1 A fter we were safe on the island, we knew that it was Malta.

Estando já salvos, soubemos então que a ilha se chamava Malta.

2 T he people on the island were very kind to us. It was raining and cold. They made a fire so we could get warm.

Os indígenas usaram conosco de não pouca humanidade; pois acenderam uma fogueira e nos recolheram a todos por causa da chuva que caía, e por causa do frio.

3 P aul had gathered some wood. As he laid it on the fire, a snake came out because of the heat. It held fast to Paul’s hand.

Ora havendo Paulo ajuntado e posto sobre o fogo um feixe de gravetos, uma víbora, fugindo do calor, apegou-se-lhe ã mão.

4 W hen the people of the island saw the snake holding to his hand, they said to each other, “This man is a killer. He was saved from the sea and yet it is not right for him to live.”

Quando os indígenas viram o réptil pendente da mão dele, diziam uns aos outros: Certamente este homem é homicida, pois, embora salvo do mar, a Justiça não o deixa viver.

5 P aul shook off the snake into the fire. He was not hurt in any way.

Mas ele, sacudindo o réptil no fogo, não sofreu mal nenhum.

6 T he people waited. They thought his hand would get large and he would fall over dead. After watching for a long time, they saw nothing happen to him. Then they changed their minds and said that Paul was a god. The Father of Publius Is Healed

Eles, porém, esperavam que Paulo viesse a inchar ou a cair morto de repente; mas tendo esperado muito tempo e vendo que nada de anormal lhe sucedia, mudaram de parecer e diziam que era um deus.

7 P ublius was the head man of the island. He owned land around there. For three days he took us in and gave us everything we needed.

Ora, nos arredores daquele lugar havia umas terras que pertenciam ao homem principal da ilha, por nome Públio, o qual nos recebeu e hospedou bondosamente por três dias.

8 T he father of Publius was sick with a stomach sickness. Paul went to see him. He prayed and laid his hands on him and the man was healed.

Aconteceu estar de cama, enfermo de febre e disenteria, o pai de Públio; Paulo foi visitá-lo, e havendo orado, impôs-lhe as mãos, e o curou.

9 B ecause of this, other people of the island who were sick came to Paul and were healed.

Feito isto, vinham também os demais enfermos da ilha, e eram curados;

10 T hey had great respect for us. When we got into a ship to leave, they gave us everything we needed.

e estes nos distinguiram com muitas honras; e, ao embarcarmos, puseram a bordo as coisas que nos eram necessárias.

11 W e had stayed on the island three months. Then we left on a ship that had stayed there during the winter. It was from the city of Alexandria. This ship was called the Twin Brothers.

Passados três meses, partimos em um navio de Alexandria que invernara na ilha, o qual tinha por insígnia Castor e Pólux.

12 W e came to Syracuse and stayed there three days.

E chegando a Siracusa, ficamos ali três dias;

13 F rom there we went by ship around to the city of Rhegium. After a day a south wind started to blow. On the second day we came to the city of Puteoli.

donde, costeando, viemos a Régio; e, soprando no dia seguinte o vento sul, chegamos em dois dias a Putéoli,

14 W e found some Christians there, and they asked us to stay with them. We were there seven days and then went on to the city of Rome.

onde, achando alguns irmãos, fomos convidados a ficar com eles sete dias; e depois nos dirigimos a Roma.

15 W hen the Christians heard of our coming, they came to meet us. They came as far as the town of Appius and to a place to stay called the Three Stores. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. Paul Tells Why and How He Has Come

Ora, os irmãos da lá, havendo recebido notícias nossas, vieram ao nosso encontro até a praça de Ápio e

16 W hen we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live where he wanted to. But a soldier was always by his side to watch him.

Quando chegamos a Roma, a Paulo se lhe permitiu morar ã parte, com o soldado que o guardava.

17 T hree days later Paul asked the leaders of the Jews to come to him. When they had gathered together, he said, “Brothers, I have done nothing against our people or the way our early fathers lived. And yet, I was tied with chains in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.

Passados três dias, ele convocou os principais dentre os judeus; e reunidos eles, disse-lhes: Varões irmãos, não havendo eu feito nada contra o povo, ou contra os ritos paternos, vim contudo preso desde Jerusalém, entregue nas mãos dos romanos;

18 I was put on trial, but they found no reason to put me to death. They would have let me go free.

os quais, havendo-me interrogado, queriam soltar-me, por não haver em mim crime algum que merecesse a morte.

19 B ut the Jews did not like this. So I had to ask to be sent to Caesar. It was not because I had anything against my people.

Mas opondo-se a isso os judeus, vi-me obrigado a apelar para César, não tendo, contudo, nada de que acusar a minha nação.

20 T he reason I have asked you to come is to tell you this. It is because of the hope of the Jewish nation that I am tied in these chains.”

Por esta causa, pois, vos convidei, para vos ver e falar; porque pela esperança de Israel estou preso com esta cadeia.

21 T hey said to Paul, “We have had no letters from Judea about you. No Jew who has come here has ever said anything bad about you.

Mas eles lhe disseram: Nem recebemos da Judéia cartas a teu respeito, nem veio aqui irmão algum que contasse ou dissesse mal de ti.

22 W e would like to hear from you what you believe. As for this new religion, all we know is that everyone is talking against it.”

No entanto bem quiséramos ouvir de ti o que pensas; porque, quanto a esta seita, notório nos é que em toda parte é impugnada.

23 T hey planned to meet him on a certain day. Many people came to the place where he stayed. He preached to them about the holy nation of God. He tried to get them to put their trust in Jesus Christ by preaching from the Law of Moses and from the writings of the early preachers. From morning until night he spoke to them.

Havendo-lhe eles marcado um dia, muitos foram ter com ele ã sua morada, aos quais desde a manhã até a noite explicava com bom testemunho o reino de Deus e procurava persuadí-los acerca de Jesus, tanto pela lei de Moisés como pelos profetas.

24 S ome of them believed his teaching. Others did not believe.

Uns criam nas suas palavras, mas outros as rejeitavam.

25 A s they left, they did not agree with each other. Then Paul said, “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your early fathers through the early preacher Isaiah.

E estando discordes entre si, retiraram-se, havendo Paulo dito esta palavra: Bem falou o Espírito Santo aos vossos pais pelo profeta Isaías,

26 H e said, ‘Go to these people and say, “You will hear and never understand, you will look and never see,

dizendo: Vai a este povo e dize: Ouvindo, ouvireis, e de maneira nenhuma entendereis; e vendo, vereis, e de maneira nenhuma percebereis.

27 b ecause these people have hearts that have become fat. They do not hear well with their ears. They have closed their eyes so their eyes do not see and their ears do not hear and their minds do not understand and they do not turn to Me and let Me heal them.”’

Porque o coração deste povo se endureceu, e com os ouvidos ouviram tardamente, e fecharam os olhos; para que não vejam com os olhos, nem ouçam com os ouvidos, nem entendam com o coração nem se convertam e eu os cure.

28 “ I want you to know that the Good News of God of knowing how to be saved from the punishment of sin has been sent to the people who are not Jews. And they will listen to it!”

Seja-vos pois notório que esta salvação de Deus é enviada aos gentios, e eles ouvirão.

29 A fter he had said these things, the Jews went away and argued with each other.

30 P aul paid money to live in a house by himself for two years. He was happy for all who came to see him.

E morou dois anos inteiros na casa que alugara, e recebia a todos os que o visitavam,

31 H e kept on preaching about the holy nation of God. He taught about the Lord Jesus Christ without fear. No one stopped him.

pregando o reino de Deus e ensinando as coisas concernentes ao Senhor Jesus Cristo, com toda a liberdade, sem impedimento algum.