Acts 27
1 As it was decided that we were to sail to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were put in charge of a centurion of the Augustan Guard, named Julius.
And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.
2 We went on board a ship from Adramyttium, which was on the point of sailing to the ports along the coast of Roman Asia, and put to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, went with us.
And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
3 The next day we put in to Sidon, where Julius treated Paul in a friendly manner, and allowed him to go to see his friends and receive their hospitality.
And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
4 Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the wind was against us;
And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5 and, after crossing the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.
And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6 There the Roman officer found an Alexandrian ship on her way to Italy, and put us on board of her.
And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
7 For several days our progress was slow, and it was only with difficulty that we arrived off Cnidus. As the wind was still unfavourable when we came off Cape Salmone, we sailed under the lee of Crete,
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;
8 and with difficulty, by keeping close in shore, we reached a place called “Fair Havens,” near which was the town of Lasea.
And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
9 This had taken a considerable time, and sailing was already dangerous, for the Fast was already over; and so Paul gave this warning.
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
10 ‘My friends,’ he said, ‘I see that this voyage will be attended with injury and much damage, not only to the cargo and the ship, but to our own lives also.’
And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
11 The Roman officer, however, was more influenced by the captain and the owner than by what was said by Paul.
Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
12 And, as the harbour was not a suitable one to winter in, the majority were in favour of continuing the voyage, in hope of being able to reach Phoenix, and winter there. Phoenix was a Cretan harbour, open to the north-east and south-east.
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
13 So, when a light wind sprang up from the south, thinking that they had found their opportunity, they weighed anchor and kept along the coast of Crete, close in shore.
And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
14 But shortly afterwards a hurricane came down on us off the land – a north-easter, as it is called.
But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
15 The ship was caught by it and was unable to keep her head to the wind, so we had to give way and let her drive before it.
And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
16 Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we only just managed to secure the ship’s boat,
And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
17 and, after hoisting it on board, the men frapped the ship. But, afraid of being driven on to the Syrtis Sands, they lowered the yard, and then drifted.
Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
18 So violently were we tossed about by the storm, that the next day they began throwing the cargo overboard,
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
19 and, on the following day, threw out the ship’s tackle with their own hands.
And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
20 As neither sun nor stars were visible for several days, and, as the gale still continued severe, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
21 It was then, when they had gone a long time without food, that Paul came forward, and said, ‘My friends, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and so incurred this injury and damage.
But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
22 Yet, even as things are, I beg you not to lose courage, for there will not be a single life lost among you – only the ship.
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong, and whom I serve, stood by me, and said –
For there stood by me this night the angel of YHWH, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24 “Have no fear, Paul; you must appear before the Emperor, and God himself has given you the lives of all your fellow voyagers.”
Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, YHWH hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25 Therefore, courage, my friends! For I believe God, that everything will happen exactly as I have been told.
Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe YHWH, that it shall be even as it was told me.
26 We will, however, have to be driven on some island.’
Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
27 It was now the fourteenth night of the storm, and we were drifting about in the Adriatic Sea, when, about midnight, the sailors began to suspect that they were drawing near land.
But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
28 So they took soundings, and found twenty fathoms of water. After waiting a little, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.
And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
29 Then, as they were afraid of our being driven on some rocky coast, they let go four anchors from the stern, and longed for daylight.
Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
30 The sailors wanted to leave the ship, and had lowered the boat, on pretence of running out anchors from the bows,
And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,
31 when Paul said to the Roman officer and his men, ‘Unless the sailors remain on board, you cannot be saved.’
Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
32 So the soldiers cut the ropes which held the boat, and let her drift away.
Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
33 In the interval before daybreak Paul kept urging them all to take something to eat. ‘It is a fortnight today,’ he said, ‘that, owing to your anxiety, you have gone without food, taking nothing.
And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
34 So I beg you to take something to eat; your safety depends on it, for not one of you will lose even a hair of his head.’
Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
35 With these words he took some bread, and, after saying the thanksgiving to God before them all, broke it in pieces, and began to eat;
And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to YHWH in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
36 and the men all felt cheered and had something to eat themselves.
Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
37 There were about seventy-six of us on board, all told.
And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
38 After satisfying their hunger, they further lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
39 When daylight came, they could not make out what land it was, but, observing a creek in which there was a beach, they consulted as to whether they could run the ship safely into it.
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
40 Then they cast off, and abandoned the anchors, and at the same time unlashed the gear of the steering oars, hoisted the foresail to the wind, and made for the beach.
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
41 They got, however, into a kind of channel, and there ran the ship aground. The bows stuck fast and could not be moved, while the stern began breaking up under the strain.
And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
42 The advice of the soldiers was that the prisoners should be killed, so that none of them could swim away and make their escape.
And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
43 But the Roman officer, anxious to save Paul, prevented their carrying out their intention, and ordered that those who could swim should be the first to jump into the sea and try to reach the shore;
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
44 and that the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on different pieces of the ship. In these various ways everyone managed to get safely ashore.
And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
