Note 5 at Acts 28:5: This is a literal fulfillment of the scripture in Mk. 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 who claim to be acting in faith on Mk. 16:18. He immediately shook the snake off into the fire.

Note 6 at Acts 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 at v. 4) or he would have been dead.