Please open your Bibles to Acts 27. We're going to look at something in the text that we've just completed before we move into the new text. So last time there was a question about the winds. The issue is in Acts 27, verse 14. So I'm going to read from verses 13 to verse 27. Thank you very much. When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after, a tempestuous headwind arose called Heraclodon." Now the word headwind there, that's the problem. The word there is The word is the root for the word typhoon. In English, the word typhoon is just a transliteration of this Greek word. It's typhoonikos. That's the word there. It is not the word headwind. Strong wind. It's a whirlwind. So that's the problem. Problem solved. We're just done. It's over. Problem solved. But let me show you something. So the question was, how do we deal with the fact that there's a headwind when the headwind would imply that it's going the opposite direction of where they're trying to go? And that's not what's said here. And the reason it says headwind is because there's an effort to align the critical text. And so the critical text has two things that were done to it to make it so that it's different. It mentions, it changes the word referring to sandbars later, and it makes it in reference to the North African coast. And it also changes the direction to make them go towards North Africa. And so those two things get done in the critical text. So now let's look through here. The majority text has no problem. There's no issue. This is not a problem. So verse 13. When the south wind blew softly, which means that it's pushing to the north. Supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after, a tempestuous headwind, really just a strong wind, arose called Euroclodon, which is a southeastern wind, which means it's blowing to the northeast, the northwest. So, when the ship was caught and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. So the idea is that they're being pushed out and they're incapable of kind of going into port. And so they have to just go with the wind, go past the port. That's the idea. And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. When they had taken it on board, they used cables. to undergird the ship, and fearing lest they should run aground on the Sertes Sands." Okay, that is changed in the critical text. Sertes is changed to Sertes, which is the coast off of North Africa. So this is not off of North Africa. This is going north, okay, not south. They struck sail, and so were driven. And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day, we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands. Now, when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up. But after a long absence from food, when Paul stood in the midst of them and said, Men, you should have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete and incurred the disaster and loss, And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, do not be afraid, Paul. You must be brought before Caesar. And indeed, God has granted you all those who sail with you. Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island. When the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down the Adriatic Sea about midnight, the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land." So the Adriatic Sea, the modern Adriatic, we have a very careful definition that has to do with basically that place between Italy and the Balkans. Adriatic Sea would have been inclusive at this time of some of the area that's further out that we consider the modern Mediterranean and its boundaries wouldn't have just would have been actually some islands as opposed to just kind of that kind of ending of that oval shaped sea that we think of. So our definitions of seas are more careful now we have more careful definitions based upon certain geographic features but at this time the Adriatic would have been viewed as bigger and so But still, it's north of Crete. It's not down south by Africa. So this lines up much better. This makes much more sense. And I wanted to simply point that out since the issue was raised. The word headwind is not in the text and is not a problem. So I wanted to see if there's any questions about that before we move into the main teaching. Mr. Nye. Thank you, Ogaris. I appreciate your explanation. I wanted to make sure I understood correctly. In verse 17, when we're talking about the majority text and the change that the critical text makes about certis and certis, I guess. So the majority text is the certis. S-E-R-T-E-S. And then the critical text, or I should say, I believe it's the received text, would be SIRTIS. S-Y-R-T-I-S. Forgive me. The SIRTIS major is off the north. I just misspoke. Forgive me. I mixed up the I and the S. So the TR, and I think also the critical text, have the SIRTIS major. They don't mention the major. They just refer to CERTIS, which is off of North Africa, and CERTIS is the one that's in the majority. Forgive me, I'm wrong there, but the point I made holds. I just made a mistake about the letter. Which one, okay. Yeah, forgive me. So the one that is in the critical and majority, or critical in the... the received text that would refer to the North African area, whereas the majority text is the overall... Yeah, the critical and received, if I remember correctly, so at least one of them has, but I think both of them have, the Certis, which is North Africa, and the majority text refers to Certiz, which is not that. And so the certis and the change of direction of winds kind of go together. If you're going to change them, you're changing them both. It kind of makes sense. But the majority text does not have either of those things. The reference to the Adriatic, in particular, is in all of them. And the Adriatic fits better with what the majority text has. And so the idea that they're incapable of turning into the port at Phoenix, having to do with the fact that they have to just keep driving into the wind, or going with the wind. Yeah, yeah. I don't have a map. But essentially, they go past the port. Like it carries them past the port. They need to turn to get in the port, essentially. But the winds take them past it. That would make sense. I can understand that. Yeah. So there's that. And some of the dangers in turning have to do with being capsized or having too much water come on. And so even 45 degree turns where there's really bad things can be very difficult. You know, so it's just, it's a difficult thing at sea for that. And that's it. So I'm going to call that a day. Overcome. All right, great. Thank you, Eloise. You're welcome. So now let's look at Acts chapter 28. Acts chapter 28, verse 1. This is the last chapter. See, you don't believe me, but it's real. I speed up at the end of books because there's less to have to explain this backstory. All right. Chapter 28. Now, when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. As you remember, they've just landed. The ship's falling apart. People are coming aboard on a flotsam. And as they get to the island, there they are, the people that can swim and all that. You remember the Romans cutting all sorts of ropes and everything. It's fantastic. Got rid of the rudder. So chapter 28 verse 1, Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta, and the natives showed us unusual kindness. For they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. 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. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, no doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live. But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. In that region, there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went into him and prayed And he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. They also honored us in many ways. And when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary. After three months, we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the twin brothers, which had wintered at the island. And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. From there, we circled round and reached Regium. And after one day, the south wind blew. And the next day, we came to Puteoli, where we found brethren and were invited to stay with them seven days. So we went toward Rome. And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. Now, when he came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard. But Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him. And it came to pass, after three days, that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them, men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hand of the Romans. Who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go because there was no cause for putting me to death. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar. not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. For this reason, therefore, I have called for you to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. Then they said to him, We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what you think For concerning this sect, we know that it has spoken against everyone. So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. So, when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word. The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, Go to this people and say, Hearing you will hear and shall not understand. And seeing, you will see and not perceive. For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears. Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. Therefore, let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it." And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had great dispute among themselves. Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him." Yes, there we are. We're left with Paul waiting to be tried by Caesar. He is in the heart of Rome, preaching the gospel. We find out from the letters that there are even members of Caesar's household that are converted in his time where he's waiting. So the church expands, there is this adding of unbelievers and those who profess, those who are Jews who are already a part of the church, but the church under the ceremonial law, the church under age, some of them, there's a division. So that's the continued theme that keeps happening there. So that gives to us this picture of what happens with the apostolic ministry during this time. And we're left there waiting not long after There would be the great tribulation and persecution. There is the killing of many Christians by both Jews and Gentiles. Nero, who is likely demon-possessed, becomes monstrous in his treatment of Christians. There is the destruction of Jerusalem and the fleeing of the Christians out from there, and the ending of the apostolic era in 70 AD. We are in the 60s already at this point, at the end of this book. And by 68, both Peter and Paul are dead. So that is this wrapping up that we see. But we'll spend a little bit more time on that, and we'll be going through here. So today, will likely get through the section about Malta and pick up from there. So you can forget about Romans 11. Alright, Acts 28 verse 1. Now, when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. And the natives showed us unusual kindness. they kindled a fire and made us all welcome because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold." So Malta. Malta is a really important island historically. A small island, but it's been very important historically. It has played a major role through the late ancient period into the Middle Ages. It was a significant a piece of land in terms of treaties and causes of war in relationship to the Napoleonic era. And it was a substantial island in terms of import during the Second World War, used as a station for British air power. It has popped up over and over and over again in history as a significant place. The most important thing to have happened, however, in that land that I am aware of is the maintaining of the life of the Apostle Paul as he came ashore on it. God using it to save him. There is nothing that seems more important in the history of the world to have occurred in the place than that. So it is a storied island with Many interesting stories about knights and the stationing there of knights for crusaders and the dealing with international government in the Napoleonic era and even with World War II. But there is no story in its history of more importance than what we have just read. So I'll leave that there, and hopefully you guys will pick up some history books and look into it. Maybe that'll be something that drives some of you to look into it. Island of Malta. All right. So they escaped, and they found out the island was called Malta. And the natives showed us unusual kindness. But they kindled a fire and made us all welcome. Because of the rain, it was falling, and because of the cold. I was trying to understand, what's the unusual kindness here? Is it particularly difficult to kindle a fire in the middle of a rainstorm? Is that the difficulty? Is there something else? But I suppose maybe there's other kindnesses along with the fire. The fire is just the basic element here of doing this. And you think about this also, if you have wood that is dry during a rainstorm, you're storing it inside, right? And if you're doing that, you're using it up. And this has been a storm that's been going on for a while, right? So how many more days will there be rain? They're using up some of their firewood to care for them. So, you know, one of the things you could do, of course, is bring firewood in. It could be wet. You have firewood stored outside and it's wet and you could let it dry for a while, but that's taking up space inside. And if you're not trying to spend a lot of time outside in the rain, then, you know, that takes up space that you're able to move around in. So I think that's a significant portion of it. as we take for granted as modern persons who are able to subdue deserts and live and cool in the midst of the summer when it's over 100 degrees outside, we take for granted the control of environment. But this is an expensive effort to be hospitable, people who are very cold being warmed up with this fire. For they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. And you think about that and you go, well, kindling a fire for a few people, you know, use up some of that. Remember, there's 276. Remember, there's 76 people. It's a lot of firewood for that. You get those people. 276. So all of these elements of hospitality, as you think about them, I want you to know, multiply that out by 276. So now all of a sudden, oh wait, it is an unusual kindness to prepare a fire when most of your wood is probably wet because it's outside in the rain for these people. Isn't it funny how when you just kind of read through stuff, you don't think about some of these things that are pretty obvious when you start to reflect and go, well, why? What is the deal there? For they kindled a fire and made us all welcome because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. 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." So this snake is in with the sticks, and it just seems like a stick because it's cold. And so it's not moving. And so you grab it, and as he's moving closer to the fire, the snake warms up and kind of wakes up and bites him. Viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. It's not just a quick bite, it's a bites and fastens on his hand. As you imagine the snake biting the hand and this kind of hanging down off of it. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, no doubt this man is a murderer, whom though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live. This is kind of like a knowing look. This happens a lot here. This is Malta. People get shipwrecked, trying to get away from murder. And then they die. I'm not sure how often that would have happened. But the point is, this is their way of looking at things. They have this, there's this providential justice, you know, modern Americans adopt. We just go, karma. And so this idea that you can't escape, you're just desserts. Karma is a lie. having to do with reincarnation. But providential justice is a real thing. Although we know at the same time that often the righteous suffer in this life like Job. And there's testing, right? So we can't just look at this and say that. So the Maltese perspective on due process apparently is, well, if a guy died, he's probably a murderer. So they're looking at him and they think, well, it's a good thing he's gone. Glad he's not going to stick around. And at the same time, there's a certain reasonableness, right? There's prisoners, right? So they're going, well, why are these guys imprisoned? Why are they here with these Roman soldiers? This guy must have been a murderer. Probably the curse of the gods. plural, on them that caused them to be caught in this storm. But they've all survived, and this was a way of getting this guy to die. So that's kind of their perspective. We would think of that as very superstitious. But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. Right? So I mean, Paul here seems like Like this is like something out of an action movie, right? Where you've got this guy who's, you're trying to, you're trying to do really fast character development. There's not time to give the backstory of Paul here. So what we're going to do is we're going to have him get bit by a wild animal and then he's just kind of shake it off and say a one liner and the animal's going to die in the fire. Right? Like that's, that's Paul. Okay. We've already had lots of character development. So Paul. So he shakes it off. You know, you can imagine him, like, seeing somebody else get this, and he's just like, he can walk it off. Like, just walk it off. So he shakes off the animal, this viper, goes into the fire, the viper dies in the fire, and that's the end of that. And so, they're all watching him. He shakes off the creature in the fire, suffered no harm. Okay, so they're going, that's fine. I mean, we've seen this before. This guy's going to turn into a balloon pretty soon. or he's just going to fall over dead. One of the two is going to happen. Verse 6, however, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time, again, this would make a great movie, right? Just shake the thing off, dies in the fire, sit down, everybody's just staring at him for a while. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. These guys are really great at logical deduction. Snake bit his hand, he must be a murderer. Didn't die. Probably a god. These are the options. So this is really character development for them. We already know Paul pretty well at this point. This is helping us to understand the Maltese. So in Malta, these people are very superstitious. He could have given them the same speech that he gave at Athens. Verse seven, in that region, there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. So these natives, they see this, they're very superstitious. Then they get to Publius. Publius, obviously a Roman name, if ever there were one. So he is the leading citizen there. They get there, and Publius is hospitable to them, courteously. Not just like a, fine, you can stay, and I'll give you the minimum to live. It's a courteous hospitality for three days, for 276 people. Soldiers, prisoners, sailors, 276 of them. Three days. Entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went into him and prayed and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. They also honored us in many ways. And when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary. Now notice it doesn't say anything about Paul teaching them anything. It doesn't say anything about Luke teaching them anything. None of the apostolic band doing anything. Do you think that they took any of these opportunities to preach the gospel at all? It's implicit, right? We've seen it so many times now. It's obvious. We go, well, of course, when they think that Paul's a god, what does Paul do? He tells them, I'm not a god. Right? We've seen this before. Right? He's explaining the gospel to them. And we don't need to deal with the same superstition. We've already got the superstition speech. You just plug it in. You know that Paul's going to tell them that. You know how he responds to people thinking he's a god. You know how he responds when there's a healing opportunity. And so the preaching of the gospel. So this is why a lot of people, when they go back and they read, you know, that Paul says that God has given all of the people on the ship to him to be saved, they think, well, that's not just saved like they didn't die, but also that they're converted. It's obvious that these are huge opportunities for preaching the gospel. And Paul is not just all of a sudden going totally out of character and saying, yeah, I don't feel like it today. I'm not really on it. I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to preach the gospel. I don't feel like it. It's not happening. And when they get honored, it's not like Paul was just like, that's right, I'm pretty cool. I'm a cool guy. Cool guy doing cool things. Thanks. Appreciate it. Peace out. See you guys later. Probably not. That's not what he does. He obviously uses opportunities where he's honored to preach the gospel. So I'm asking you, when you have these kinds of opportunities, live in such a way that it's obvious, if anybody ever said something like this happened to you, that you obviously would have used the opportunity to preach the gospel, to honor God, to give the glory to God. Paul doesn't care about them honoring him. Paul doesn't care about them thinking he's a god. He cares only insofar as it's offensive. Think about this. Compare this to Julius Caesar. To Augustus. To Alexander. To Nero. This foolishness of their desire for the acclaims of the crowd. To be considered gods. This stuff that's listed in passing that obviously Paul doesn't care about is the stuff they lived for. It was their God. Klaos. Honor. Glory. This is in passing, and we know how Paul responded to it. We know that Paul responded by giving the glory to God and preaching the gospel. You put any of those characters, Caesar, Augustus, Alexander, Nero. You put any of those people in this instead of Paul, and you know they totally use it to be like, yeah, I am a god. That's right. You should honor me. That's the only appropriate response. Bow before me. Paul goes through this whole thing, and he leaves, and he's looking forward to his opportunity to preach to Caesar. Keeps a level head. He doesn't freak out when they're at sea for 14 days and the storm's so bad that they can't eat. And he doesn't let this go to his head when people say he's a god. That is what a Protestant man should be like. Steady. This is what fortitude does. Wisdom gives fortitude that allows for steadiness in the midst of disaster and in the midst of great honor. Do not lose yourself. For men in Rome who had a triumph, there was a man whose job it was to stand behind him and remind him, you are immortal. You're not, you're not a god, you are mortal. Because there was a danger that in the midst of the acclaim of the crowds, that men would soar to the heights of arrogance and think, I can seize power and I can live forever. The human tendency to overreach. to go beyond what other resources of the finite. And that suppression of the truth, the desire to be God, all of our sin is rooted in the unbelief of the reality of who God is, what God is, who we are, what we are, and thereby the desire to choose what is good and what is evil for ourselves rather than to recognize that we are creatures who have a law given to us. We are not autonomous. We do not have autos namas. We do not have a self-law. We have a law unto ourselves. We are under theonomy. Theos namas. God's law. Law comes from God and no other. The acknowledgement of this The realization that God is sovereign, both in terms of his authority and in terms of his power. That he creates law, controls law, tells the difference between good and evil, chooses the difference between good and evil. The fact that he controls what happens, right? His power determines history. He controls every molecule, atom, thought. All the smallest elements of matter and spirit are controlled by God. He is sovereign in authority and sovereign in power. That doctrine, the sovereignty of God, allows for you to go through things that would go to men's heads and to be able to pass through them with humility and to pass through disaster without freaking out. Now, I want to think about this text with another thing in mind. The other thing I want to put into your mind is Mark 16. So let's look at this again, and let's look at Mark 16. So chapter 28 verse 1, Acts 28 verse 1, Now when they escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta, and the natives showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. 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. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, no doubt this man is a murderer, whom though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live. But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. However, They were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. In that region, there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went into him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So, when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. They also honored us in many ways, and when he departed, they provided such things as were necessary. Okay, so now let's jump back to Mark, the end of the book, chapter 16. Okay, so chapter 16, starting at verse 9, We have the resurrection of Christ and the leaving afraid and verse 9 forward is in the majority text. People will say well this is added and the main thing they use to argue that it is added is kind of some literary elements and then there's a particular line about drinking poison. You can't line this up with anything. So let's read through this. When he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven demons. I'm talking about Jesus. She went and told those who had been with him as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After that, he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. Later he appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table, and he rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. Here's the part that gets particularly concerning to people. And these signs will follow those who believe, or who have believed. These signs will follow those who have believed. In my name they will cast out demons. They will speak with new tongues. They will take up serpents. And if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen." So some Pentecostals will grab hold of this text and say, these are continuing signs of the believer. For some reason, even Phil Kaiser, for example, reads these signs and he thinks these have to do with the believer now as opposed to the apostle. It seems obvious from the interpreting text at the end that these are the confirming signs of apostles. Okay? People will look at this and they'll say, okay, okay, okay, okay. So here's the signs. And this is for those who believe or those who have believed. I think the have believed. which helps you to understand better. We're talking about people who already have believed. We're talking about those who were with Jesus and have believed even during his ministry on earth. He says, "...in my name they will cast out demons..." Okay, we see that with the Apostles. "...they will speak with new tongues..." We see that with the Apostles. "...they will take up serpents..." Well, that just happened with Paul, what we read. "...and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them." Well, okay, I don't know about that one. Some people say, well, well, well, there are extra biblical stories about apostles drinking just like gallons of Kool-Aid with poison in it, and they're fine. It's good. We'll use that. That sets it up. I'm not gonna go with that. I'm not gonna, I'm not okay with non-biblical, extra biblical things being our proof of the doctrine here. So I'm gonna say no to that one. Okay. Then, let's move on. We'll come back to that one. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. We literally just read about that in Acts, right? Then we have the ascension and the enthronement of Christ and going out and preaching all over the world and the confirming signs. Everything here is fine. It all makes sense. Totally makes sense. The only weirdness is the drinking poison. Only weirdness. Okay, so I want to suggest to you This is not about drinking poison. The word can be translated as drinking. Let me read you the word. This is Mark 16, verse 18. Look this up. Get an interlinear Bible. Look it up online. Check this on your own. Mark 16, verse 18. And what it says The word is piosen. It's pi, iota, omega. And then sigma, iota, nu. So piosen, or piosen. And it's rooted in this word that's sometimes translated to drink. And even if we translate it as to drink, or to imbibe, or to take in, the drinking can be used figuratively. It's used that way, frequently. So let's think about this just for a second. Let's think about it for a second. They will take up serpents, and if they peyosin anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them. Just replace the word drink with take in. Doesn't that sound like what just happened to Paul? That's it. So I think it's very clear that Acts is actually confirming this very thing with an example of it happening. So this problem of Mark 16 verses 9 through 20 being in the majority text but not in the critical text is not really a problem. It's a problem with the critical text. And there is not an issue with drinking. It's a bad translation. We usually just talk about it being taken in. And that's exactly what happened here in Acts. So let's look back at that one last time. Go back to Acts 28. Acts 28, verse 3. 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. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, no doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice is not allowed to live. These are not people who just look at the snake. This isn't fellow sailors or prisoners or soldiers from the ship that don't know anything about Malta, right? They're not going, maybe that snake was poisonous. These are natives who are familiar with this snake and this area. And they go, that was a poisonous snake. We've seen what happens to these people. People who get bit by this snake, they either die suddenly or they swell up and die. And they're so sure of it that they think the fact that he didn't die, probably a god. That's their response. No doubt this man is a murderer whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live. And he shook off the creature into the fire Didn't Mark say something about once the poison goes in that there's something about the harm? What does Mark say? They'll take up servants, and if they imbibe or take in anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them. There seems to be a very clear display of the fulfillment of that sign. However, there's a lot of confusion about this. This is Acts 28, verse 6. However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. This is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Mark 16. Now, comments, questions, and objections from the voting members? Mr. Nye? Thank you for your teaching, Elder Reese. I was just curious. I think your explanation of Mark 16, about the taking in anything deadly, poisonous, yeah, I think that's very believable. I was just curious, though, could it not also refer to If someone tries to poison them, like, I guess, not like intentionally drinking, like, hey, I'm an apostle, or I'm, yeah, watch this, guys, I'm not gonna die, sort of thing. That's kind of how the Pentecostals look at it. But like other people trying to poison them, as like you're trying to kill them. So the question is, could this be examples of people trying to kill them with poisoning and them surviving through it? And yes, that's what a lot of the old stories have. There's apostles going to kingdoms that are to the east or whatever, and then somebody tries to kill them at dinner. You know, it's like, how is that wine? And they're fine. I mean, that's kind of the story. And so those are the examples that are used. And, you know, maybe there's something like that that happened. It's not recorded in the Bible. But I'm pretty sure that what Paul had happen is the fulfillment of the very thing that's being talked about. The linguistic similarities are heavy, right? This idea that they expected him to be harmed and he wasn't harmed. He'll take in, he'll drink poison and not be harmed. and this idea that we have to very woodenly read it as drinking from a cup or something, like it's not there. There's not a reason why we have to read it that way. And so I think if I were a translator and I had the opportunity here to deal with this, I would align the language to be taken. And I would have a footnote in a Bible that references this as a fulfillment of it. And so that would be a Helpful thing I think to readers as opposed to the confusion and that is currently existing out there And so this is a example of something that I think would help the church to avoid confusion so I Think I'm understanding better understanding now you you believe that mark 16 that this is a prophecy and therefore it has to have a fulfillment like in the scriptures and And maybe I'm not correct on that, but it seems that that would be the implication. And so this is, we don't have examples in scripture of apostles or anyone being poisoned and surviving, other than being bitten by a poisonous snake and surviving. Right, so this is, that helps to make clear it is an apostolic sign. the apostolic signs, you know, it makes it clear in Matthew 16, it says that that's what they're going to do. That's what the apostles are going to do. It's a sign of these guys that are sent out to preach as these witnesses. And so this is an apostolic sign and it's a filled by an apostle. And so, uh, that's, that's why I'm emphasizing the importance of it is if it's an apostolic sign, we would expect to see it captured in scripture as something the apostles did. And that's a part of the reason why people say it's not just apostolic, it's for all believers, and so therefore it's continuing. And so it becomes a part of a doctrine of continuing signs and wonders, and a doctrine of continuing tongues. Okay, let's pray. Father, we ask that you would bless the reading and teaching of your word, that you would help us to have the sort of evenness and fortitude displayed by the Apostle Paul, who is able to face great danger with courage and to face great honor without letting it go to his head. We ask that you would help us to be like him as he is like Christ. We pray this in Christ's name.