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John 12

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ and [he commanded] the rest to follow, some on [floating] planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it was that all of them were brought safely to land.

² After we were safe [on land], we found out that the island was called[1] Malta.

³ And the[2] natives showed us extraordinary kindness and hospitality; for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, since it had begun to rain and was cold.

⁴ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a[3] viper crawled out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.

⁵ When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, Justice [the avenging goddess] has not permitted him to live."

⁶ Then Paul [simply] shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.

⁷ But they stood watching and expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began saying that he was a god.

⁸ In the vicinity of that place there were estates belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed and entertained us hospitably for three days.

⁹ And it happened that the father of Publius was sick [in bed] with recurring attacks of fever and dysentery; and Paul went to him, and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.

¹⁰ After this occurred, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and being healed.

¹¹ They also gave us many honors [gifts and courtesies expressing respect]; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all the things we needed.

¹² At the end of three months we set sail on a ship which had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the[4] Twin Brothers [Castor and Pollux] as its figurehead.

¹³ We landed at Syracuse [on Sicily] and stayed there three days.

¹⁴ From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium [on Italy's southern tip]; and a day later a south wind came up, and on the second day we arrived at[5] Puteoli.

¹⁵ There we found some believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.

¹⁶ And the brothers and sisters, having heard news about us, came from as far away as the[6] Forum of Appius and[7] Three Inns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged.

¹⁷ When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself [in rented quarters] with the soldier who was guarding him.

¹⁸ Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, "Kinsmen, though I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our fathers, yet I was turned over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

¹⁹ After they had interrogated me, they were ready to release me because I was not guilty of any offense deserving death.

²⁰ But when the Jews objected [to my release], I was forced to appeal to Caesar (Emperor Nero), not because I had any charge to make against my nation.

²¹ For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel (the Messiah, the resurrection) that I am bound with this chain."

²² They said to him, "We have not received [any] letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the [Jewish] brothers come here and reported or said anything bad about you.

²³ But we would like to hear from you what your views are [that is, exactly what you believe]; for in regard to this sect (Christianity), we are fully aware that it is denounced everywhere."

²⁴ When they had set a day for Paul, they came to his lodging in large numbers. And he carefully explained [Christianity] to them from morning until evening, solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the [writings of the] Prophets.

²⁵ Some were persuaded by what he said, but others would not believe.

²⁶ They disagreed among themselves and they began to leave after Paul had made one last statement: "The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying,

²⁷ 'Go to this people and say, "You will keep on hearing, but will not understand, You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;

²⁸ "For the heart (the understanding, the soul) of this people has become dull (calloused), And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have shut their eyes [to the truth]; Otherwise they might see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return [to Me], And I would heal them."'

²⁹ Therefore let it be known to you that [this message of] the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they indeed will listen!"

³⁰ [8][And when he had said these things, the Jews left, arguing among themselves.]

³¹ And Paul lived there for two full years [at his own expense] in his own rented lodging and welcomed all who came to him,

³² preaching and proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness and boldness, unhindered and unrestrained.

³³ Paul, a[1] bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative), set apart for [preaching] the[2] gospel of God [the good news of salvation],

³⁴ which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the sacred Scriptures—

³⁵ [the good news] regarding His Son, who, as to the flesh [His human nature], was born a descendant of David [to fulfill the covenant promises],

³⁶ and [as to His divine nature] according to the Spirit of holiness was openly designated to be the Son of God with power [in a triumphant and miraculous way] by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

³⁷ It is through Him that we have received grace and [our] apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His name's sake among all the Gentiles,

³⁸ and you also are among those who are called of Jesus Christ to belong to Him;

³⁹ [I am writing] to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called to be saints (God's people) and set apart for a sanctified life, [that is, set apart for God and His purpose]: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴⁰ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith [your trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] is being proclaimed in all the world.

⁴¹ For God, whom I serve with my spirit by preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how continuously I mention you

⁴² in my prayers; always pleading that somehow, by God's will, I may now at last come to you.

⁴³ For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you;

⁴⁴ that is, that we may be mutually encouraged and comforted by each other's faith, both yours and mine.

⁴⁵ I do not want you to be unaware,[3] brothers and sisters, that many times I have planned to come to you, (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit [of my labors] among you, even as I have among the rest of the Gentiles.

⁴⁶ I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish.

