But when the fourteenth day came, while we were going here and there in the Adriatic sea, about the middle of the night the sailors had an idea that they were getting near land;

Then the sailors made attempts secretly to get away from the ship, letting down a boat as if they were about to put down hooks from the front of the ship;

And we were, in the ship, two hundred and seventy-six persons.

Then the armed men were for putting the prisoners to death, so that no one would get away by swimming.

But the captain, desiring to keep Paul safe, kept them from their purpose, and gave orders that those who had knowledge of swimming were to go off the ship and get first to land:

And when we were safe, we made the discovery that the island was named Melita.

And the simple people living there were uncommonly kind to us, for they made a fire for us, and took us in, because it was raining and cold.

And when this took place, all the others in the island who had diseases came and were made well.

Then they gave us great honour, and, when we went away, they put into the ship whatever things we were in need of.

And going into the harbour at Syracuse, we were waiting there for three days.

Who, when they had put questions to me, were ready to let me go free, because there was no cause of death in me.

And some were in agreement with what he said, but some had doubts.

Preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ without fear, and no orders were given that he was not to do so.

Because, having the knowledge of God, they did not give glory to God as God, and did not give praise, but their minds were full of foolish things, and their hearts, being without sense, were made dark.

Seeming to be wise, they were in fact foolish,

For this reason God gave them up to evil passions, and their women were changing the natural use into one which is unnatural:

And in the same way the men gave up the natural use of the woman and were burning in their desire for one another, men doing shame with men, and getting in their bodies the right reward of their evil-doing.

Much in every way: first of all because the words of God were given to them.

(As it is said in the holy Writings, I have made you a father of a number of nations) before him in whom he had faith, that is, God, who gives life to the dead, and to whom the things which are not are as if they were.

For when we were still without strength, at the right time Christ gave his life for evil-doers.

But God has made clear his love to us, in that, when we were still sinners, Christ gave his life for us.

For if, when we were haters of God, the death of his Son made us at peace with him, much more, now that we are his friends, will we have salvation through his life;

But praise be to God that though you were the servants of sin, you have now given yourselves freely to that form of teaching under which you were placed;

When you were servants of sin you were free from righteousness.

In the same way, my brothers, you were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, even to him who came again from the dead, so that we might give fruit to God.

For when we were in the flesh, the evil passions which came into being through the law were working in our bodies to give the fruit of death.

Because those of whom he had knowledge before they came into existence, were marked out by him to be made like his Son, so that he might be the first among a band of brothers:

And those who were marked out by him were named; and those who were named were given righteousness; and to those to whom he gave righteousness, in the same way he gave glory.

What if God, desiring to let his wrath and his power be seen, for a long time put up with the vessels of wrath which were ready for destruction:

Even us, who were marked out by him, not only from the Jews, but from the Gentiles?

As he says in Hosea, They will be named my people who were not my people, and she will be loved who was not loved.

Why? Because they were not searching for it by faith, but by works. They came up against the stone which was in the way;

And Isaiah says without fear, Those who were not searching for me made discovery of me; and I was seen by those whose hearts were turned away from me.

But about Israel he says; All the day my hands have been stretched out to a people whose hearts were turned away, and who put themselves against my word.

What then? That which Israel was searching for he did not get, but those of the selection got it and the rest were made hard.

So I say, Were their steps made hard in order that they might have a fall? In no way: but by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, so that they might be moved to envy.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, an olive-tree of the fields, were put in among them, and were given a part with them in the root by which the olive-tree is made fertile,

You will say, Branches were broken off so that I might be put in.

Truly, because they had no faith they were broken off, and you have your place by reason of your faith. Do not be lifted up in pride, but have fear;

See then that God is good but his rules are fixed: to those who were put away he was hard, but to you he has been good, on the condition that you keep in his mercy; if not, you will be cut off as they were.

For if you were cut out of a field olive-tree, and against the natural use were united to a good olive-tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be united again with the olive-tree which was theirs?

For as you, in time past, were not under the rule of God, but now have got mercy through their turning away,

For Christ did not give pleasure to himself, but, as it is said, The bitter words of those who were angry with you came on me.

Now those things which were put down in writing before our time were for our learning, so that through quiet waiting and through the comfort of the holy Writings we might have hope.

Yes, it has been their good pleasure; and they are in their debt. For if the Gentiles have had a part in the things of the Spirit which were theirs, it is right for them, in the same way, to give them help in the things of the flesh.

Give my love to Andronicus and Junia, my relations, who were in prison with me, who are noted among the Apostles, and who were in Christ before me.

Is there a division in Christ? was Paul nailed to the cross for you? or were you given baptism in the name of Paul?

And in my preaching there were no honeyed words of wisdom, but I was dependent on the power of the Spirit to make it clear to you:

I gave you milk and not meat, because you were, then, unable to take it, and even now you are not able;

For even now you are full, even now you have wealth, you have been made kings without us: truly, I would be glad if you were kings, so that we might be kings with you.

