Acts 27
27
Paul Sails for Rome
1It was decided that we would sail for Italy. Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a Roman commander named Julius. He belonged to the Imperial Guard. 2We boarded a ship from Adramyttium. It was about to sail for ports along the coast of Asia Minor. We headed out to sea. Aristarchus was with us. He was a Macedonian from Thessalonica.
3The next day we landed at Sidon. There Julius was kind to Paul. He let Paul visit his friends so they could give him what he needed. 4From there we headed out to sea again. We passed the calmer side of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5We sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia. Then we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6There the commander found a ship from Alexandria sailing for Italy. He put us on board. 7We moved along slowly for many days. We had trouble getting to Cnidus. The wind did not let us stay on course. So we passed the calmer side of Crete, opposite Salmone. 8It was not easy to sail along the coast. Then we came to a place called Fair Havens. It was near the town of Lasea.
9A lot of time had passed. Sailing had already become dangerous. By now it was after the Day of Atonement, a day of fasting. So Paul gave them a warning. 10“Men,” he said, “I can see that our trip is going to be dangerous. The ship and everything in it will be lost. Our own lives will be in danger also.” 11But the commander didn’t listen to what Paul said. Instead, he followed the advice of the pilot and the ship’s owner. 12The harbor wasn’t a good place for ships to stay during winter. So most of the people decided we should sail on. They hoped we would reach Phoenix. They wanted to spend the winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete. It faced both southwest and northwest.
The Storm
13A gentle south wind began to blow. The ship’s crew thought they saw their chance to leave safely. So they pulled up the anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14Before very long, a wind blew down from the island. It had the force of a hurricane. It was called the Northeaster. 15The ship was caught by the storm. We could not keep it sailing into the wind. So we gave up and were driven along by the wind. 16We passed the calmer side of a small island called Cauda. We almost lost the lifeboat that was tied to the side of the ship. 17So the men lifted the lifeboat on board. Then they tied ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. They were afraid it would get stuck on the sandbars of Syrtis. So they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18We took a very bad beating from the storm. The next day the crew began to throw the ship’s contents overboard. 19On the third day, they even threw the ship’s tools and supplies overboard with their own hands. 20The sun and stars didn’t appear for many days. The storm was terrible. So we gave up all hope of being saved.
21The men had not eaten for a long time. Paul stood up in front of them. “Men,” he said, “you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have avoided this harm and loss. 22Now I beg you to be brave. Not one of you will die. Only the ship will be destroyed. 23I belong to God and serve him. Last night his angel stood beside me. 24The angel said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must go on trial in front of Caesar. God has shown his grace by sparing the lives of all those sailing with you.’ 25Men, continue to be brave. I have faith in God. It will happen just as he told me. 26But we must run the ship onto the beach of some island.”
The Ship Is Destroyed
27On the 14th night the wind was still pushing us across the Adriatic Sea. About midnight the sailors had a feeling that they were approaching land. 28They measured how deep the water was. They found that it was 120 feet deep. A short time later they measured the water again. This time it was 90 feet deep. 29They were afraid we would crash against the rocks. So they dropped four anchors from the back of the ship. They prayed that daylight would come. 30The sailors wanted to escape from the ship. So they let the lifeboat down into the sea. They pretended they were going to lower some anchors from the front of the ship. 31But Paul spoke to the commander and the soldiers. “These men must stay with the ship,” he said. “If they don’t, you can’t be saved.” 32So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat. They let it drift away.
33Just before dawn Paul tried to get them all to eat. “For the last 14 days,” he said, “you have wondered what would happen. You have gone without food. You haven’t eaten anything. 34Now I am asking you to eat some food. You need it to live. Not one of you will lose a single hair from your head.” 35After Paul said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God. He did this where they all could see him. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36All of them were filled with hope. So they ate some food. 37There were 276 of us on board. 38They ate as much as they wanted. They needed to make the ship lighter. So they threw the rest of the grain into the sea.
39When daylight came, they saw a bay with a sandy beach. They didn’t recognize the place. But they decided to run the ship onto the beach if they could. 40So they cut the anchors loose and left them in the sea. At the same time, they untied the ropes that held the rudders. They lifted the sail at the front of the ship to the wind. Then they headed for the beach. 41But the ship hit a sandbar. So the front of it got stuck and wouldn’t move. The back of the ship was broken to pieces by the pounding of the waves.
