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1After everyone was safe on the shore, we found out that this land was called Island of Honey (Malta) .
2The indigenous people there showed great kindness to us. It was raining and cold, so they built us a warm fire and welcomed us all.
3Small Man (Paul) gathered a bundle of sticks and threw them on the fire, but the heat forced out a poisonous snake that bit into his hand and would not let go.
4When the local natives saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said, “This man must be a murderer. Even though he escaped from the great waters, the spirit who rights wrongs will not let him live.”
5Then Small Man (Paul) shook the snake from his hand into the fire, and nothing bad happened to him.
6The local people were sure that he would swell up or fall down dead. They waited a long time, but when they saw that nothing bad had come to him, they changed their minds and said he must be a powerful spirit.
7There was a piece of land belonging to From the People (Publius) , the chief of the island. He welcomed us into his home for three days and took care of all our needs.
8At that time the father of From the People (Publius) was sick in bed with a high fever and a bloody stool. Small Man (Paul) went to see him and, after praying, laid his hands on the man and healed him.
9After that, the rest of the island natives who were sick came to Small Man (Paul) , and they were also healed.
10The people honored us with many gifts, and when we were leaving, they loaded our canoe with all that we needed.
11Three months later we again launched out into the great waters in another very large wooden canoe. This canoe was made by the people from Man Fighter (Alexandria) . The front of the canoe was carved into the images of two powerful lookalike spirits, Bright Star (Castor) and Much Sweet (Pollux) .
12We came to land at Smelly Swamp (Syracuse) and lodged there for three days.
13From there we launched out and came to Royal Place (Rhegium) . The next day, with the help of a south wind, we arrived at Deep Water Hole (Puteoli) .
14It was there that we found some sacred family members, who welcomed us to stay with them for seven days.
After that we left again toward Village of Iron (Rome) .
15The sacred family members who lived there, when they heard we were coming, came to greet us from as far away as the Great Trading Post (Appius Market) and the Three Lodging Houses along the Great Trail (Appian Way) . When Small Man (Paul) saw them, he gave thanks to the Great Spirit, and his heart was strengthened.
16Then, upon our arrival to Village of Iron (Rome) , Small Man (Paul) was permitted to live by himself with a soldier to guard him.
17Three days later Small Man (Paul) asked to meet with the local tribal leaders. When they had gathered together, he told them the story of what had happened to him.
“Fellow Tribal Members,” he said to them, “I have done nothing against our people or the traditions of our ancestors, but even so I was arrested in Village of Peace (Jerusalem) and handed over to the People of Iron (Romans) .
18They questioned me and were about to release me, since I had done nothing deserving death.
19But when our tribal leaders refused to agree, I had no choice but to appeal to the Ruler of the People of Iron (Caesar) , not that I have any accusation to bring against my own people.
20“It is for this very reason that I have asked to see and speak with you, for I wear these chains because I have the same hope held by all the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) .”
21“No one from the Land of Promise (Judea) has come with a bad report,” they said to him, “nor have we received any written message about you from them.
22But we want to hear how you see this new Way that some are following. We know that people everywhere speak against this Way.”
23They made plans to meet again with Small Man (Paul) on another day. When that day came, they arrived in large numbers at the place where he was lodging. From sunrise to sunset, using the law of Drawn from the Water (Moses) and the teachings of the prophets, he spoke many words to clearly show them the truth about Creator’s good road and about Creator Sets Free (Jesus) .
24Some were convinced by his words, but others refused to believe.
25So they disagreed with each other and began to leave after Small Man (Paul) said these last words to them, “The Holy Spirit was right when he spoke these words through the prophet Creator Will Help Us (Isaiah) :
26“‘Go and tell this people, “You will hear but not understand, you will see but not know what you are seeing,
27because the heart of this people has become like stone. Their ears have grown dull and they have closed their eyes. If only they would open their ears and eyes, then their hearts would understand, and they would return to me and be healed.”’”[#28:27 Isaiah 6:9-10]
28“So let it be known to you,” he said to them, “that this message about the Great Spirit’s plan to rescue and make whole has been sent to the Outside Nations. And they will listen!”
29Hearing this, the Tribal Members argued fiercely with one another as they walked away.[#28:29 Some ancient manuscripts do not include verse 29.]
30Small Man (Paul) continued to live in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to him.
31With great boldness he spoke openly about Creator’s good road and kept teaching others about our Honored Chief Creator Sets Free (Jesus) , the Chosen One.