Bible Discussion Thread

Paul was bit by a snake, did Paul use a anti-dought for the bit, what was that?

NIKKIWAGGONER,

I agree with Chris that it doesn't specifically say that the snake bit Paul. Those who were there must have thought he was bitten because they expected him to drop over dead within a few seconds.

Whether he was bit or not, We don't know for sure. It just says the viper fastened onto his hand. I tend to lean towards him being bit. My reason for believing he was bit is because a snake will fasten on by either biting or wrapping itself around an object. Once a snake wraps itself around, it tightens up and is difficult to shake off.

It tells us that Paul was able to shake the snake off into the fire. I tend to believe it would be easier to shake a snake off your hand if it were holding on with its fangs verses being wrapped around the hand. But this is only my reasoning. We simply don't know for sure.

What we do know is that whether or not Paul was bit, he was unharmed.

But this is a great teaching on Mark 16:17-18. Jesus said "And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall they cast out devils, or more literally demons. They shall speak with new languages. They shall take up serpents, or snakes, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover."



Notice in Verse 18, it says they shall take up serpents, snakes. The word "take up" in the Greek is the word remove.

So basically, Paul saw it as if a venomous snake is going to bite anybody, it's going to be me because God gave me the promise that I have got to get to Rome, and I'll get rid of the danger. He removed the danger. He cast the snake into the fire.

I would like to also add that when Jesus said "These sign shall follow them that believe," He was speaking of the apostles that he sent out, that no harm would come upon them. This does not apply to the church.

I just wanted to clarify that because there are some in churches today that apply it to us as believers. There's even been some in churches that have put it to the test and have handled poisonous snakes and have died!

Jesse with all due respect in Gospel of John 14 Jesus Christ said those who believe in Him. He did not qualify just apostles also after pentecost miracles were done by other believers. P.S. I personally have had several in my life. God Bless

Jesse With all due respect in Gospel of John 14:10-14 Jesus Christ said those that believe in me, this is not just addressed to the apostles, after day of pentecost as Paul writes in the Church epistles we were given Christ in us and all the power that comes with the package deal. In the book of acts there were other believers than the apostles that did miracles. In Mark 16: 17-20 Jesus Christ said those that believe not Just the apostles.

The account in Acts 28:3-6 doesn't indicate that Paul was bitten by the viper - it seemed to have just latched onto Paul's hand after which Paul shook it off. But if Paul did get bitten, as the others looked to see whether his hand swelled up or if he fell down dead, then it seems that the poison had no effect, as the Lord gave him immunity.