42The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners. They wanted to keep them from swimming away and escaping. 43But the commander wanted to save Paul’s life. So he kept the soldiers from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and swim to land. 44The rest were supposed to get there on boards or other pieces of the ship. That is how everyone reached land safely.
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Acts 27: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Acts 27
27
1But when it had been determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered up Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion, by name Julius, of Augustus' company. 2And going on board a ship of Adramyttium about to navigate by the places along Asia, we set sail, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3And the next day we arrived at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and suffered him to go to his friends and refresh himself. 4And setting sail thence we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5And having sailed over the waters of Cilicia and Pamphylia we came to Myra in Lycia: 6and there the centurion having found a ship of Alexandria sailing to Italy, he made us go on board her. 7And sailing slowly for many days, and having with difficulty got abreast of Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under the lee of Crete abreast of Salmone; 8and coasting it with difficulty we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near to which was the city of Lasaea. 9And much time having now been spent, and navigation being already dangerous, because the fast also was already past, Paul counselled them, 10saying, Men, I perceive that the navigation will be with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives. 11But the centurion believed rather the helmsman and the shipowner than what was said by Paul.
12And the harbour being ill adapted to winter in, the most counselled to set sail thence, if perhaps they might reach Phoenice to winter in, a port of Crete looking north-east and south-east. 13And the south wind blowing gently, supposing that they had gained their object, having weighed anchor they sailed close in shore along Crete. 14But not long after there came down it a hurricane called Euroclydon. 15And the ship being caught and driven, and not able to bring her head to the wind, letting her go we were driven before it. 16But running under the lee of a certain island called Clauda, we were with difficulty able to make ourselves masters of the boat; 17which having hoisted up, they used helps, frapping the ship; and fearing lest they should run into Syrtis and run aground, and having lowered the gear they were so driven. 18But the storm being extremely violent on us, on the next day they threw cargo overboard, 19and on the third day with their own hands they cast away the ship furniture. 20And neither sun nor stars appearing for many days, and no small storm lying on us, in the end all hope of our being saved was taken away.
21And when they had been a long while without taking food, Paul then standing up in the midst of them said, Ye ought, O men, to have hearkened to me, and not have made sail from Crete and have gained this disaster and loss. 22And now I exhort you to be of good courage, for there shall be no loss at all of life of any of you, only of the ship. 23For an angel of the God, whose I am and whom I serve, stood by me this night, 24saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted to thee all those that sail with thee. 25Wherefore be of good courage, men, for I believe God that thus it shall be, as it has been said to me. 26But we must be cast ashore on a certain island. 27And when the fourteenth night was come, we being driven about in Adria, towards the middle of the night the sailors supposed that some land neared them, 28and having sounded found twenty fathoms, and having gone a little farther and having again sounded they found fifteen fathoms; 29and fearing lest we should be cast on rocky places, casting four anchors out of the stern, they wished that day were come. 30But the sailors wishing to flee out of the ship, and having let down the boat into the sea under pretext of being about to carry out anchors from the prow, 31Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved. 32Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let her fall. 33And while it was drawing on to daylight, Paul exhorted them all to partake of food, saying, Ye have passed the fourteenth day watching in expectation without taking food. 34Wherefore I exhort you to partake of food, for this has to do with your safety; for not a hair from the head of any one of you shall perish. 35And, having said these things and taken a loaf, he gave thanks to God before all, and having broken it began to eat. 36And all taking courage, themselves also took food. 37And we were in the ship, all the souls, two hundred and seventy-six. 38And having satisfied themselves with food, they lightened the ship, casting out the wheat into the sea. 39And when it was day they did not recognise the land; but they perceived a certain bay having a strand, on which they were minded, if they should be able, to run the ship ashore; 40and, having cast off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the lashings of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the strand. 41And falling into a place where two seas met they ran the ship aground, and the prow having stuck itself fast remained unmoved, but the stern was broken by the force of the waves. 42And the counsel of the soldiers was that they should kill the prisoners, lest any one should swim off and escape. 43But the centurion, desirous of saving Paul, hindered them of their purpose, and commanded those who were able to swim, casting themselves first into the sea, to get out on land; 44and the rest, some on boards, some on some of the things that came from the ship; and thus it came to pass that all got safe to land.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.