THE BOOK OF ACTS

Acts Chapter 27

1 ¶ When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they handed Paul and certain other prisoners over to a centurion of the imperial regiment, named Julius.

2 And boarding a ship from Adramyttium, that was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea; accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.

3 The next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius kindly allowed Paul to visit his friends, so that they might provide for his needs.

4 And when we put out to sea from there, we sailed in the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.

5 And when we had sailed across the sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

6 There the centurion found a ship from Alexandria sailing for Italy; and he put us aboard it.

7 And when we had sailed slowly for many days, and had difficulty getting near Cnidus, the wind not allowing us, we sailed in the shelter of Crete, opposite Salmone;

8 And, sailing past it with difficulty, came to a place that is called The fair havens; near which is the town of Lasea.

9 Now after much time had been lost, and sailing had become dangerous, because the day of Atonement fast was already past, Paul warned them,

10 Saying, Sirs, I can see that this voyage is headed toward damage and heavy loss, not only of the ship and cargo, but also of our lives.

11 Nevertheless the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and the owner of the ship, than to what Paul said.

12 ¶ And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority favored putting out to sea from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest; and to winter there.

13 And when a gentle south wind began to blow, supposing they had what they wanted, they cast off, and sailed close to Crete.

14 But soon afterward a violent wind, called a northeaster, swept down from the island.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drift.

16 And running under the shelter of a small island which is called Clauda, we managed with much difficulty to secure the boat:

17 After hoisting it up, they used cables, to undergird the ship; and, fearing that they would be driven into the sandbars of Syrtis, lowered the sail, and so were driven along.

18 And as we were being dangerously tossed about with the storm, the next day they lightened the ship;

19 And the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.

20 And when we did not see the sun or stars for many days, and a great storm continued to assail us, all hope that we would be saved began to fade.

21 ¶ But after a long time without food Paul stood up in their midst, and said, Sirs, you should have taken my advice, not to sail from Crete, and so prevented this damage and loss.

22 But now I urge you to be of good cheer: for there will not be a single loss of life among you, only of the ship.

23 For this night an angel from God, whose I am, and whom I serve, stood by me,

24 Saying, Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar: and, God has given you all those who sail with you.

25 Therefore, keep up your courage, men: because I trust God, that it will turn out exactly as he told me.

26 However we must run aground on some island.

27 As we were driven across the Adria, at about midnight on the fourteenth night, the sailors thought that they were approaching land;

28 Upon sounding, they found it to be twenty fathoms deep: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it to be fifteen fathoms.

29 Then fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the back of the ship, and prayed for daylight.

30 When the sailors, seeking to escape from the ship, let the boat down into the sea, under the pretext of laying out anchors in front of the ship,

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved.

32 So the soldiers cut the ropes holding the boat, and let it fall off.

33 And until the break of day, Paul urged all of them to eat something, saying, This is the fourteenth day that you have waited and gone hungry, without eating anything.

34 Therefore I urge you to take some food: it will help you come through this safely: for not a hair will be lost from any of your heads.

35 And when he had said this, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and after breaking it, he began to eat.

36 Then they were all more cheerful, and also ate some food.

37 Altogether there were two hundred and seventy six people in the ship.

38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, by throwing the wheat into the sea.

39 And when daylight came, they did not recognize the land: but they noticed a bay with a beach, into which they resolved to drive the ship, if it was possible.

40 And when they had cut loose the anchors, and left them in the sea, they untied the ropes that held the rudders, hoisted the foresail to the wind, and made for the beach.

41 But encountering a shallow strip between two deeper places, they ran the ship aground; and the bow stuck fast, and would not move, while the stern was being pounded to pieces by the violence of the waves.

42 Now the soldiers planned to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim to land, and escape.

43 But the centurion, being determined to save Paul, kept them from doing so; and ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first, and get to land:

44 And the rest should follow, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it was, that they all came safely to land.

[Note: Verse 27 The "Adria" was that section of sea, south of the present day Adriatic, lying between Malta, Italy, Greece, and Crete.]