Acts

Paul Sails for Rome

1When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the ImperialRegiment.

2We boarded an Adramyttian ship about to sail for ports along the coast of Asia,and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.

3The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.

4After putting out from there, we sailed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.

5And when we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia.

6There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board.

7After sailing slowly for many days, we arrived off Cnidus. When the wind impeded us, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.

8After we had moved along the coast with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

9By now much time had passed, and the voyage had already become dangerous because it was after the Fast.So Paul advised them,

10“Men, I can see that our voyage will be filled with disaster and great loss, not only to ship and cargo, but to our own lives as well.”

11But contrary to Paul’s advice, the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and by the owner of the ship.

12Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on, hoping that somehow they could reach Phoenix to winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete facing both southwest and northwest.

The Storm at Sea

13When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along, hugging the coast of Crete.

14But it was not long before a cyclone called the Northeaster swept down across the island.

15Unable to head into the wind, the ship was caught up. So we gave way and let ourselves be driven along.

16Passing to the lee of a small island called Cauda,we barely managed to secure the lifeboat.

17After hoisting it up, the crew used ropes to undergird the ship. And fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchorand were driven along.

18We were tossed so violently that the next day the men began to jettison the cargo.

19On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.

20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the great storm continued to batter us, we abandoned all hope of being saved.

21After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have averted this disaster and loss.

22But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because you will not experience any loss of life, but only of the ship.

23For just last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me

24and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’

25So take courage, men, for I believe God that it will happen just as He told me.

26However, we must run aground on some island.”

The Shipwreck

27On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea.About midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.

28They took soundings and found that the water was twenty fathoms deep.Going a little farther, they took another set of soundings that read fifteen fathoms.

29Fearing that we would run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daybreak.

30Meanwhile, the sailors attempted to escape from the ship. Pretending to lower anchors from the bow, they let the lifeboat down into the sea.

31But Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain with the ship, you cannot be saved.”

32So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and set it adrift.

33Right up to daybreak, Paul kept urging them all to eat: “Today is your fourteenth day in constant suspense, without taking any food.

34So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”

35After he had said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.

36They were all encouraged and took some food themselves.

37In all, there were 276of us on board.

38After the men had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

39When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they sighted a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could.

40Cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.

41But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was being broken up by the pounding of the waves.

42The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so none of them could swim to freedom.

43But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life, thwarted their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.

44The rest were to follow on planks and various parts of the ship. In this way everyone was brought safely to land.

1And when it was determined that he should sail into Italy, and that Paul, with the other prisoners, should be delivered to a centurion, named Julius, of the band Augusta,

2Going on board a ship of Adrumetum, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia, Aristarchus, the Macedonian of Thessalonica, continuing with us.

3And the day following we came to Sidon. And Julius treating Paul courteously, permitted him to go to his friends, and to take care of himself.

4And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

5And sailing over the sea of Cilicia, and Pamphylia, we came to Lystra, which is in Lycia:

6And there the centurion finding a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy, removed us into it.

7And when for many days we had sailed slowly, and were scarce come over against Gnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed near Crete by Salmone:

8And with much ado sailing by it, we came into a certain place, which is called Good-havens, nigh to which was the city of Thalassa.

9And when much time was spent, and when sailing now was dangerous, because the fast was now past, Paul comforted them,

10Saying to them: Ye men, I see that the voyage beginneth to be with injury and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

11But the centurion believed the pilot and the master of the ship, more than those things which were said by Paul.

12And whereas it was not a commodious haven to winter in, the greatest part gave counsel to sail thence, if by any means they might reach Phenice to winter there, which is a haven of Crete, looking towards the southwest and northwest.

13And the south wind gently blowing, thinking that they had obtained their purpose, when they had loosed from Asson, they sailed close by Crete.

14But not long after, there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroaquilo.

15And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up against the wind, giving up the ship to the winds, we were driven.

16And running under a certain island, that is called Cauda, we had much work to come by the boat.

17Which being taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship, and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, they let down the sail yard, and so were driven.

18And we being mightily tossed with the tempest, the next day they lightened the ship.

19And the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling of the ship.

20And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm lay on us, all hope of our being saved was now taken away.

21And after they had fasted a long time, Paul standing forth in the midst of them, said: You should indeed, O ye men, have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and have gained this harm and loss.

22And now I exhort you to be of good cheer. For there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but only of the ship.

23For an angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, stood by me this night,

24Saying: Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar; and behold, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God that it shall so be, as it hath been told me.

26And we must come unto a certain island.

27But after the fourteenth night was come, as we were sailing in Adria, about midnight, the shipmen deemed that they discovered some country.

28Who also sounding, found twenty fathoms; and going on a little further, they found fifteen fathoms.

29Then fearing lest we should fall upon rough places, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

30But as the shipmen sought to fly out of the ship, having let down the boat into the sea, under colour, as though they would have cast anchors out of the forepart of the ship,

31Paul said to the centurion, and to the soldiers: Except these stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.

32Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

33And when it began to be light, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying: This day is the fourteenth day that you have waited, and continued fasting, taking nothing.

34Wherefore I pray you to take some meat for your health’s sake; for there shall not an hair of the head of any of you perish.

35And when he had said these things, taking bread, he gave thanks to God in the sight of them all; and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

36Then were they all of better cheer, and they also took some meat.

37And we were in all in the ship, two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

38And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, casting the wheat into the sea.

39And when it was day, they knew not the land; but they discovered a certain creek that had a shore, into which they minded, if they could, to thrust in the ship.

40And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves to the sea, loosing withal the rudder bands; and hoisting up the mainsail to the wind, they made towards shore.

41And when we were fallen into a place where two seas met, they run the ship aground; and the forepart indeed, sticking fast, remained unmoveable: but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the sea.

42And the soldiers’ counsel was, that they should kill the prisoners, lest any of them, swimming out, should escape.

43But the centurion, willing to save Paul, forbade it to be done; and he commanded that they who could swim, should cast themselves first into the sea, and save themselves, and get to land.

44And the rest, some they carried on boards, and some on those things that belonged to the ship. And so it came to pass, that every soul got safe to land.