Thematic Bible: Shaking off vipers

After we escaped [from the sinking ship] we became aware that the island [on which we had landed] was Melita [i.e., present-day Malta]. The natives [there] showed us uncommon kindness. It had begun to rain and was [getting] cold, so they built a fire and made us feel welcome. But as Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and was placing them on the fire, a snake crawled out because of the heat and clung to his hand. read more.
And when the natives saw the poisonous creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "This man must be a murderer because, even though he escaped from the sea, [divine] justice is not going to allow him to live." However, Paul shook off the creature into the fire without suffering any harm. But the natives expected him to swell up [from snake bite] or fall dead suddenly, but after expecting this for a long time and not seeing any harm come to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.