Acts 27 AMPC

1. NOW WHEN it was determined that we [including Luke] should sail for Italy, they turned Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion of the imperial regiment named Julius.

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

3. 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 [there] and be refreshed and be cared for.

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

5. And when we had sailed over [the whole length] of sea which lies off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.

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

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

9. But as [the season was well advanced, for] much time had been lost and navigation was already dangerous, for the time for the Fast [the Day of Atonement, about the beginning of October] had already gone by, Paul warned and advised them,

10. Saying, Sirs, I perceive [after careful observation] 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. However, the centurion paid greater attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.

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

14. But soon afterward a violent wind [of the character of a typhoon], called a northeaster, came bursting down from the island.

15. 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. We ran under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, where we managed with [much] difficulty to draw the [ship's small] boat on deck and secure it.

17. 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 [quicksands off the north coast of Africa], they lowered the gear (sails and ropes) and so were driven along.

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

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

20. 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. 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. But [even] 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. For this [very] night there stood by my side an angel of the God to Whom I belong and Whom I serve and worship,

24. 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. 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. But we shall have to be stranded on some island.

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

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

30. And as the sailors were trying to escape [secretly] 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. Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved.

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

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

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

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

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

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

39. Now when it was day [and they saw the land], they did not recognize it, but they noticed a bay with a beach on which they [taking counsel] purposed to run the ship ashore if they possibly could.

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

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