{When Paul had gathered} (sustrepsantos tou Paulou).
Genitive absolute with first aorist active participle of
sustreph(935c), old verb to twist or turn together or roll into a
bundle. In N.T. only here and  Mt 17:22 . {A bundle of sticks}
(phrugan(936e) ti pl(8874)hos). "Some multitude (or pile) of dry twigs"
(phrugan(936e) from phrug(935c) or phruss(935c), to dry. Only here in
N.T.). {Laid} (epithentos). So genitive absolute again with
second aorist active participle of epitith(886d)i, to place upon.
Few things show Paul to better advantage than this incident. {By
reason of the heat} (apo t(8873) therm(8873)). Old word, only here in
N.T. Ablative case with apo (from the heat). The viper was in a
state of torpor in the bundle of sticks. The heat wakened him. {A
viper} (echidna). The old word used by the Baptist of the
Pharisees ( Mt 3:7  Lu 3:7 ) and by Jesus also ( Mt 12:34  23:33 ). It is objected that there is little wood in the island
today and no vipers, though Lewin as late as 1853 believes that
he saw a viper near St. Paul's Bay. But the island now has 1,200
people to the square mile and snakes of any kind have a poor
chance. The viper has also disappeared from Arran as the island
became more frequented (Knowling). Ramsay thinks that the small
constrictor (_Coronella Austriaca_) which still exists in the
island may be the "viper," though it has no poison fangs, but
clings and bites. The natives thought that it was a poisonous
viper. {Fastened on his hand} (kath(8870)se t(8873) cheiros autou).
First aorist active indicative of kathapt(935c), to fasten down on
with the genitive case. Old verb, here only in N.T. Cf.  Mr
16:18 .