Note 5 at Ac 28:5: This is a literal fulfillment of the Scripture in Mr 16:18 that we would take up serpents and they would not hurt us. Notice that Paul did not handle this snake and make a show out of this, as some people do today, claiming to be acting on faith in Mr 16:18. He immediately shook the snake off into the fire.

Note 6 at Ac 28:5: It's a good thing that Paul's theology didn't agree with that of these people and many people today (see note 4 at Ac 28:4), or he would have been dead.