In my letter I said to you that you were not to keep company with those who go after the desires of the flesh;

And such were some of you; but you have been washed, you have been made holy, you have been given righteousness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

If you were a servant when you became a Christian, let it not be a grief to you; but if you have a chance to become free, make use of it.

For it is my desire, my brothers, that you may keep in mind how all our fathers were under the cloud, and they all went through the sea;

Now these things were for an example to us, so that our hearts might not go after evil things, as they did.

Now these things were done as an example; and were put down in writing for our teaching, on whom the last days have come.

But if we were true judges of ourselves, punishment would not come on us.

You are conscious that when you were Gentiles, in whatever way you were guided, you went after images without voice or power.

For through the baptism of the one Spirit we were all formed into one body, Jews or Greeks, servants or free men, and were all made full of the same Spirit.

And if they were all one part, where would the body be?

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we were preaching among you, even I and Silvanus and Timothy, was not Yes and No, but in him is Yes.

Not as if we were able by ourselves to do anything for which we might take the credit; but our power comes from God;

But their minds were made hard: for to this very day at the reading of the old agreement the same veil is still unlifted; though it is taken away in Christ.

For even when we had come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; there were fightings outside and fears inside.

For I was not put to shame in anything in which I may have made clear to him my pride in you; but as we said nothing to you but what was true, so the good things which I said to Titus about you were seen by him to be true.

How while they were undergoing every sort of trouble, and were in the greatest need, they took all the greater joy in being able to give freely to the needs of others.

For I give them witness, that as they were able, and even more than they were able, they gave from the impulse of their hearts,

And in this I give my opinion: for it is to your profit, who were the first to make a start a year before, not only to do this, but to make clear that your minds were more than ready to do it.

So it seemed to me wise for the brothers to go before, and see that the amount which you had undertaken to give was ready, so that it might be a cause for praise, and not as if we were making profit out of you.

And because the revelations were so very great, in order that I might not be overmuch lifted up, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, one sent from Satan to give me pain.

Truly the signs of an Apostle were done among you in quiet strength, with wonders and acts of power.

For what is there in which you were made less than the other churches, but in the one thing that I was not a trouble to you? Let me have forgiveness for this wrong.

I gave orders to Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus make any profit out of you? were we not guided by the same Spirit, in the same ways?

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, were to be a preacher to you of good news other than that which we have given you, let there be a curse on him.

And I went not up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; but I went away into Arabia, and again I came back to Damascus.

And the churches of Judaea which were in Christ still had no knowledge of my face or person:

And I went up by revelation; and I put before them the good news which I was preaching among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were of good name, so that the work which I was or had been doing might not be without effect.

But from those who seemed to be important (whatever they were has no weight with me: God does not take man's person into account): those who seemed to be important gave nothing new to me;

For before certain men came from James, he did take food with the Gentiles: but when they came, he went back and made himself separate, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

But when I saw that they were not living uprightly in agreement with the true words of the good news, I said to Cephas before them all, If you, being a Jew, are living like the Gentiles, and not like the Jews, how will you make the Gentiles do the same as the Jews?

But if, while we were desiring to get righteousness through Christ, we ourselves were seen to be sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? In no way!

Now to Abraham were the undertakings given, and to his seed. He says not, And to seeds, as of a great number; but as of one, he says, And to your seed, which is Christ.

But before faith came, we were kept in prison under the law, waiting for the revelation of the faith which was to come.

For all those of you who were given baptism into Christ did put on Christ.

So we, when we were young, were kept under the first rules of the world;

That he might make them free who were under the law, and that we might be given the place of sons.

But at that time, having no knowledge of God, you were servants to those who by right are no gods:

You were going on well; who was the cause of your not giving ear to what is true?

Because you, brothers, were marked out to be free; only do not make use of your free condition to give the flesh its chance, but through love be servants one to another.

As we were designed before by him for the position of sons to himself, through Jesus Christ, in the good pleasure of his purpose,

In whom you, having been given the true word, the good news of your salvation, and through your faith in him, were given the sign of the Holy Spirit of hope,

And to you did he give life, when you were dead through your wrongdoing and sins,

In which you were living in the past, after the ways of this present world, doing the pleasure of the lord of the power of the air, the spirit who is now working in those who go against the purpose of God;

Among whom we all at one time were living in the pleasures of our flesh, giving way to the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and the punishment of God was waiting for us even as for the rest.

Even when we were dead through our sins, gave us life together with Christ (by grace you have salvation),

For by his act we were given existence in Christ Jesus to do those good works which God before made ready for us so that we might do them.

That you were at that time without Christ, being cut off from any part in Israel's rights as a nation, having no part in God's agreement, having no hope, and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who at one time were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.

And he came preaching peace to you who were far off, and to those who were near;

If in fact you gave ear to him, and were given teaching in him, even as what is true is made clear in Jesus: