"And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid {them} on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fast…" — Acts 28:3

Acts 28:3 · 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.”

— Acts 28:3

Verse 2

And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

Verse 4

And 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.

Acts 28 — Context

And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

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.

And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

Cross References

Matthew 23:33

{Ye} serpents, {ye} generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Matthew 12:34

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

2 Corinthians 11:23

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I {am} more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

Acts 28:4

Job 20:16

He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.

Matthew 3:7

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Isaiah 59:5

They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. {cockatrice': or, adder's} {crushed...: or, sprinkled is as if there brake out a viper}

Isaiah 30:6

The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence {come} the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people {that} shall not profit {them}.