⁴⁷ So, for my part, I am ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

⁴⁸ I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

⁴⁹ For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, "The just and upright shall live by faith."

⁵⁰ For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth,

#	AMP
1	and [he commanded] the rest to follow, some on [floating] planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it was that all of them were brought safely to land.
2	After we were safe [on land], we found out that the island was called[1] Malta.
3	And the[2] natives showed us extraordinary kindness and hospitality; for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, since it had begun to rain and was cold.
4	But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a[3] viper crawled out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
5	When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, Justice [the avenging goddess] has not permitted him to live."
6	Then Paul [simply] shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
7	But they stood watching and expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began saying that he was a god.
8	In the vicinity of that place there were estates belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed and entertained us hospitably for three days.
9	And it happened that the father of Publius was sick [in bed] with recurring attacks of fever and dysentery; and Paul went to him, and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.
10	After this occurred, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and being healed.
11	They also gave us many honors [gifts and courtesies expressing respect]; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all the things we needed.
12	At the end of three months we set sail on a ship which had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the[4] Twin Brothers [Castor and Pollux] as its figurehead.
13	We landed at Syracuse [on Sicily] and stayed there three days.
14	From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium [on Italy's southern tip]; and a day later a south wind came up, and on the second day we arrived at[5] Puteoli.
15	There we found some believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.
16	And the brothers and sisters, having heard news about us, came from as far away as the[6] Forum of Appius and[7] Three Inns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged.
17	When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself [in rented quarters] with the soldier who was guarding him.
18	Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, "Kinsmen, though I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our fathers, yet I was turned over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
19	After they had interrogated me, they were ready to release me because I was not guilty of any offense deserving death.
20	But when the Jews objected [to my release], I was forced to appeal to Caesar (Emperor Nero), not because I had any charge to make against my nation.
21	For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel (the Messiah, the resurrection) that I am bound with this chain."
22	They said to him, "We have not received [any] letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the [Jewish] brothers come here and reported or said anything bad about you.
23	But we would like to hear from you what your views are [that is, exactly what you believe]; for in regard to this sect (Christianity), we are fully aware that it is denounced everywhere."
24	When they had set a day for Paul, they came to his lodging in large numbers. And he carefully explained [Christianity] to them from morning until evening, solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the [writings of the] Prophets.
25	Some were persuaded by what he said, but others would not believe.
26	They disagreed among themselves and they began to leave after Paul had made one last statement: "The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying,
27	'Go to this people and say, "You will keep on hearing, but will not understand, You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
28	"For the heart (the understanding, the soul) of this people has become dull (calloused), And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have shut their eyes [to the truth]; Otherwise they might see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return [to Me], And I would heal them."'
29	Therefore let it be known to you that [this message of] the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they indeed will listen!"
30	[8][And when he had said these things, the Jews left, arguing among themselves.]
31	And Paul lived there for two full years [at his own expense] in his own rented lodging and welcomed all who came to him,
32	preaching and proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness and boldness, unhindered and unrestrained.
33	Paul, a[1] bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative), set apart for [preaching] the[2] gospel of God [the good news of salvation],
34	which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the sacred Scriptures—
35	[the good news] regarding His Son, who, as to the flesh [His human nature], was born a descendant of David [to fulfill the covenant promises],
36	and [as to His divine nature] according to the Spirit of holiness was openly designated to be the Son of God with power [in a triumphant and miraculous way] by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
37	It is through Him that we have received grace and [our] apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His name's sake among all the Gentiles,
38	and you also are among those who are called of Jesus Christ to belong to Him;
39	[I am writing] to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called to be saints (God's people) and set apart for a sanctified life, [that is, set apart for God and His purpose]: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
40	First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith [your trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] is being proclaimed in all the world.
41	For God, whom I serve with my spirit by preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how continuously I mention you
42	in my prayers; always pleading that somehow, by God's will, I may now at last come to you.
43	For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you;
44	that is, that we may be mutually encouraged and comforted by each other's faith, both yours and mine.
45	I do not want you to be unaware,[3] brothers and sisters, that many times I have planned to come to you, (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit [of my labors] among you, even as I have among the rest of the Gentiles.
46	I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish.
47	So, for my part, I am ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
48	I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
49	For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, "The just and upright shall live by faith."
50	For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth,

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