Acts 28:3

Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.

BSB

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4 additional translations

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KJV

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.

ASV

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.

YLT

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.

DBT

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.

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On this verse

Beasts bear witness to the faith. Hast thou confidence in the Lord? "Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk and thou shalt trample under feet the lion and the dragon." With faith thou hast the power to walk upon serpents and scorpions. Do you not see that the viper which attached itself to the hand of Paul, whilst he gathered sticks, did not injure him, because it found the saint full of faith? If you have not faith, do not fear beasts so much as your faithlessness, which renders you susceptible of all corruption.

Basil of Caesarea· HOMILIES ON THE HEXAEMERON 9.6, 379patristic

Related commentary

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks,....

John Gill· Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)reformed

Had gathered a bundle of sticks - For the purpose of making a fire. There came a viper - A poisonous serpent. See the notes on Mat 3:7. The viper was doubtless in the bundle of sticks or limbs of trees which Paul had gathered, but was concealed, and was torpid. But when the bundle was laid on the fire, the viper became warmed by the heat, and came out and fastened on the hand of Paul. And fastened on his hand - καθῆψεν kathēpsen. This word properly means to join oneself to; to touch; to adhere to.

Albert Barnes· Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)evangelical

Though he was free from all, and of greater account than any of them, yet he made himself servant of all. Paul was an industrious active man, and loved to be doing when any thing was to be done, and never contrived to take his ease.

Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan

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Cross-references

15 linked verses

The verses this one reaches12

Mark 16:18
they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
Psalms 91:13
You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent.
Matthew 23:33
You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
Matthew 12:34
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Job 20:16
He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.
Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Acts 28:4
When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”
2 Corinthians 11:23
Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
Exodus 4:4
“Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail,” the LORD said to Moses, who reached out his hand and caught the snake, and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
2 Corinthians 6:9
as unknown, yet well-known; dying, and yet we live on; punished, yet not killed;
Isaiah 59:5
They hatch the eggs of vipers and weave a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die; crack one open, and a viper is hatched.
Matthew 3:7
But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

3 more linked verses are grouped by book below ↓

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More cross-references3 further linked verses, grouped by book▾ open

Every other verse the study tradition links to this one, in the Bible’s own order. The first links in each book carry a line of their text; every reference opens its full verse page.

Isaiah2

Amos1

Amos 5:19It will be like a man who flees from a lion, only to encounter…

Cross-references are drawn from classic Bible study tools and open, shareable Bible data.

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first — the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Matthew 12:34
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
leads to
- Luke 6:45
  The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow…
- Matthew 15:18
  But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.
- Ephesians 4:29
  Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
- James 3:5–8
  In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze.
- 1 Samuel 24:13
  As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
Through
Matthew 23:33
You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
leads to
- Matthew 3:7
  But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
- Matthew 12:34
  You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Through
2 Corinthians 11:23
Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of…
leads to
- 2 Corinthians 6:4–5
  Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;

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Acts 28:3

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