28:1 The island of Malta on which the travelers now found themselves is about sixty miles south of Sicily. The island itself is about eighteen miles long and eight wide. On the southwestern side, the cliffs descend abruptly to the sea, but on the northeastern coast, there are many inlets and bays. The largest harbor is the site of the present city of Valetta. Saint Paul’s Bay is about eight miles northwest of the city. The Phoenicians had occupied the island soon after the beginning of the first millennium B.C. Their influence remained strong in the mix of cultures that followed and was still evident in the first century A.D. in the Punic dialect of the Maltese. This is attested in coins and inscriptions and is noticed by Luke in his description of the Maltese as “barbarians” (vv. 2, 4; N…