Acts 27
1 And 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,
Now when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they handed over Paul and a few other prisoners into the custody of Julius, a Captain of the Augustan battalion;
2 Going on board a ship of Adrumetum, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia, Aristarchus, the Macedonian of Thessalonica, continuing with us.
and going on board a ship of Adramyttium which was about to sail to the ports of the province of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, the Macedonian, from Thessalonica, forming one of our party.
3 And 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.
The next day we put in at Sidon. There Julius treated Paul with thoughtful kindness and allowed him to visit his friends and profit by their generous care.
4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us;
5 And sailing over the sea of Cilicia, and Pamphylia, we came to Lystra, which is in Lycia:
and, sailing the whole length of the sea that lies off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.
6 And there the centurion finding a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy, removed us into it.
There Julius found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board of her.
7 And 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:
It took several days of slow sailing for us to come with difficulty off Cnidus; from which point, as the wind did not allow us to get on in the direct course, we ran under the lee of Crete by Salmone.
8 And 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.
Then, coasting along with difficulty, we reached a place called 'Fair Havens,' near the town of Lasea.
9 And when much time was spent, and when sailing now was dangerous, because the fast was now past, Paul comforted them,
Our voyage thus far had occupied a considerable time, and the navigation being now unsafe and the Fast also already over, Paul warned them.
10 Saying 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.
"Sirs," he said, "I perceive that before long the voyage will be attended with danger and heavy loss, not only to the cargo and the ship but to our own lives also."
11 But the centurion believed the pilot and the master of the ship, more than those things which were said by Paul.
But Julius let himself be persuaded by the pilot and by the owner rather than by Paul's arguments;
12 And 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.
and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a harbour on the coast of Crete facing north-east and south-east--to winter there.
13 And the south wind gently blowing, thinking that they had obtained their purpose, when they had loosed from Asson, they sailed close by Crete.
And a light breeze from the south sprang up, so that they supposed they were now sure of their purpose. So weighing anchor they ran along the coast of Crete, hugging the shore.
14 But not long after, there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroaquilo.
But it was not long before a furious north-east wind, coming down from the mountains, burst upon us and carried the ship out of her course.
15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up against the wind, giving up the ship to the winds, we were driven.
She was unable to make headway against the gale; so we gave up and let her drive.
16 And running under a certain island, that is called Cauda, we had much work to come by the boat.
Then we ran under the lee of a little island called Cauda, where we managed with great difficulty to secure the boat;
17 Which 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.
and, after hoisting it on board, they used frapping-cables to undergird the ship, and, as they were afraid of being driven on the Syrtis quicksands, they lowered the gear and lay to.
18 And we being mightily tossed with the tempest, the next day they lightened the ship.
But, as the storm was still violent, the next day they began to lighten the ship;
19 And the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling of the ship.
and, on the third day, with their own hands they threw the ship's spare gear overboard.
20 And 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.
Then, when for several days neither sun nor stars were seen and the terrific gale still harassed us, the last ray of hope was now vanishing.
21 And 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.
When for a long time they had taken but little food, Paul, standing up among them, said, "Sirs, you ought to have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete. You would then have escaped this suffering and loss.
22 And 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.
But now take courage, for there will be no destruction of life among you, but of the ship only.
23 For an angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, stood by me this night,
For there stood by my side, last night, an angel of the God to whom I belong, and whom also I worship,
24 Saying: Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar; and behold, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
and he said, "'Dismiss all fear, Paul, for you must stand before Caesar; and God has granted you the lives of all who are sailing with you.'
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God that it shall so be, as it hath been told me.
"Therefore, Sirs, take courage; for I believe God, and am convinced that things will happen exactly as I have been told.
26 And we must come unto a certain island.
But we are to be stranded on a certain island."
27 But after the fourteenth night was come, as we were sailing in Adria, about midnight, the shipmen deemed that they discovered some country.
It was now the fourteenth night, and we were drifting through the Sea of Adria, when, about midnight, the sailors suspected that land was close at hand.
28 Who also sounding, found twenty fathoms; and going on a little further, they found fifteen fathoms.
So they hove the lead and found twenty fathoms of water; and after a short time they hove again and found fifteen fathoms.
29 Then fearing lest we should fall upon rough places, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
Then for fear of possibly running on rocks, they threw out four anchors from the stern and waited impatiently for daylight.
30 But 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,
The sailors, however, wanted to make their escape from the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow.
31 Paul said to the centurion, and to the soldiers: Except these stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.
But Paul, addressing Julius and the soldiers, said, "Your lives will be sacrificed, unless these men remain on board."
32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the ship's boat and let her fall off.
33 And 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.
And continually, up till daybreak, Paul kept urging all on board to take some food. "This is the fourteenth day," he said, "that you have been anxiously waiting for the storm to cease, and have fasted, eating little or nothing.
34 Wherefore 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.
I therefore strongly advise you to take some food. This is essential for your safety. For not a hair will perish from the head of any one of you."
35 And 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.
Having said this he took some bread, and, after giving thanks to God for it before them all, he broke it in pieces and began to eat it.
36 Then were they all of better cheer, and they also took some meat.
This raised the spirits of all, and they too took food.
37 And we were in all in the ship, two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
There were 276 of us, crew and passengers, all told.
38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, casting the wheat into the sea.
After eating a hearty meal they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat overboard.
39 And 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.
When daylight came, they tried in vain to recognise the coast. But an inlet with a sandy beach attracted their attention, and now their object was, if possible, to run the ship aground in this inlet.
40 And 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.
So they cut away the anchors and left them in the sea, unloosing at the same time the bands which secured the paddle-rudders. Then, hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.
41 And 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.
But coming to a place where two seas met, they stranded the ship, and her bow sticking fast remained immovable, while the stern began to go to pieces under the heavy hammering of the sea.
42 And the soldiers’ counsel was, that they should kill the prisoners, lest any of them, swimming out, should escape.
Now the soldiers recommended that the prisoners should be killed, for fear some one of them might swim ashore and effect his escape.
43 But 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.
But their Captain, bent on securing Paul's safety, kept them from their purpose and gave orders that those who could swim should first jump overboard and get to land;
44 And 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.
and that the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. In this way they all got safely to land.
