبَعدَ أنْ صَلَّى، وَضَعَ يَدَيهِ عَلَيهِ وَشَفاهُ.

and it came to pass, the father of Publius with feverish heats and dysentery pressed, was laid, unto whom Paul having entered, and having prayed, having laid hands on him, healed him;

9 ف َلَمّا حَدَثَ هَذا، جاءَ بِقِيَّةُ المَرضَى فِي الجَزِيرَةِ وَشُفُوا.

this, therefore, being done, the others also in the island having infirmities were coming and were healed;

10 و َأكرَمُونا بِهَدايا كَثِيرَةٍ. وَلَمّا أبحَرنا زَوَّدُونا بِما نَحتاجُ. بُولُسُ يَذهَبُ إلَى رُوما

who also with many honours did honour us, and we setting sail -- they were lading with the things that were necessary.

11 و َبَعدَ ثَلاثَةِ أشهُرٍ، أبْحَرْنا فِي سَفِينَةٍ إسكَندَرِيَّةٍ كانَتْ قَدْ قَضَتِ الشِّتاءَ فِي الجَزِيرَةِ. وَكانَ فِي مُقَدِّمَتِها عَلامَةُ الْجَوزاءِ: «الإلَهانِ التَّوأمانِ.»

And after three months, we set sail in a ship (that had wintered in the isle) of Alexandria, with the sign Dioscuri,

12 ف َوَصَلْنا إلَى سِراكُوستا وَمَكَثنا هُناكَ ثَلاثَةَ أيّامٍ.

and having landed at Syracuse, we remained three days,

13 و َمِنْ هُناكَ أبحَرنا وَوَصَلنا إلَى رِيغُونَ. وَبَعدَ يَومٍ واحِدٍ هَبَّتْ رِيحٌ جَنُوبِيَّةٌ، وَفِي اليَومِ التّالِي وَصَلنا إلَى بُوطيُولِي.

thence having gone round, we came to Rhegium, and after one day, a south wind having sprung up, the second we came to Puteoli;

14 و َهُناكَ عَثَرنا عَلَى بَعضِ الإخوَةِ، فَطَلَبُوا إلَينا أنْ نَبقَى مَعَهُمْ سَبعَةَ أيّامٍ. وَهَكَذا وَصَلنا إلَى رُوما.

where, having found brethren, we were called upon to remain with them seven days, and thus to Rome we came;

15 و َكانَ الإخوَةُ هُناكَ قَدْ سَمِعُوا أخبارَنا، وَجاءُوا إلَى سُوقِ أبِيُّوسَ وَمِنطَقَةِ الحاناتِ الثَّلاثِ لاستِقبالِنا. فَلَمّا رَآهُمْ بُولُسُ، شَكَرَ اللهَ وَتَشَجَّعَ. بُولُسُ فِي رُوما

and thence, the brethren having heard the things concerning us, came forth to meet us, unto Appii Forum, and Three Taverns -- whom Paul having seen, having given thanks to God, took courage.

16 و َلَمّا وَصَلنا إلَى رُوما، سُمِحَ لِبُولُسَ بِأنْ يُقيمَ وَحدَهُ مَعَ جُندِيٍّ يَحرُسُهُ.

And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered up the prisoners to the captain of the barrack, but Paul was suffered to remain by himself, with the soldier guarding him.

17 و َبَعدَ ثَلاثَةِ أيّامٍ دَعا بُولُسُ قادَةَ اليَهُودِ لِلاجتِماعِ. فَلَمّا اجتَمَعُوا، قالَ لَهُمْ: «أيُّها الإخوَةُ، رُغمَ إنِّي لَمْ أفعَلْ شَيئاً ضِدَّ شَعبِنا أوْ ضِدَّ عاداتِ آبائِنا، إلّا أنِّي أسلِمتُ لِلرُّومانِ كَسَجِينٍ فِي القُدسِ.

And it came to pass after three days, Paul called together those who are the principal men of the Jews, and they having come together, he said unto them: `Men, brethren, I -- having done nothing contrary to the people, or to the customs of the fathers -- a prisoner from Jerusalem, was delivered up to the hands of the Romans;

18 ف َاسْتَجوَبُونِي وَأرادُوا إخلاءَ سَبِيلِي، لِأنِّي لَمْ أرتَكِبْ جُرماً يَستَحِقُّ عُقُوبَةُ المَوتِ.

who, having examined me, were wishing to release, because of their being no cause of death in me,

19 ل َكِنْ عِندَما اعتَرَضَ اليَهُودُ، اضطُرِرتُ لِرَفعِ قَضِيَّتِي إلَى القَيصَرِ. فَلَمْ يَكُنْ هَذا لِأنَّنِي أُرِيدُ أنْ أشتَكِيَ عَلَى شَعبِي.

and the Jews having spoken against, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar -- not as having anything to accuse my nation of;

20 و َهَذا هُوَ ما دَعانِي إلَى أنْ أطلُبَ رُؤيَتَكُمْ وَالتَّحَدُّثَ إلَيكُمْ. فَأنا مُقَيَّدٌ بِهَذِهِ السِّلسِلَةِ لِأنِّي أُومِنُ بِرَجاءِ بَنِي إسرائِيلَ.

for this cause, therefore, I called for you to see and to speak with, for because of the hope of Israel with this chain I am bound.'

