Acts 27

Paul Is Sent to Rome

1When it was decided that 1we 2would sail for 3Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan 45cohort named Julius. 2And embarking in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of 67Asia, we put out to sea accompanied by 8Aristarchus, a 9Macedonian of 10Thessalonica. 3The next day we put in at 11Sidon; and Julius 12treated Paul with consideration and 13allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. 4From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of 14Cyprus because 15the winds were contrary. 5When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of 16Cilicia and 17Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6There the centurion found an 18Alexandrian ship sailing for 19Italy, and he put us aboard it. 7When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, 20since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of 21Crete, off Salmone; 8and with difficulty 22sailing past it we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

9When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even 23the 24fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them, 10and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with 25damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11But the centurion was more persuaded by the 26pilot and the 27captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. 12Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of 28Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

1329When a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began 30sailing along 31Crete, close inshore.

Shipwreck

14But before very long there 32rushed down from 33the land a violent wind, called 34Euraquilo; 15and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. 16Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s 35boat under control. 17After they had hoisted it up, they used 36supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might 37run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the 38sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. 18The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, 39they began to 40jettison the cargo; 19and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.

2141When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “42Men, you ought to have 43followed my advice and not to have set sail from 44Crete and 45incurred this 46damage and loss. 22Yet now I urge you to 47keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23For this very night 48an angel of the God to whom I belong and 49whom I serve 50stood before me, 24saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; 51you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you 52all those who are sailing with you.’ 25Therefore, 53keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that 54it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26But we must 55run aground on a certain 56island.”

27But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that 57they were approaching some land. 28They took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29Fearing that we might 58run aground somewhere on the 59rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and 60wished for daybreak. 30But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down 61the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, 31Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” 32Then the soldiers cut away the 62ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.

33Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. 34Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for 63not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35Having said this, he took bread and 64gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36All 65of them 66were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37All of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six 6768persons. 38When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by 69throwing out the wheat into the sea.

39When day came, 70they 71could not recognize the land; but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. 40And casting off 72the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach. 41But striking a 73reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. 42The soldiers’ plan was to 74kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43but the centurion, 75wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should 76jump overboard first and get to land, 44and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that 77they all were brought safely to land.