Actuum Apostolorum 27
1 ut autem iudicatum est eum navigare in Italiam et tradi Paulum cum reliquis custodiis centurioni nomine Iulio cohortis Augustae
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.
2 ascendentes autem navem hadrumetinam incipientem navigare circa Asiae loca sustulimus perseverante nobiscum Aristarcho Macedone Thessalonicense
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.
3 sequenti autem die devenimus Sidonem humane autem tractans Iulius Paulum permisit ad amicos ire et curam sui agere
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.
4 et inde cum sustulissemus subnavigavimus Cypro propterea quod essent venti contrarii
Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the wind was against us;
5 et pelagus Ciliciae et Pamphiliae navigantes venimus Lystram quae est Lyciae
and, after crossing the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.
6 et ibi inveniens centurio navem alexandrinam navigantem in Italiam transposuit nos in eam
There the Roman officer found an Alexandrian ship on her way to Italy, and put us on board of her.
7 et cum multis diebus tarde navigaremus et vix devenissemus contra Cnidum prohibente nos vento adnavigavimus Cretae secundum Salmonem
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,
8 et vix iuxta navigantes venimus in locum quendam qui vocatur Boni portus cui iuxta erat civitas Thalassa
and with difficulty, by keeping close in shore, we reached a place called “Fair Havens,” near which was the town of Lasea.
9 multo autem tempore peracto et cum iam non esset tuta navigatio eo quod et ieiunium iam praeterisset consolabatur Paulus
This had taken a considerable time, and sailing was already dangerous, for the Fast was already over; and so Paul gave this warning.
10 dicens eis viri video quoniam cum iniuria et multo damno non solum oneris et navis sed etiam animarum nostrarum incipit esse navigatio
‘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.’
11 centurio autem gubernatori et nauclerio magis credebat quam his quae a Paulo dicebantur
The Roman officer, however, was more influenced by the captain and the owner than by what was said by Paul.
12 et cum aptus portus non esset ad hiemandum plurimi statuerunt consilium navigare inde si quo modo possent devenientes Phoenice hiemare portum Cretae respicientem ad africum et ad chorum
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.
13 adspirante autem austro aestimantes propositum se tenere cum sustulissent de Asson legebant Cretam
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.
14 non post multum autem misit se contra ipsam ventus typhonicus qui vocatur euroaquilo
But shortly afterwards a hurricane came down on us off the land – a north-easter, as it is called.
15 cumque arrepta esset navis et non posset conari in ventum data nave flatibus ferebamur
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.
16 insulam autem quandam decurrentes quae vocatur Caudam potuimus vix obtinere scapham
Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we only just managed to secure the ship’s boat,
17 qua sublata adiutoriis utebantur accingentes navem timentes ne in Syrtim inciderent submisso vase sic ferebantur
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.
18 valide autem nobis tempestate iactatis sequenti die iactum fecerunt
So violently were we tossed about by the storm, that the next day they began throwing the cargo overboard,
19 et tertia die suis manibus armamenta navis proiecerunt
and, on the following day, threw out the ship’s tackle with their own hands.
20 neque sole autem neque sideribus apparentibus per plures dies et tempestate non exigua inminente iam ablata erat spes omnis salutis nostrae
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.
21 et cum multa ieiunatio fuisset tunc stans Paulus in medio eorum dixit oportebat quidem o viri audito me non tollere a Creta lucrique facere iniuriam hanc et iacturam
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.
22 et nunc suadeo vobis bono animo esse amissio enim nullius animae erit ex vobis praeterquam navis
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.
23 adstitit enim mihi hac nocte angelus Dei cuius sum ego et cui deservio
For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong, and whom I serve, stood by me, and said –
24 dicens ne timeas Paule Caesari te oportet adsistere et ecce donavit tibi Deus omnes qui navigant tecum
“Have no fear, Paul; you must appear before the Emperor, and God himself has given you the lives of all your fellow voyagers.”
25 propter quod bono animo estote viri credo enim Deo quia sic erit quemadmodum dictum est mihi
Therefore, courage, my friends! For I believe God, that everything will happen exactly as I have been told.
26 in insulam autem quandam oportet nos devenire
We will, however, have to be driven on some island.’
27 sed posteaquam quartadecima nox supervenit navigantibus nobis in Hadria circa mediam noctem suspicabantur nautae apparere sibi aliquam regionem
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.
28 qui submittentes invenerunt passus viginti et pusillum inde separati invenerunt passus quindecim
So they took soundings, and found twenty fathoms of water. After waiting a little, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.
29 timentes autem ne in aspera loca incideremus de puppi mittentes anchoras quattuor optabant diem fieri
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.
30 nautis vero quaerentibus fugere de navi cum misissent scapham in mare sub obtentu quasi a prora inciperent anchoras extendere
The sailors wanted to leave the ship, and had lowered the boat, on pretence of running out anchors from the bows,
31 dixit Paulus centurioni et militibus nisi hii in navi manserint vos salvi fieri non potestis
when Paul said to the Roman officer and his men, ‘Unless the sailors remain on board, you cannot be saved.’
32 tunc absciderunt milites funes scaphae et passi sunt eam excidere
So the soldiers cut the ropes which held the boat, and let her drift away.
33 et cum lux inciperet fieri rogabat Paulus omnes sumere cibum dicens quartadecima hodie die expectantes ieiuni permanetis nihil accipientes
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.
34 propter quod rogo vos accipere cibum pro salute vestra quia nullius vestrum capillus de capite peribit
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.’
35 et cum haec dixisset sumens panem gratias egit Deo in conspectu omnium et cum fregisset coepit manducare
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;
36 animaequiores autem facti omnes et ipsi adsumpserunt cibum
and the men all felt cheered and had something to eat themselves.
37 eramus vero universae animae in navi ducentae septuaginta sex
There were about seventy-six of us on board, all told.
38 et satiati cibo adleviabant navem iactantes triticum in mare
After satisfying their hunger, they further lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
39 cum autem dies factus esset terram non agnoscebant sinum vero quendam considerabant habentem litus in quem cogitabant si possent eicere navem
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.
40 et cum anchoras abstulissent committebant se mari simul laxantes iuncturas gubernaculorum et levato artemone secundum flatum aurae tendebant ad litus
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.
41 et cum incidissemus in locum bithalassum inpegerunt navem et prora quidem fixa manebat inmobilis puppis vero solvebatur a vi maris
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.
42 militum autem consilium fuit ut custodias occiderent ne quis cum enatasset effugeret
The advice of the soldiers was that the prisoners should be killed, so that none of them could swim away and make their escape.
43 centurio autem volens servare Paulum prohibuit fieri iussitque eos qui possent natare mittere se primos et evadere et ad terram exire
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;
44 et ceteros alios in tabulis ferebant quosdam super ea quae de navi essent et sic factum est ut omnes animae evaderent ad terram
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.
