1 I t was decided that we should go to the country of Italy by ship. Then they put Paul and some other men in chains. Julius, a captain of Caesar’s army, was to watch them.

Now when it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they turned Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion of the imperial regiment named Julius.

2 W e went on a ship that was from the city of Adramyttian. It was going to stop at the towns along the sea-shore of Asia. Aristarchus was with us. He was a man from the city of Thessalonica in the country of Macedonia.

And going aboard a ship from Adramyttium which was about to sail for the ports along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea; and Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, accompanied us.

3 T he next day we stopped in the city of Sidon. Julius was kind to Paul. He let him visit friends who cared for him.

The following day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul in a loving way, with much consideration (kindness and care), permitting him to go to his friends and be refreshed and be cared for.

4 A fter leaving Sidon we were blown by the wind along the south side of the island of Cyprus. The wind was against us.

After putting to sea from there we passed to the leeward (south side) of Cyprus, for the winds were contrary to us.

5 W e crossed the sea along the countries of Cilicia and Pamphylia and got to the city of Myra in the country of Lycia.

And when we had sailed over of sea which lies off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.

6 T he captain found a ship from the city of Alexandria that was going to the country of Italy. He put us on it.

There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and he transferred us to it.

7 F or many days the ship did not move fast. It was hard to get to the city of Cnidus. The wind would not let us go on. So we went along the south shore of the island of Crete and passed the end of the island called Salome.

For a number of days we made slow progress and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus; then, as the wind did not permit us to proceed, we went under the lee (shelter) of Crete off Salmone,

8 T he wind was against us, and we did not sail very fast. Then we came to a place called Fair Havens. It was near the city of Lasea.

And coasting along it with difficulty, we arrived at a place called Fair Havens, near which is located the town of Lasea.

9 M uch time had been lost. To keep going that late in the year would mean danger. Paul spoke with strong words,

But as much time had been lost and navigation was already dangerous, for the time for the Fast had already gone by, Paul warned and advised them,

10 “ Sirs, it looks to me as if this ship and its freight will be lost. We are in danger of being lost also.”

Saying, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be attended with disaster and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but of our lives also.

11 T he captain of the soldiers listened to what the captain of the ship said and not to what Paul said.

However, the centurion paid greater attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.

12 I t was not a good place to spend the winter. Most of those on the ship wanted to go on and try to get to Phoenix. Crete was a good place to tie up the ship. They wanted to spend the winter there.

And as the harbor was not well situated and so unsuitable to winter in, the majority favored the plan of putting to sea again from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenice, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, and winter there.

13 W hen a south wind started to blow, they thought their plan was right. They pulled up the anchor and went close to the shore of Crete.

So when the south wind blew softly, supposing they were gaining their object, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, hugging the coast.

14 L ater a bad wind storm came down from the land. It was called a northeaster.

But soon afterward a violent wind, called a northeaster, came bursting down from the island.

15 T he ship was stopped by the wind. After awhile we gave up and let it go with the wind.

And when the ship was caught and was unable to head against the wind, we gave up and, letting her drift, were borne along.

16 W e went behind a small island called Claudia. It was hard work but we were able to make the ship’s boat safe.

We ran under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, where we managed with difficulty to draw the boat on deck and secure it.

17 T hey pulled it up and tied ropes around it and the ship. They were afraid of going on the Syrtis sands. So they took the sail down and let the ship go with the wind.

After hoisting it on board, they used supports with ropes to undergird and brace the ship; then afraid that they would be driven into the Syrtis, they lowered the gear (sails and ropes) and so were driven along.

18 T he storm was so bad the high waves were beating against the ship. The next day the men threw some of the freight over into the sea.

As we were being dangerously tossed about by the violence of the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard;

19 O n the third day, with their own hands, they threw part of the sails and ropes into the sea.

And the third day they threw out with their own hands the ship’s equipment (the tackle and the furniture).

20 W e did not see the sun or stars for many days. A very bad storm kept beating against us. We lost all hope of being saved. Paul Shows His Faith

And when neither sun nor stars were visible for many days and no small tempest kept raging about us, all hope of our being saved was finally abandoned.

21 N o one had eaten for a long time. Then Paul stood up and said to them, “Men, you should have listened to me and not left Crete. You would not have had this trouble and loss.

