The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 27 -

When it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they put Paul and some other prisoners under the charge of a centurion named Julius of the Augustan Regiment.

We boarded a ship from Adramyttium, which was about to sail along the coast of Asia. So we went to sea. Aristarchus from Thessalonica in Macedonia went with us.

The next day we landed at the city of Sidon, where Julius treated Paul kindly and allowed him to go to his friends to receive their care.

From there, we went to sea and sailed around the island of Cyprus which was sheltered from the wind, because the wind was against us.

When we had sailed across the water that is near Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

There, the centurion found a ship from Alexandria that was going to sail to Italy. He put us in it.

When we had sailed slowly for many days and had finally arrived with difficulty near Cnidus, the wind no longer allowed us to go that way, so we sailed along the sheltered side of Crete, opposite Salmone.

We sailed along the coast with difficulty, until we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, which is near the city of Lasea.

We had now taken much time, the time of the Jewish fast also had passed, and it had now become dangerous to sail. So Paul warned them,

and said, “Men, I see that the voyage we are about to take will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”

But the centurion paid more attention to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things that were spoken by Paul.

Because the harbor was not easy to spend the winter in, most of the sailors advised to sail from there, if by any means we could reach the city of Phoenix, to spend the winter there. Phoenix is a harbor in Crete, and it faces northeast and southeast.

The Storm at Sea

(Jonah 1:4–10)

When the south wind began to blow gently, the sailors thought that they had what they needed. So they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore.

But after a short time a tempestuous wind, called The Northeaster, began to beat down on us from across the island.

When the ship was caught head on and could not face the wind, we gave in to it and were driven along by it.

We ran along the sheltered side of a small island called Clauda; and with difficulty we were able to secure the lifeboat.

When they had hoisted it up, they used its ropes to bind the hull of the ship. They were afraid that we should run upon the sandbars of Syrtis, so they let down the sea anchor and were driven along.

We were very battered by the storm, so the next day the sailors began to throw the cargo overboard.

On the third day the sailors threw overboard the ship’s tackle with their own hands.

When the sun and stars did not shine on us for many days, and the great storm still beat upon us, any more hope that we should be saved was abandoned.

When they had gone long without food, then Paul stood up among the sailors and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, so as to get this injury and loss.

And now I encourage you to take courage, for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only the loss of the ship.

For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong, whom also I worship-his angel stood beside me

and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar, and see, God in his kindness has given to you all those who are sailing with you.’

Therefore, men, take courage, for I trust God, that it will happen just as it was told me.

But we must wreck upon some island.”

The Shipwreck

When the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven this way and that in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors thought that they were approaching some land.

They took soundings and found twenty fathoms; after a little while, they took more soundings and found fifteen fathoms.

They were afraid that we might crash on the rocks, so they lowered four anchors from the stern and prayed that morning would come soon.

The sailors were looking for a way to abandon the ship and had lowered the lifeboat into the sea, and pretended that they would throw down the anchors from the bow.

But Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”

Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let it drift away.

When daylight was coming on, Paul urged them all to take some food. He said, “This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and do not eat; you have eaten nothing.

So I beg you to take some food, for this is for your survival; and not one hair of your head will be lost.”

When he had said this, he took bread and he thanked God in the sight of everyone. Then he broke the bread and began to eat.

Then they were all encouraged and they also took food.

We were 276 people in the ship.

When they had eaten enough, they made the ship lighter by throwing out the wheat into the sea.

When it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a beach, and they discussed whether they could drive the ship onto it.

So they cut loose the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosed the ropes of the rudders and raised the foresail to the wind; and so they headed to the beach.

But they came to a place where two currents met, and the ship ran into the ground. The bow of the ship stuck there and remained unmoveable, but the stern began to break up because of the waves’ violence.

The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that none of them could swim away and escape.

But the centurion wanted to save Paul, so he stopped their plan; and he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.

Then the rest of the men should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. In this way it happened that all of us came safely to land.

When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.

Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica being with us.

The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself.

Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board.

When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.

With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

When much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished them

and said to them, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”

But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things which were spoken by Paul.

Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking southwest and northwest.

The Storm at Sea

(Jonah 1:4–10)

When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.

But before long, a stormy wind beat down from shore, which is called Euroclydon.(a)

When the ship was caught and couldn’t face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.

Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.

After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along.

As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.

On the third day, they threw out the ship’s tackle with their own hands.

When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away.

When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them and said, “Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete and have gotten this injury and loss.

Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve,

saying, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’

Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.

But we must run aground on a certain island.”

The Shipwreck

But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land.

They took soundings and found twenty fathoms.(b) After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.(c)

Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.

As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow,

Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these stay in the ship, you can’t be saved.”

Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let it fall off.

While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.

Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads.”

When he had said this and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; then he broke it and began to eat.

Then they all cheered up, and they also took food.

In all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship.

When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

When it was day, they didn’t recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.

Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.

The soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape.

But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land;

and the rest should follow, some on planks and some on other things from the ship. So they all escaped safely to the land.

Footnotes

(a)27:14 Or, “a northeaster”.

(b)27:28 20 fathoms = 120 feet = 36.6 meters