Acts 28:4
What does Acts 28:4 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 28:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 28:4 means
Seeing the snake hanging from Paul’s hand, the islanders draw a theological conclusion: justice has caught up with a murderer who escaped the sea. They reason from a common belief in moral order—divine Justice (perhaps a goddess they revered) will not allow the guilty to live. Their assessment is wrong about Paul but right that justice exists. The moment exposes how fallen human judgments can err when based solely on circumstances. The onlookers expect Paul to die, but God will demonstrate that His purposes overrule assumptions. This misreading of events becomes the foil against which God’s true verdict about Paul’s mission and message will be made plain.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when the barbarians saw the venomous creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped from the sea, yet Justice hath not suffered to live.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when the barbarians saw the venomous creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped from the sea, yet Justice hath not suffered to live.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And when the people saw it hanging on his hand, they said to one another, Without doubt this man has put someone to death, and though he has got safely away from the sea, God will not let him go on living.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And when the foreigners saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said unto one another, `Certainly this man is a murderer, whom, having been saved out of the sea, the justice did not suffer to live;'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging on his hand, they said one to another: Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, who, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance doth not suffer him to live.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said to one another, This man is certainly a murderer, whom, [though] saved out of the sea, Nemesis has not allowed to live.
Context
Verse 4 reports the islanders’ immediate interpretation of the snakebite: a sign of guilt and impending death. This sets up a tension—will Paul succumb, confirming their view, or will something unexpected happen? Verses 5–6 resolve the tension with Paul’s preservation, transforming their opinion of him and preparing the way for hospitality from Publius (v. 7) and subsequent healings (vv. 8–9).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 28:2
And the barbarians showed us no common kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
- Proverbs 28:17
A man that is laden with the blood of any person Shall flee unto the pit; let no man stay him.
- Genesis 4:8
And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
- Isaiah 43:20
The beasts of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
- Matthew 23:35
that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar.
- Isaiah 26:21
For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
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