Acts 27:14-44

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,1 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 anchor2 and 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.”

27On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea.3 About midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28They took soundings and found that the water was twenty fathoms deep.4 Going a little farther, they took another set of soundings that read fifteen fathoms.5 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 2766 of 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.