Acts 27:17-44

17After they had hoisted it up, they used 1supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might 2run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the 3sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. 18The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, 4they began to 5jettison 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.

216When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “7Men, you ought to have 8followed my advice and not to have set sail from 9Crete and 10incurred this 11damage and loss. 22Yet now I urge you to 12keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23For this very night 13an angel of the God to whom I belong and 14whom I serve 15stood before me, 24saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; 16you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you 17all those who are sailing with you.’ 25Therefore, 18keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that 19it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26But we must 20run aground on a certain 21island.”

27But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that 22they 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 23run aground somewhere on the 24rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and 25wished for daybreak. 30But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down 26the 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 27ropes 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 28not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35Having said this, he took bread and 29gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36All 30of them 31were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37All of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six 3233persons. 38When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by 34throwing out the wheat into the sea.

39When day came, 35they 36could 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 37the 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 38reef 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 39kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43but the centurion, 40wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should 41jump 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 42they all were brought safely to land.