1 When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they
delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of
the Augustan band. 2 Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about
to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a
Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3 The next day, we touched at
Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his
friends and refresh himself. 4 Putting to sea from there, we sailed under
the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 When we had sailed
across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of
Lycia. 6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy,
and he put us on board. 7 When we had sailed slowly many days, and had
come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we
sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. 8 With difficulty sailing
along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of
Lasea.
9 When much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, because the
Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished them, 10 and said to them,
“Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only
of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion
gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those
things which were spoken by Paul. 12 Because the haven was not suitable to
winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they
could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking
northeast and southeast.
13 When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their
purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.
14 But before long, a tempestuous wind beat down from shore, which is
called Euroclydon.*1 15 When the ship was
caught, and couldn’t face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along.
16 Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able,
with difficulty, to secure the boat. 17 After they had hoisted it up, they
used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground
on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven
along. 18 As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they
began to throw things overboard. 19 On the third day, they threw out the
ship’s tackle with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars shone on
us for many days, and no small tempest pressed on us, all hope that we would
be saved was now taken away.
21 When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of
them, and said, “Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set
sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss. 22 Now I exhort you
to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the
ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God
whose I am and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must
stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with
you.’ 25 Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be
just as it has been spoken to me. 26 But we must run aground on a certain
island.”
27 But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven back and
forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were
drawing near to some land. 28 They took soundings, and found twenty
fathoms.*2 After a little while,
they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.*3 . 29 Fearing that we would run aground on rocky
ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.
30 As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the
boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow,
31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these stay in
the ship, you can’t be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the
ropes of the boat, and let it fall off.
33 While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food,
saying, “This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue
fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I beg you to take some food,
for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your
heads.” 35 When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to
God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat. 36 Then
they all cheered up, and they also took food. 37 In all, we were two
hundred seventy-six souls on the ship. 38 When they had eaten enough, they
lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. 39 When it was
day, they didn’t recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a
beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it. 40 Casting off
the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder
ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.
41 But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground.
The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the
violence of the waves.
42 The soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them
would swim out and escape. 43 But the centurion, desiring to save Paul,
stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim
should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land; 44 and the
rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship.
So it happened that they all escaped safely to the land.
1 Or, “a northeaster.” 2 20 fathoms = 120 feet = 36.6 meters 3 15 fathoms = 90
feet = 27.4 meters
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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