1 When it was determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and other prisoners to a man named Julius, a centurion of the band of Augustus.
2 We entered a ship at Adramyttium and set sail. We intended to sail by the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica was with us.
3 The next day we landed at Sidon. Julius treated Paul in a kind way and gave him liberty to go to his friends to refresh himself.
4 When we set sail from there we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5 When we sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing to Italy. He put us on it.
7 We sailed slowly for many days and had problems arriving off Cnidus. The wind did not allow us to hold our course. So we sailed to the downwind part of Crete near Salmone.
8 It was difficult to move along the coast. We came to a place called Fair Havens near the town of Lasea.
9 Much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous. Because the fast was over Paul admonished them,
10 Men, I see that our voyage from here on will be dangerous. There will be great damage to the cargo and to the ship, and loss of life as well.
11 But the army officer was convinced by what the captain and the owner of the ship said, and not by what Paul said.
12 It was not a good harbor in which to spend the winter. Nearly everyone was in favor of putting out to sea and trying to reach Phoenix in order to spend the winter there. Phoenix is a harbor in Crete that faces southwest and northwest.
13 A gentle wind from the south began to blow. The men thought they could accomplish their plan. So they pulled up the anchor and sailed as close as possible along the coast of Crete.
14 Soon a very strong northeast wind blew down from the island.
15 It hit the ship and it was impossible to keep the ship headed into the wind. We gave up trying and let it be carried along by the wind.
16 We had shelter when we passed to the south of the little island of Cauda. There, with some difficulty we managed to make the ship's boat secure.
17 They pulled it aboard and then fastened some ropes tight around the ship. They were afraid that they might run into the sandbanks (quicksand) off the coast of Libya, so they lowered the sail and allowed the ship be carried by the wind.
18 The violent storm continued. The next day they began to throw some of the ship's cargo overboard.
19 The following day they threw part of the ship's equipment overboard.
20 The sun and stars did not appear for many days. No small tempest pressed upon us. All hope of our being saved was taken away.
21 After they spent a long time without eating Paul stood up and said: Sirs, you should listen to me. You should not have put out to sea from Crete to sustain this damage and loss.
22 I urge you to be of good cheer for none of you will lose your life, only the ship.
23 Last night an angel of the God of whom I serve stood beside me.
24 He said, Paul, do not be afraid. You must stand before Caessar and God has graciously given you the lives of you and all who sail with you.
25 Be of good cheer. I believe God. It will happen just as he spoke to me.
26 But we must run aground on some island.
27 On the fourteenth night we were driven to and fro in the sea of Adria. About midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land.
28 They sounded and found twenty fathoms. After a little space they sounded again and found fifteen fathoms.
29 Fearing they would be cast ashore on rocky ground they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.
30 The sailors were seeking to flee from the ship. They lowered the boat into the sea by pretending they were lowering some anchors from the bow.
31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers: Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved.
32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
33 At daybreak Paul encouraged all of them to eat some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue without food.
34 I encourage you to take some food for this is for your safety. Not a hair will perish from the head of any of you.
35 After he said this he took some bread, gave thanks to God in the presence of all. He broke it and began to eat.
36 Then they were all cheerful and ate some food.
37 Together there were two hundred and seventy six persons on board.
38 When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.
39 When daylight came they saw no land. But they thought they saw a bay with a beach. They debated whether to drive the ship upon it.
40 They threw the anchors overboard and left them in the sea. At the same time they untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.
41 The ship stuck fast on a sandbar and ran aground. The bow struck fast and would not move. Then the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.
42 The soldiers' planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any from swimming away and escaping.
43 The centurion desired to save Paul so he kept them from doing what they planned. He commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard, and get to the land first.
44 The rest were to use planks or something from the ship. So they all escaped safe to the land.