Chapter
Verse

Acts 28:8

ESV It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him.
NIV His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him.
NASB And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with a recurring fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after he prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.
CSB Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him.
NLT As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him.
KJV And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
NKJV And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him.

What does Acts 28:8 mean?

Paul and 275 other crew and passengers of an Alexandrian ship are wrecked on the island of Malta. They barely survived a two-week-long tempest on the Mediterranean Sea. The native Maltese people responded by building fires so the castaways could get warm. Paul reached over to grab some wood and was immediately swarmed by a snake that refused to let go. The locals assumed he must be a murderer and although he had survived the gods' judgment on the sea, he would not survive on the land. Paul merely shook the snake into the fire and went about his business. The people quickly changed their opinion and determined he must be a god (Acts 28:1–6).

Perhaps in response to this miracle, the chief man of the island invites Paul and some others to his home. Paul discovers the leader's father is ill. Instead of touching the man, dropping a cloth on him, or letting his shadow pass over him (Acts 5:15; 19:12), he stops and prays. In this way, he shows more fully where his power comes from. Luke doesn't mention if Paul talks about Jesus on Malta; he probably does. But Luke does record that the islanders bring their sick to Paul for healing and, in response, provide the shipwreck survivors with everything they need for their three-month stay as well as their journey on to Rome (Acts 28:9–11).

Paul's pointed use of prayer is something mature Christians should keep in mind. Sometimes we become so used to the work God does in and through us that we forget to identify to others how we do what we do. It is good to show God's love in practical ways (Matthew 5:16)—but good works don't lead people to Christ if they don't know from Whom the good works came.
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