Acts 27:13-38 - A Violent Storm At Sea
13 a gentle breeze at south, secure of gaining their point, they weigh'd anchor, and coasted close under Crete: 14 but soon after it blew a storm from north-east, which bore so upon the ship, 15 we could not go upon the wind, but were forc'd to let her drive. 16 when we were nigh the isle Clauda, we had much ado to hoist in the skiff. 17 this done, all hands aloft they frapp'd the ship tought with her cables, and for fear of striking upon the sands, they struck the main sail, and so drove. 18 the next day the storm work'd the ship with great fury; they threw some of her lading over board: 19 and the third day we lent our hands to send the tackling after.
20 For several days, we had not seen either sun or stars: the tempest still bore hard: all our hopes of escape quite sunk, 21 and our spirits droop with fasting: when Paul presented himself, and said, "well, my friends, it had been, if I could have prevail'd upon you, to have sav'd your selves all this perplexity and loss by staying at Crete. 22 yet now I advise you to discard your fears: your lives are all safe, though the vessel will be lost. 23 for an angel of that God, whose minister I am, and whom I serve, this night appear'd to me, and said, Paul, be not afraid: 24 you must be brought before Cesar: and upon your account, the whole company now with you, will God preserve. 25 take courage then, my friends, for I have this confidence in God, that what has been told me, shall be effected, 26 notwithstanding we must be shipwrack'd upon some island."
27 It was the fourteenth night that we had been driving up and down in the Adriatick sea, when the ship's crew about midnight suspected they were making to land: 28 they threw the line and sounded twenty fathom water: a little further they sounded again, and came to fifteen fathom: 29 then for fear of striking upon the rocks, they dropt four anchors astern, and lay impatient for the day.
30 but the crew under pretext of dropping their anchors to moor, had hoisted out the boat; designing to make off: 31 upon this Paul said to the centurion and his men, "except the crew stay aboard, you can't be safe:" 32 and immediately the soldiers chopt the cable, and set the boat adrift.
33 while they were waiting for day, Paul advis'd the whole company to take some refreshment: "these fourteen days, said he, you have been very abstemious, and not made a meal: 34 therefore, pray, take something to recruit your strength: and be assur'd every one of you shall be preserv'd." 35 having said this, he took bread, and gave thanks to God, the whole company present: then he broke it and began to eat, 36 at which they all took heart and fell a eating likewise, 37 the whole number then on board being two hundred and seventy six. 38 when they had eat enough, they threw the wheat over board to ease the ship: