According to Acts 28, Paul survived a shipwreck on the island of Malta before continuing toward Rome. The episode occurs during Paul’s journey as a prisoner under Roman guard.
Acts says the ship struck a sandbar and broke apart, but everyone aboard reached land safely. After arriving, Paul was bitten by a viper while gathering sticks for a fire. When he suffered no apparent harm, the islanders treated him with respect. Paul also healed Publius’s father and other sick people on Malta.
The voyage is one of the New Testament’s most detailed sea narratives. Earlier in Acts 27, Paul warns that the journey is dangerous, but the ship’s crew continues. After spending three months on Malta, the travelers depart on another ship and eventually reach Rome. The traditional identification of the island with Malta reflects the route and geographical descriptions in the narrative.