The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Apostles 27
1 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.
2 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.
3 The next day, we touched at Sidon.
Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him
permission to go to his friends and refresh
himself.
4 Putting to sea from there, we sailed
under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds
were contrary.
5 When we had sailed across the sea
which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we
came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6 There the centurion found a ship of
Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us
on board.
7 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.
8 With difficulty sailing along it we came
to a certain place called Fair Havens, near
the city of Lasea.
9 When much time had passed and the
voyage was now dangerous because the
Fast had now already gone by, Paul
admonished them
10 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.”
11 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.
12 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.
13 When the south wind blew softly,
supposing that they had obtained their
purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed
along Crete, close to shore.
14 But before long, a stormy wind beat
down from shore, which is called Euroclydon.
† 15 When the ship was caught and
couldn’t face the wind, we gave way to it
and were driven along.
16 Running under the lee of a smallisland
called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty,
to secure the boat.
17 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.
18 As we labored exceedingly with the
storm, the next day they began to throw
things overboard.
19 On the third day, they threw out the
ship’s tackle with their own hands.
20 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.
21 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.
22 Now I exhort you to cheer up,for there
will be no loss of life among you, but only
of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night an
angel, belonging to the God whose I amand
whom I serve,
24 saying, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. You
must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has
granted you all those who sail with you.’
25 Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe
God, that it will be just as it has been
spoken to me.
26 But we must run aground on a certain
island.”
27 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.
28 They took soundings and found
twenty fathoms.‡ After a little while, they
took soundings again, and found fifteen
fathoms.§
29 Fearing that we would run aground
on rocky ground, they let go four anchors
from the stern, and wished for daylight.
30 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,
31 Paul said to the centurion and to the
soldiers, “Unless these stay in the ship, you
can’t be saved.”
32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of
the boat and let it fall off.
33 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.
34 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.”
35 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.
36 Then they all cheeredup, and they also
took food.
37 In all, we were two hundred seventy
six souls on the ship.
38 When they had eaten enough, they
lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat
into the sea.
39 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.
40 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.
41 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.
42 The soldiers’ counsel was to kill the
prisoners, so that none of them would
swim out and escape.
43 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;
44 and the rest should follow, some on
planks and some on other things from the
ship. So they all escaped safely to the land