On the Island of Malta
1 When we came ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The local people were very friendly, and they welcomed us by building a fire, because it was rainy and cold.
3 After Paul had gathered some wood and had put it on the fire, the heat caused a snake to crawl out, and it bit him on the hand. 4 When the local people saw the snake hanging from Paul's hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer! He didn't drown in the sea, but the goddess of justice will kill him anyway.”
5 Paul shook the snake off into the fire and wasn't harmed. 6 The people kept thinking that Paul would either swell up or suddenly drop dead. They watched him for a long time, and when nothing happened to him, they changed their minds and said, “This man is a god.”
7 The governor of the island was named Publius, and he owned some of the land around there. Publius was very friendly and welcomed us into his home for three days. 8 His father was in bed, sick with fever and stomach trouble, and Paul went to visit him. Paul healed the man by praying and placing his hands on him.
9 After this happened, everyone on the island brought their sick people to Paul, and they were all healed. 10 The people were very respectful to us, and when we sailed, they gave us everything we needed.
From Malta to Rome
11 Three months later we sailed in a ship that had been docked at Malta for the winter. The ship was from Alexandria in Egypt and was known as “The Twin Gods.” 12 We arrived in Syracuse and stayed for three days. 13 From there we sailed to Rhegium. The next day a south wind began to blow, and two days later we arrived in Puteoli. 14 There we found some of the Lord's followers, who begged us to stay with them. A week later we left for the city of Rome.
15 Some of the followers in Rome heard about us and came to meet us at the Market of Appius and at the Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged.
Paul in Rome
16 We arrived in Rome, and Paul was allowed to live in a house by himself with a soldier to guard him.
17 Three days after we got there, Paul called together some of the Jewish leaders and said:
My friends, I have never done anything to hurt our people, and I have never gone against the customs of our ancestors. But in Jerusalem I was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans. 18 They looked into the charges against me and wanted to release me. They found that I had not done anything deserving death. 19 The Jewish leaders disagreed, so I asked to be tried by the Emperor.
But I don't have anything to say against my own nation. 20 I am bound by these chains because of what we people of Israel hope for. This is why I have called you here to talk about this hope of ours.
21 The leaders replied, “No one from Judea has written us a letter about you. And not one of them has come here to report on you or to say anything against you. 22 But we would like to hear what you have to say. We understand that people everywhere are against this new group.”
23 They agreed on a time to meet with Paul, and many of them came to his house. From early morning until late in the afternoon, Paul talked to them about God's kingdom. He used the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets to try to win them over to Jesus.
24 Some of the leaders agreed with what Paul said, but others did not. 25 Since they could not agree among themselves, they started leaving. But Paul said, “The Holy Spirit said the right thing when he sent Isaiah the prophet 26 to tell our ancestors,
‘Go to these people
and tell them:
You will listen and listen,
but never understand.
You will look and look,
but never see.
27 All of you
have stubborn hearts.
Your ears are stopped up,
and your eyes are covered.
You cannot see or hear
or understand.
If you could,
you would turn to me,
and I would heal you.’ ”
28-29 Paul said, “You may be sure that God wants to save the Gentiles! And they will listen.”
30 For two years Paul stayed in a rented house and welcomed everyone who came to see him. 31 He bravely preached about God's kingdom and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ, and no one tried to stop him.
Paulus mokakoverwa ka Malta
1 Nu tji twa vazere komukuro nokuhinatjipo arire tji twa raerwa kutja ena rokakoverwa nga oMalta. 2 Ovature vako ve tu sekirisa nawa moyawo. Ombura ya uta okuroka nu kwa ri ombepera, nowo opu va yakisira omuriro nave tu yakura nawa atuhe. 3 Paulus wa nyanga omukuta woukuṋe, nu ngunda ame u twa komuriro onyoka arire tji ya pitisiwa i oupyu nai rimanga meke re. 4 Ovature tji va munine onyoka aye rimanga meke ra Paulus verihungirire oveni ave tja: “Omurumendu ngwi ma sokurira omuzepe ngwi, nungwari oumba kamaau mu tarere nomuinyo, nangarire kutja imwi mooma wokuvare eye wa hupu.” 5 Nungwari Paulus wa pukumunina indji onyoka momuriro nokuhina indu wa rumatwa oparukaze. 6 Owo ve mu tarera kutja ma suru, nokutja ma u a koka tjimanga. Nu tji va za nokutarera orure nave ha munu otjiṋa kaaṋi tji tja tjitwa ku ye, arire tji va rundurura omeripura wawo ave tja: “Eye omukuru!”
7 Nu popezu notjirongo hi pa ri omahi womakunino wa Publius, omunane omunene wokakoverwa. Eye we tu yakura nawa, noure womayuva yetatu e tu sekirisa moye. 8 Ihe ya Publius wa ri momara e notjipyu pehuri. Paulus wa hita metuwo re, a kumbu, a yambeke omake ku ye ne mu verukisa. 9 Kombunda yomaverukisiro nga ovavere avehe varwe mokakoverwa arire tji ve ya nave verukisiwa. 10 Nowo ve tu pa oviyandjewa ovingi, neṱe tji twa ri pokuyenda mondjuwoyomomeva ave turike oviṋa, mbi matu hepere ouyenda wetu.
Paulus ma zu mo mOmalta a i kOroma
11 Kombunda yomieze vitatu eṱe twa ronda mondjuwoyomomeva ya Aleksandrie ndji ku za “Dioskuri”, nu ndja ri mokakoverwa nga mokupepera. 12 Twa kavaza kotjihuro Sirakuse natu kakara ngo oure womayuva yetatu. 13 Okuzambo twa ya atu kavaza kotjihuro Regium. Nu kombunda yeyuva rimwe ombepo ya uta okuhinga okuza keyuva kokumuho, nu moure womayuva yetatu atu ya motjirongo Puteoli. 14 MOputeoli twa vazere mo ovakambure, nowo ve tu ningira kutja tu kare puna wo oure wotjivike. Tjazumba atu kavaza kOroma. 15 Ovakambure mOroma ve tu zuva notji ve ya nga kotjirongo tjOmarandasaneno tja Apius notjOzondjuwo ndatu zOvayenda okuyekututjakanena. Paulus tje ve muna arire tja tja okuhepa ku Ndjambi, nu a yanḓipara tjinene.
Paulus mOroma
16 Tji twa vaza mOroma, Paulus wa yandjerwa okutura erike puna omurwe wovita okumutjevera.
17 Kombunda yomayuva yetatu Paulus wa isana ovanane vOvajuda va Roma kombongarero. Nowo tji va wongara a tja ku wo: “Vaisrael ovakwetu, nangarire kutja hi na tji mba tjita kotjiwaṋa tjetu na kotuzo twootate mukururume, ami mba rira omupandekwa mOjerusalem ne yandjewa kOvaroma. 18 Nu Ovaroma tji va za nokundjipura, va vanga okundjikutura tjinga ava muna kutja hi tjitire otjiṋa pu mba pwire okuṱa. 19 Nungwari Ovajuda tji va kuramena otjiṋa hi momurungu, ami mba ṋiṋikiziwa okukurama komurungu wombara ya Roma, nu nao e he ri kutja me vanga okurondora otjiwaṋa tjetu oveni. 20 Opu mba ningirira okumumuna nokuhungira na eṋe. Ami nai mba pandekwa motjimbe tja ingwi Ovaisrael mu ve nomaundjiro, nouketanga mbwi.”
21 Owo va tjere ku ye: “Eṱe katuya muna otutuu okuza kehi ra Judea tu matu hungire ove, nu wina kape nomundu umwe wetu ngwa zira ngo nombuze poo notjiṋa otjivi okuhungira ove. 22 Nungwari eṱe matu vanga okuzuva ouripura woye, tjinga amatu tjiwa kutja ovandu akuhe ve temangura otjira hi ove mu u ri.”
23 Owo opu va zikamisira eyuva puna Paulus, nu meyuva ndo otjimbumba otjinene tjovandu atji ya ngwi Paulus ka ri. Okuza komuhuka nga kongurova eye we ve handjaurira ombuze youhona wa Ndjambi na roro okuvetanaurira ku Jesus ama tamuna omambo mOmatwako wa Moses na momatjangwa wovaprofete. 24 Tjiva vawo va kambura momambo we, nungwari tjiva kave kamburire ko. 25 Nowo arire tji va i ave hi nokuzuvasana oveni, indu Paulus tja za nokuhungira embo rimwe ndi: “Tjiri, Ombepo Ondjapuke ya hungira nawa notjinyo tjomuprofete Jesaja kooiho mukururume, 26 indu tja tjere:
‘Twende u katje nai kotjiwaṋa hi:
Eṋe mamu puratene amwa puratenene,
nungwari kamaamu zuu,
nu mamu tara amwa tarere,
nungwari kamaamu munu,
27 mena rokutja omitima vyeṋu
tjinga avi ri omikukutu,
nomatwi weṋu aya woropara,
nomeho weṋu aya poṱupara,
tjarwe omeho weṋu itjaye muna,
nu atja mu zuva nomatwi
nomitima vyeṋu.
Nu Ndjambi ma tja eṋe atja mu ritanaurira ku ami
nami e mu verukisa.’ ”
28 Nu Paulus wa yandisa omambo we ama tja: “Nambano mamu sokutjiwa kutja ombuze ya Ndjambi yondjamo ya hindwa ku imba mbe he ri Ovajuda, nowo mave i puratene!”
30 Oure wozombura mbari Paulus wa turire poṋa pa yazemene, nu wina poṋa mbo opuya yakurire ovandu avehe mbaa ve ya okumuvarura. 31 Eye wa zuvarisire ouhona wa Ndjambi na hongo avihe mbya tjamene na Muhona Jesus Kristus ama hungire nouvanḓe nouyara auhe.
