Acts 27:16-40

16Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s 1boat under control. 17After they had hoisted it up, they used 2supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might 3run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the 4sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. 18The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, 5they began to 6jettison 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.

217When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “8Men, you ought to have 9followed my advice and not to have set sail from 10Crete and 11incurred this 12damage and loss. 22Yet now I urge you to 13keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23For this very night 14an angel of the God to whom I belong and 15whom I serve 16stood before me, 24saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; 17you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you 18all those who are sailing with you.’ 25Therefore, 19keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that 20it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26But we must 21run aground on a certain 22island.”

27But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that 23they 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 24run aground somewhere on the 25rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and 26wished for daybreak. 30But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down 27the 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 28ropes 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 29not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35Having said this, he took bread and 30gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36All 31of them 32were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37All of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six 3334persons. 38When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by 35throwing out the wheat into the sea.

39When day came, 36they 37could 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 38the 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.