Thematic Bible: The ship is wrecked, and all on board take refuge on the island of melita (malta)


Thematic Bible



But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon. And the ship being caught, and not able to bear up against the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain Island called Clauda, we were hardly able to get masters of the boat: read more.
Which having taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship, and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, they struck sail, and so were driven. And as we were in an exceeding great storm, the next day they lightened the ship. And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. And as neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence, Paul standing in the midst of them, said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened to me, and not have loosed from Crete, and so have avoided this injury and loss. Yet now I exhort you to be of good courage; for there shall be no loss of any life among you, but of the ship only. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be presented before Cesar: and lo God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, Sirs, take courage: for I trust in God, that it shall be even as it hath been spoken to me. But we must be cast on a certain island. And when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, the sailors suspected, that they drew nigh some land. And sounding, they found twenty fathoms; and having gone a little farther, sounding again, they found fifteen fathoms. And fearing lest they should fall upon some rocky ground, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. But when the sailors were attempting to flee out of the ship, and had let down the boat into the sea, under pretence that they were going to carry out anchors from the ship-head, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off. And while the day was coming on, Paul exhorted them all to take food, saying, This day is the fourteenth that ye have tarried and continue fasting, having taken nothing. Therefore I exhort you to take food; for this is for your preservation; for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And having spoken thus, he took bread, and gave thanks to God before them all; and having broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all incouraged, and they also took meat. And we were in the ship in all, two hundred and seventy-six souls. And when they were satisfied with food, they lightened the ship, casting out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they did not know the land; but they observed a certain creek having a shore, into which they were minded, if possible, to thrust the ship: And having taken up the anchors, they committed it to the sea, at the same time loosing the rudder-bands, and hoisting up the stay-sail to the wind, they made for the shore. But falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship a ground; and the fore-part sticking fast, remained immovable, but the hinder-part was broken by the force of the waves. And the counsel of the soldiers was, to kill the prisoners, lest any one should swim away and escape. But the centurion, being desirous to save Paul, hindered them from their purpose, and commanded those that could swim, throwing themselves into the sea, first to get away to land, And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship; and so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to land.