Acts 27:1-32 ▼

1 Now when our sailing to Italy was determined, they delivered up both Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the cohort of Augustus.

2 And having boarded a ship of Adramyttium being about to sail to the places along Asia, we set sail—Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.

3 And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius, having treated Paul considerately, allowed him, having gone to his friends, to receive care.

4 And having set sail from there, we sailed under Cyprus because of the winds being contrary.

5 And having sailed across the sea along Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra of Lycia.

6 And there the centurion, having found a ship of Alexandria sailing to Italy, placed us into it.

7 And sailing slowly for many days, and with difficulty having arrived off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us, we sailed under Crete off Salmone.

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

9 Now much time having passed and the voyage being already dangerous because of even the Fast already being over, Paul was admonishing them,

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

11 But the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and the ship owner rather than by the things spoken by Paul.

12 And the harbor being unsuitable to winter in, the majority made a decision to set sail from there, if somehow they might be able, having arrived at Phoenix—a harbor of Crete looking toward the southwest and toward the northwest—to winter there.

13 And a south wind having blown gently, having thought to have obtained their purpose, having weighed anchor, they began coasting along very near Crete.

14 But not long after, there came down from it a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon.

15 And the ship having been caught and not being able to face the wind, having given way, we were driven along.

16 And having run under a certain island called Cauda, we were able with difficulty to gain control of the lifeboat,

17 which having taken up, they began using supports, undergirding the ship. And fearing lest they might fall into the sandbars of Syrtis, having lowered the gear, thus they were driven along.

18 And in our being storm-tossed violently, on the next day they began to make a jettison of cargo,

19 and on the third day they cast away the tackle of the ship with their own hands.

20 And neither sun nor stars appearing for many days, and no small storm lying on us, from then on all hope of our being saved was abandoned.

21 There being also much time without food, at that time having stood up in their midst, Paul said, “It was necessary indeed, O men, having been obedient to me, not to have set sail from Crete and to have incurred this disaster and loss.

22 And now I exhort you? to take heart, for there will be no loss of life from among you?—only of the ship.

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

24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted to you all those sailing with you.’

25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be thus, according to the way it has been said to me.

26 But it is necessary for us to fall upon a certain island.”

27 And when the fourteenth night had come of us being driven about in the Adriatic, toward the middle of the night the sailors began sensing some land to be drawing near to them.

28 And having taken soundings, they found twenty fathoms. And having gone a little farther and having taken soundings again, they found fifteen fathoms.

29 And fearing, lest we might fall somewhere on rocky places, having cast four anchors out of the stern, they were praying for day to come.

30 And the sailors seeking to flee out of the ship and having let down the lifeboat into the sea under pretense as being about to cast out anchors from the bow,

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these remain in the ship, you? are not able to be saved.”

32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the lifeboat and allowed it to fall away.