Then as they had eaten nothing for a long time, Paul came forward into their midst and said, Men, you should have listened to me, and should not have put to sea from Crete and brought on this disaster and harm and misery and loss.

22 B ut now I want you to take hope. No one will lose his life. Only the ship will be lost.

But now I beg you to be in good spirits and take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you but only of the ship.

23 I belong to God and I work for Him. Last night an angel of God stood by me

For this night there stood by my side an angel of the God to Whom I belong and Whom I serve and worship,

24 a nd said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand in front of Caesar. God has given you the lives of all the men on this ship.’

And he said, Do not be frightened, Paul! It is necessary for you to stand before Caesar; and behold, God has given you all those who are sailing with you.

25 S o take hope, men. I believe my God will do what He has told me.

So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith (complete confidence) in God that it will be exactly as it was told me;

26 B ut the ship will be lost on some island.”

But we shall have to be stranded on some island.

27 I t was now the fourteenth night. We were going with the wind on the Adriatic Sea. At midnight the sailors thought land was near.

The fourteenth night had come and we were drifting and being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors began to suspect that they were drawing near to some land.

28 T hey let down the lead weight and found the water was not very deep. After they had gone a little farther, they found there was not as much water.

So they took soundings and found twenty fathoms, and a little farther on they sounded again and found fifteen fathoms.

29 T hey were afraid we might be thrown against the rocks on the shore. So they put out four anchors from the back of the ship. Then they waited for morning to come.

Then fearing that we might fall off onto rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and kept wishing for daybreak to come.

30 T he sailors were thinking of leaving the ship. They let down a boat as if they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship.

And as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and were lowering the small boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow,

31 B ut Paul said to the captain and the soldiers, “These men must stay on the ship or you cannot be safe!”

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

32 T hen the soldiers cut the ropes and let the boat fall into the sea.

Then the soldiers cut away the ropes that held the small boat, and let it fall and drift away.

33 J ust before the light of day came, Paul told all of them to eat. He said, “Today is the fourteenth day you have not eaten.

While they waited until it should become day, Paul entreated them all to take some food, saying, This is the fourteenth day that you have been continually in suspense and on the alert without food, having eaten nothing.

34 Y ou must eat. It will give you strength. Not one of you will lose a hair from your head.”

So I urge (warn, exhort, encourage, advise) you to take some food —it will give you strength; for not a hair is to perish from the head of any one of you.

35 A fter he said this, he took some bread. He gave thanks to God in front of them all. He broke it in pieces and started to eat.

Having said these words, he took bread and, giving thanks to God before them all, he broke it and began to eat.

36 T hey all were comforted. Each one ate some food.

Then they all became more cheerful and were encouraged and took food themselves.

37 A ll together there were 276 of us on the ship.

All told there were 276 souls of us in the ship.

38 A fter they had eaten, they threw the wheat into the sea so the ship would not be as heavy.

And after they had eaten sufficiently, to lighten the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

39 I n the morning they could not see what land they were near. Later they could see a river. Near its mouth there was a shore of sand. They planned to run the ship onto the sand if they could.

Now when it was day, they did not recognize it, but they noticed a bay with a beach on which they purposed to run the ship ashore if they possibly could.

40 T he anchors were cut loose and left in the sea. Then they took the ropes off that were holding the rudder. When they put up the sail, the wind took the ship toward shore.

So they cut the cables and severed the anchors and left them in the sea; at the same time unlashing the ropes that held the rudders and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they headed for the beach.

41 B ut the ship hit a place where the water was low. It was made from where two seas meet. The front of the ship did not move but the back part broke in pieces by the high waves.

But striking a crosscurrent (a place open to two seas) they ran the ship aground. The prow stuck fast and remained immovable, and the stern began to break up under the violent force of the waves.

42 T he soldiers planned to kill the men in chains. They were afraid they would swim to shore and get away,

It was the counsel of the soldiers to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim to land and escape;

43 b ut the captain wanted to save Paul. He kept them from their plan. Calling out to those who could swim, he told them to jump into the sea and swim to shore.

But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, prevented their carrying out their purpose. He commanded those who could swim to throw themselves overboard first and make for the shore,

44 T he others should use wood or anything from the ship. In this way, they all got to shore without getting hurt.

And the rest on heavy boards or pieces of the vessel. And so it was that all escaped safely to land.