Acts 27

1When it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they handed over both Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan Cohort.

2So we boarded an Adramyttian ship that was about to sail to the places along Asia, and put out to sea, with Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, being with us.

3And on the next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius, treating Paul kindly, permitted him to go to his friends and receive care.

4And from there, after putting out to sea, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.

5After sailing across the open sea along Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came down to Myra in Lycia.

6There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us on board it.

7For many days we were sailing slowly, and with difficulty we came opposite Cnidus. Since the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete, off Salmone.

8And with difficulty coasting along it, we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near which was a city named Lasea.

9Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was already dangerous, because even the Fast had already gone by, Paul was advising them,

10saying to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage is about to be with disaster and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”

11But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and the shipowner than to what was being said by Paul.

12And because the harbor was unsuitable for wintering, the majority decided to put out from there, if somehow they might reach Phoenix and spend the winter there—a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest.

13And when a south wind began to blow gently, thinking that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close inshore.

14But not long after, a typhonic wind called Euraquilo rushed down against it.

15And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way and were driven along.

16But after running under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, we were barely able to secure the ship’s boat.

17After hoisting it up, they used supporting cables to undergird the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven along.

18As we were being violently storm-tossed, on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.

19And on the third day they threw the ship’s gear overboard with their own hands.

20And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was pressing on us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually taken away.

21Since they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not set sail from Crete, and so have avoided this damage and loss.”

22And now I urge you to take courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, except for the ship.

23For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I also worship stood by me,

24saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar, and look, God has granted to you all those sailing with you.’

25Therefore, take courage, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it has been told to me.

26But we must run aground on some island.

27When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven along in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect that some land was drawing near to them.

28And after taking soundings, they found twenty fathoms; then after going a little farther and taking soundings again, they found fifteen fathoms.

29And fearing that we might run aground on rocky places, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come.

30And when the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship and had lowered the skiff into the sea under the pretense of being about to lay out anchors from the bow,

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

32Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.

33Until the day was about to dawn, Paul kept urging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense without eating, having taken nothing.”

34Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is for your preservation; for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.

35And after saying these things and taking bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and after breaking it, he began to eat.

36Then all of them became encouraged and also took food.

37There were 276 persons in the ship in all.

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

39When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, into which they planned, if they could, to run the ship ashore.

40And after casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea; at the same time loosening the ropes of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

41But falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the bow, having stuck fast, remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the force.

42The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that no one might swim away and escape.

43But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their plan, and ordered those who were able to swim to jump overboard first and get to land,

44and the rest, some on planks and some on pieces from the ship. And so it happened that all were brought safely to land.