Lectionary Calendar
Friday, August 1st, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Wycliffe Bible

Acts 28:3

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Barbarian;   Melita (Malta);   Minister, Christian;   Paul;   Viper;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Paul;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Fire;   Reptiles;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Viper;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Viper;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bundle;   Medicine;   Miracles;   Nero;   Serpent;   Ships and Boats;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Animals;   Barbarian;   Demon, Demoniacal Possession, Demoniacs;   Melita ;   Scorpion (2);   Viper ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Barbarian,;   Melita ;   Viper,;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Viper;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Acts of the Apostles;   Commerce;   Fire;   Heat;   Serpent;   Viper;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
King James Version (1611)
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
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.
English Standard Version
When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
New American Standard 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 itself on his hand.
New Century Version
Paul gathered a pile of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and bit him on the hand.
Amplified Bible
But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper crawled out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.
Legacy Standard 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 itself on his hand.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Contemporary English Version
After Paul had gathered some wood and had put it on the fire, the heat caused a snake to crawl out, and it bit him on the hand.
Complete Jewish Bible
Sha'ul had gathered a bundle of sticks and was adding them to the fire, when a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, fastened itself to his hand.
Darby Translation
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.
Easy-to-Read Version
Paul gathered a pile of sticks for the fire. He was putting the sticks on the fire, and a poisonous snake came out because of the heat and bit him on the hand.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when Paul had gathered a nomber of stickes, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heate, and leapt on his hand.
George Lamsa Translation
And Paul picked up a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire and a scorpion driven by the heat, came out and bit his hand.
Good News Translation
Paul gathered up a bundle of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a snake came out on account of the heat and fastened itself to his hand.
Lexham English Bible
And when Paul had gathered a large number of sticks and was placing them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
Literal Translation
And Paul gathering a bunch of sticks, and putting them on the fire, a snake coming out from the heat fastened on his hand.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
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.
Hebrew Names Version
But when Sha'ul 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.
International Standard Version
Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and put it on the fire. A poisonous snake was forced out by the heat and attached itself to Paul'shis
">[fn] hand.
Etheridge Translation
And Paulos took many sticks and placed upon the fire; and there came forth a viper from the heat of the fire, and bit (him) in his hand.
Murdock Translation
And Paul took up a bundle of fagots and laid them on the fire: and a viper, [fn] by the heat, came out of them, and bit his hand.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when Paul had gathered a bondell of stickes, and layde them on the fyre, there came a Uiper out of the heat, and caught hym by the hande.
English Revised Version
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.
World English 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.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now as Paul was gathering a bundle of sticks, and laying them on the fire, a viper coming from the heat, fastened upon his hand.
Weymouth's New Testament
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.
Update Bible Version
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.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New English Translation
When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand.
New Life Bible
Paul had gathered some wood. As he laid it on the fire, a snake came out because of the heat. It held fast to Paul's hand.
New Revised Standard
Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, when Paul had gathered a certain lot of firewood into a bundle, and laid it on the fire, a viper, by reason of the heat, coming forth, fastened on his hand.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when Paul had gathered together a bundle of sticks and had laid them on the fire, a viper, coming out of the heat, fastened on his hand.
Revised Standard Version
Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, when a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And when Paul had gaddered a boundle of stickes and put them into the fyre ther came a viper out of the heet and lept on his honde.
Young's Literal Translation
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.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan Paul had gathered a bondell of stickes, and layed them on the fyre, there came a vyper out of the heate, and leape on Pauls hande.
Mace New Testament (1729)
when Paul having taken up some brush-wood and laid it upon the fire, a viper started out from the heat, and seiz'd upon his hand.
THE MESSAGE
Paul pitched in and helped. He had gathered up a bundle of sticks, but when he put it on the fire, a venomous snake, roused from its torpor by the heat, struck his hand and held on. Seeing the snake hanging from Paul's hand like that, the natives jumped to the conclusion that he was a murderer getting his just deserts. Paul shook the snake off into the fire, none the worse for wear. They kept expecting him to drop dead, but when it was obvious he wasn't going to, they jumped to the conclusion that he was a god!
Simplified Cowboy Version
Paul was helping gather firewood. He carried it over to the fire and threw it on. A rattlesnake had been in the wood, and it slithered out quickly and bit Paul on the hand. It held on like a pit bull.

Contextual Overview

1 And whanne we hadden ascapid, thanne we knewen that the ile was clepid Militene. And the hethene men diden to vs not litil curtesie. 2 And whanne a fier was kyndelid, thei refreschiden vs alle, for the reyn that cam, and the coold. 3 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. 4 And whanne the hethene men of the ile siyen the beest hangynge in his hoond, thei seiden togidir, For this man is a manquellere; and whanne he scapide fro the see, Goddis veniaunce suffrith hym not to lyue in erthe. 5 But he schoke awei the beest in to the fier, and hadde noon harm. 6 And thei gessiden that he schulde be turned `in to swellyng, and falle doun sudenli, and die. But whanne thei abiden longe, and sien that no thing of yuel was don in him, thei turneden hem togider, and seiden, that he was God. 7 And in tho placis weren maners of the prince of the ile, Puplius bi name, which resseyuede vs bi thre daies benygnli, and foond vs. 8 And it bifel, that the fader of Pupplius lai trauelid with fyueris and blodi flux. To whom Poul entride, and whanne he hadde preied, and leid his hondis on hym, he helide hym. 9 And whanne this thing was don, alle that in the ile hadden sijknesses, camen, and weren heelid. 10 Which also onouriden vs in many worschipis, and puttiden what thingis weren necessarie to vs, whanne we schippiden.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

came: Job 20:16, Isaiah 30:6, Isaiah 41:24, Isaiah 59:5, Matthew 3:7, Matthew 12:34, Matthew 23:33

fastened: Acts 28:4, Amos 5:19, 2 Corinthians 6:9, 2 Corinthians 11:23

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:15 - enmity Exodus 4:4 - put forth Psalms 91:13 - adder Mark 16:18 - shall take

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
And God blesside hem, and seide, Encreesse ye, and be ye multiplied, and fille ye the erthe, and make ye it suget, and be ye lordis to fischis of the see, and to volatilis of heuene, and to alle lyuynge beestis that ben moued on erthe.
Genesis 9:1
And God blisside Noe and hise sones, and seide to hem, Encreesse ye, and be ye multiplied, and fille ye the erthe;
Genesis 13:16
And Y schal make thi seed as the dust of erthe; if ony man may noumbre the dust of erthe, also he schal mowe noumbre thi seed.
Genesis 24:60
and seiden, Thou art oure sister, encreesse thou in to a thousand thousandis, and thi seed gete the yatis of hise enemyes.
Genesis 28:1
And so Isaac clepide Jacob, and blesside hym, and comaundide to hym, and seide, Nyle thou take a wijf of the kyn of Canaan; but go thou,
Genesis 28:6
Forsothe Esau seiy that his fadir hadde blessid Jacob, and hadde sent him in to Mesopotanye of Sirie, that he schulde wedde a wijf of thennus, and that aftir the blessyng he comaundide to Jacob, and seide, Thou schalt not take a wijf of the douytris of Canaan;
Genesis 28:17
And he seide dredynge, Hou worschipful is this place! Here is noon other thing no but the hows of God, and the yate of heuene.
Genesis 28:18
Therfor Jacob roos eerli, and took the stoon which he hadde put vndur his heed, and reiside in to a title, and helde oile aboue.
Genesis 35:11
Y am God Almyyti, encreesse thou, and be thou multiplied, folkis and puplis of naciouns schulen be of thee, kyngis schulen go out of thi leendis;
Genesis 41:52
and he clepide the name of the secunde sone Effraym, and seide, God hath maad me to encreesse in the lond of my pouert.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks,.... Had picked up some sticks, and put them in a bundle fit for the fire, as everyone was busy to assist in this extremity; nor did the apostle think such an action below him, who in all things was a man of great humility and condescension:

and laid them on the fire; to increase it:

there came a viper out of the heat: a viper is a kind of serpent, which brings forth its young living, to the number of twenty, only one in a day, which come forth wrapped up in thin skins, which break on the third day, and set them at liberty; and so is reckoned among viviparous animals, from whence it seems to have its name, whereas other serpents lay eggs and hatch them. It is said k, that this remarkable reptile has the biggest and flattest head of all the serpent kind; its usual length is about half an ell, and its thickness an inch; its snout is not unlike that of a hog; it has sixteen small immovable teeth in each jaw, besides two other large, sharp, hooked, hollow, transparent, canine teeth, situate at each side of the upper jaw, which are those that do the mischief: these are flexible in their articulation, and are ordinarily laid flat along the jaw, the animal never raising them but when it would bite The roots or bases of these teeth, or fangs, are encompassed with a vesicle or bladder, containing the quantity of a large drop of a yellow insipid salivous juice.--It has only one row of teeth, whereas all other serpents have two; its body is not at all fetid, whereas the inner parts of the bodies of other serpents are intolerable.--It creeps very slowly, and never leaps like other serpents, though it is nimble enough to bite when provoked.--Its body is of two colours, ash coloured or yellow, and the ground speckled with longish brown spots; the scales under its belly are of the colour of well polished steel. Its bite is exceeding venomous, and its poison the most dangerous. Now when this viper here is said to come out of the heat, the meaning is, that it came out from the sticks, which were laid upon the fire, being forced from thence by the heat of it: and so the Syriac version renders it, "there came out of them" (the sticks) "a viper, because of the heat of the fire"; it lay quiet among the sticks, among which, and such like things, this creature often lies; but when the fire began to heat it, it sprung out:

and fastened on his hand; or wrapped itself about his hand: the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, "bit his hand"; but that does not seem so likely, since he felt no harm by it; the Ethiopic version, "hung upon his hand"; which agrees with what follows; nor is it inconsistent with its wrapping itself about his hand, which is the more proper signification of the word used.

k Chambers's Cyclopaedia in the word "Viper".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Had gathered a bundle of sticks - For the purpose of making a fire.

There came a viper - A poisonous serpent. See the notes on Matthew 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. It might have been by coiling around his hand and arm, or by fastening its fangs in his hand. It is not expressly affirmed that Paul was bitten by the viper, yet it is evidently implied; and it is wholly incredible that a viper, unless miraculously prevented, should fasten himself to the hand without biting.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 28:3. There came a viper out of the heat — We may naturally suppose that there had been fuel laid before on the fire, and that the viper was in this fuel, and that it had been revived by the heat; and, when St. Paul laid his bundle on the fire, the viper was then in a state to lay hold on his hand.


 
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