Open English Translation ACTs Chapter 27

27 So when it was considered the right season to sail to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were put under the guard of a centurion named Julius (from the Augustan Regiment). 2 We all boarded on a ship from Adramyttium that was about to sail to various places along the coast of Asia Minor. Aristarchus, a Macedonian man from Thessalonica, was with us as we departed.

3 The next day we docked at Tsidon where Julius very kindly allowed Paul to visit some of his friends so they could provide for his needs. 4 When we left again, the ship stayed between Cyprus and the mainland because of the unfavourable winds, 5 then after sailing past Cilicia and Pamfylia, we docked at Myra in the province of Lycia. 6 There the centurion found a ship from Alexandria that was sailing to Italy, so he boarded us on that.

7 After many days of slow and difficult sailing, we came alongside Cnidus but the wind wasn’t helpful to us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the cape of Salmone. 8 We sailed along it with difficulty until we came to a place called ‘Fair Havens’ which was near the city of Lasea.

9 A lot of time had now elapsed and the voyage was starting to become dangerous because we were already heading into winter. Paul advised those in charge, 10 telling them, “Men, I perceive that we’re going to encounter a lot of damage on this voyage, with loss not only of the cargo and the ship, but also our lives.” 11 But the centurion was persuaded by the ship owner and the captain, rather than by what Paul had said. 12 They realised that this harbour wasn’t suitable to winter in, so the majority suggested leaving there with the expectation of being able to get to Crete to the winter in the harbour at Phoenix (which was open to both the southwest and the northwest).

13 When a south wind started blowing gently, they thought they could make it, so they pulled in the anchor and sailed along close to Crete. 14 However, a short while later the wind turned to a violent north-easter which forced us out to sea. 15 The ship was driven by the wind and unable to tack to face into it, so the sailors gave up and just let it be driven. 16 As we passed a small island called Clauda, we got a brief break and were able to resecure the lifeboat 17 and then bring it up on board. Then ropes were used to wrap around the ship in case it were to run aground into the shallows at Syrtis and the gear was lowered,[fn] allowing the wind to drive the ship along. 18 We were violently tossed around by the storm, and the next day the crew started lightening the ship by tipping some of the cargo overboard. 19 By the third day, the sailors themselves in desperation were even throwing some of the ship’s gear overboard. 20 We didn’t see either the sun or the stars for several more days—it wasn’t a minor storm by any means—and by then any remaining hope that we had of staying alive disappeared 21 and no one had eaten or drunk much at all.

Then Paul stood up in the middle of them and said, “Well, you should have listened to me after all and not left Crete, so now we have this damage and loss. 22 Nevertheless I think we can all cheer up because not a single life will be lost—only the ship— 23 because last night one of the messengers of the God that I serve came and stood beside me 24 and told me not to be afraid because I would indeed get to stand before Caesar and that God has granted your lives to me as well. 25 So cheer up, fellows, because I am certain that God will carry out what was told to me 26 even though we’ll run aground onto an island first.”

27 So it happened that in the middle of our fourteenth night of being blown across the Adriatic Sea, the sailors suspected that we were nearing land. 28 They dropped a weighted line and measured the ocean depth at around 40 metres and then a bit later it was down to 30 metres. 29 Worrying that the ship might run aground on rough rocks, they threw out four anchors from the stern as they hoped that daylight would come quickly. 30 Then the sailors lowered the lifeboat as if planning to pull out some anchors from the bow, but really planning to desert the ship. 31 However Paul told the centurion and the soldiers that if the sailors didn’t remain with the ship, everybody couldn’t be sure to be saved, 32 so the soldiers cut the ropes attaching the lifeboat and allowed it to run aground.

33 As they waited for the daylight, Paul encouraged them all to eat something, saying, “Today is our fourteenth day and you’ve had nothing to eat. As we’re waiting, 34 I urge you to eat something. This will help you to have strength because none of you are going to drown.” 35 Having said that, he gave thanks to God in front of everyone, and breaking some bread, started eating it. 36 They all cheered up and also started eating. 37 There were two hundred and seventy-six of them on the ship, 38 and when they’d all eaten what they wanted, they lightened the ship more by throwing their wheat into the sea.

39 Once it became light, they saw that they were close to shore in a bay but didn’t recognise the place. After some discussion, they decided to try to save the ship 40 so they cut away the anchors that were holding them in the sea and untied the rudder handles. Then raising the foresail, they let the wind blow them into the shore. 41 But they hit a bank with ocean on both sides of it and the ship ran aground. The bow of the ship was completely stuck but the stern was being broken up by the force of the ocean.

42 At this point the soldiers decided that they should kill the prisoners in case any of them decided to swim away and escape, 43 but the centurion wanted to keep Paul safe so he vetoed that plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump off and swim in to shore, 44 and for the others to grab floating planks or something off the ship that would float, and so everyone got safely onto the beach.