Acts 28:3

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of stickes, and layde them on the fire, there came a Uiper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
- New American Standard Version (1995)

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out by reason of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
- American Standard Version (1901)

But when Paul had got some sticks together and put them on the fire, a snake came out, because of the heat, and gave him a bite on the hand.
- Basic English Bible

And Paul having gathered a [certain] quantity of sticks together in a bundle and laid [it] on the fire, a viper coming out from the heat seized his hand.
- Darby Bible

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
- Webster's Bible

Now, when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and had thrown them on the fire, a viper, driven by the heat, came out and fastened itself on his hand.
- Weymouth Bible

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
- World English Bible

But whanne Poul hadde gederid `a quantite of kittingis of vines, and leide on the fier, an edder sche cam forth fro the heete, and took hym bi the hoond.
- Wycliffe Bible

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

Wesley's Notes for Acts 28:3

28:1 Melita or Malta, is about twelve miles broad, twenty long, and sixty distant from Sicily to the south. It yields abundance of honey, (whence its name was taken,) with much cotton, and is very fruitful, though it has only three feet depth of earth above the solid rock. The Emperor Charles the Fifth gave it, in 1530, to the knights of Rhodes, driven out of Rhodes by the Turks. They are a thousand in number, of whom five hundred always reside on the island.

28:2 And the barbarians - So the Romans and Greeks termed all nations but their own. But surely the generosity shown by these uncultivated inhabitants of Malta, was far more valuable than all the varnish which the politest education could give, where it taught not humanity and compassion.

28:4 And when the barbarians saw - they said - Seeing also his chains, Doubtless this man is a murderer - Such rarely go unpunished even in this life; whom vengeance hath not suffered to live - They look upon him as a dead man already. It is with pleasure that we trace among these barbarians the force of conscience, and the belief of a particular providence: which some people of more learning have stupidly thought it philosophy to despise. But they erred in imagining, that calamities must always be interpreted as judgments. Let us guard against this, lest, like them, we condemn not only the innocent, but the excellent of the earth.

28:5 Having shaken off the venomous animal, he suffered no harm - The words of an eminent modern historian are, No venomous kind of serpent now breeds in Malta, neither hurts if it be brought thither from another place. Children are seen there handling and playing even with scorpions; I have seen one eating them. If this be so, it seems to be fixed by the wisdom of God, as an eternal memorial of what he once wrought there.