21 ف َقالُوا لَهُ: «لَمْ نَتَلَقَّ أيَّةَ رَسائِلَ مِنْ إقلِيمِ اليَهُودِيَّةِ عَنكَ. وَلَمْ يَذكُرْ أوْ يَقُلْ لَنا أيٌّ مِنَ الإخوَةِ الَّذِينَ وَصَلُوا مِنْ هُناكَ شَيئاً سَيِّئاً عَنكَ.

And they said unto him, `We did neither receive letters concerning thee from Judea, nor did any one who came of the brethren declare or speak any evil concerning thee,

22 ل َكِنَّنا نَوَدُّ أنْ نَسمَعَ مِنكَ لِنَعرِفَ ما تَعتَقِدُهُ. فَنَحنُ نَعرِفُ أنَّ هَذا المَذهَبَ يُنتَقَدُ فِي كُلِّ مَكانٍ.»

and we think it good from thee to hear what thou dost think, for, indeed, concerning this sect it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against;'

23 ف َحَدَّدُوا يَوماً آخَرَ لِلِقائِهِ. وَجاءُوا إلَيهِ فِي مَكانِ إقامَتِهِ بِأعدادٍ كَبِيرَةٍ. فَشَرَحَ لَهُمْ وَشَهِدَ لَهُمْ عَنْ مَلَكُوتِ اللهِ. وَحاوَلَ أنْ يُقنِعَهُمْ بِحَقِيقَةِ يَسُوعَ مِنْ شَرِيعَةِ مُوسَى وَمِنْ كُتُبِ الأنبِياءِ. وَظَلَّ يَتَحَدَّثُ مِنَ الصَّباحِ إلَى المَساءِ.

and having appointed him a day, they came, more of them unto him, to the lodging, to whom he was expounding, testifying fully the reign of God, persuading them also of the things concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses, and the prophets, from morning till evening,

24 ف َاقتَنَعَ بَعضُهُمْ بِما قالَهُ، أمّا الآخَرُونَ فَرَفَضُوا أنْ يُؤمِنُوا.

and, some, indeed, were believing the things spoken, and some were not believing.

25 و َلَمّا اختَلَفُوا فِيما بَينَهُمْ، بَدَأُوا يُغادِرُونَ بَعدَ أنْ قالَ بُولُسُ كَلِمَةً أخِيرَةً: «ما أحسَنَ ما قالَهُ الرُّوحُ القُدُسُ حِينَ قالَ لآبائِكُمْ مِنْ خِلالِ النَّبِيِّ إشَعْياءَ:

And not being agreed with one another, they were going away, Paul having spoken one word -- `Well did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers,

26 ‹ اذهَبُوا إلَى هَذا الشَّعبِ وَقُولُوا: سَتَسمَعُونَ وَتَسمَعُونَ، لَكِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَفهَمُوا. وَسَتَنظُرُونَ وَتَنظُرُونَ، لَكِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تُبْصِروا.

saying, Go on unto this people and say, With hearing ye shall hear, and ye shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and ye shall not perceive,

27 ف َقَدْ صارَ تَفكِيرُ هَذا الشَّعبِ بَلِيداً، وَصارَ سَمَعُهُمْ ثَقيلاً. أغمَضُوا عُيُونَهُمْ، فَهُمْ لا يُرِيدُونَ أنْ يَرَوا بِعُيُونِهِمْ، وَلا يُرِيدُونَ أنْ يَسمَعُوا بِآذانِهِمْ، أوْ أنْ يَفهَمُوا بِعُقُولِهِمْ، لِئَلّا يَأْتُوا إلَيَّ فَأُشفِيهِمْ.›

for made gross was the heart of this people, and with the ears they heard heavily, and their eyes they did close, lest they may see with the eyes, and with the heart may understand, and be turned back, and I may heal them.

28 « فَاعلَمُوا أنَّ خَلاصَ اللهِ قَدْ أُرسِلَ إلَى غَيرِ اليَهُودِ، وَهُمْ سَيَسمَعُونَ.»

`Be it known, therefore, to you, that to the nations was sent the salvation of God, these also will hear it;'

29 ف َلَمّا قالَ بُولُسُ هَذا، انْسَحَبَ اليَهودُ، وَكانوا يَتَجادَلونَ فيما بَينَهُمْ بِشِدَّةٍ.

and he having said these things, the Jews went away, having much disputation among themselves;

30 و َأقامَ بُولُسُ فِي مَنزِلِهِ الَّذِي استَأجَرَهُ سَنَتَينِ كامِلَتَينِ. وَكانَ يُرَحِّبُ بِكُلِّ الَّذِينَ يَأتُونَ إلَيهِ.

and Paul remained an entire two years in his own hired, and was receiving all those coming in unto him,

31 و َكانَ يُنادِي بِمَلَكُوتِ اللهِ، وَيُعَلِّمُ عَنِ الرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ المَسِيحِ بِكُلِّ جَسارَةٍ، وَلَمْ يَسمَحْ لِشَيءٍ بِأنْ يُعَطِّلَهُ.

preaching the reign of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness -- unforbidden.