Where is Malta mentioned in the Bible?

Malta is mentioned in the New Testament as the island where the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on his journey to Rome. This event is recorded in Acts 28:1, which states, 'After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta.'

What happened in Malta in the Bible?

After being shipwrecked on Malta, Paul and the other survivors were shown unusual kindness by the island's inhabitants. During their stay, Paul was bitten by a viper but suffered no harm, and he later healed the father of Publius, the chief official of the island, and many others (Acts 28:1-10).

Why is Malta significant in the Bible?

Malta is significant as a testament to God's protection and the advance of the gospel. Paul's miraculous survival from the viper bite and his healing ministry on the island demonstrated God's power, leading to the islanders honoring him and providing for the journey to Rome (Acts 28:10).

Malta

seaNew TestamentNorth Africa1 verse

Country MaltaCoordinates 35.933, 14.412

Malta is a body of water mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of North Africa in modern-day Malta. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.

Paul's Journey to Rome · Stop 6 Open the Biblical Atlas

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Biblical History

Malta (called Melita in older translations) appears in the New Testament account of the apostle Paul's dramatic shipwreck during his voyage to Rome as a prisoner. Acts 27 describes the harrowing fourteen-day storm that drove the ship across the Adriatic Sea until it ran aground on Malta's coast (Acts 27:39-44). All 276 people aboard reached shore safely, fulfilling the angel's promise to Paul (Acts 27:24). The islanders showed extraordinary hospitality, kindling a fire for the cold, rain-soaked survivors (Acts 28:2). When a viper fastened onto Paul's hand as he gathered sticks, the locals first thought him a murderer receiving divine justice, but when he suffered no harm, they changed their minds and declared him a god (Acts 28:3-6). Paul then healed the father of Publius, the island's chief official, of fever and dysentery, prompting many other sick islanders to come and be healed (Acts 28:7-9). Paul remained three months on Malta before continuing to Rome, and the grateful islanders furnished the travelers with everything they needed for the voyage.

Archaeological & Historical Notes

Malta is securely identified with the modern Republic of Malta in the central Mediterranean Sea, approximately ninety-three kilometers south of Sicily. The traditional site of Paul's shipwreck is St. Paul's Bay on the island's northeastern coast, which matches the Acts narrative's description of a bay with a sandy beach. Archaeological evidence confirms Malta was a prosperous Roman settlement in the first century AD, with remains of villas, baths, and public buildings. Inscriptions found on the island use the title "protos" (chief man) for the leading official, exactly matching Luke's description of Publius in Acts 28:7. A first-century anchoring site has been investigated in St. Paul's Bay. The island today preserves numerous churches and monuments commemorating Paul's stay, and Christianity has remained central to Maltese culture since antiquity.

Verse Appearances (1)

Acts

Acts 28:1

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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