Shared Word Translation
Acts 27
Paul Sails for Rome
And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius of the Augustan cohort. And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, about to sail to the places along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, being with us.
And on the next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul kindly and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care.
And putting to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were against us, and sailing across the open sea along Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia.
And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board it.
And sailing slowly for many days and with difficulty arriving off Cnidus, since the wind did not allow us to go further, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone, and with difficulty coasting along it, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.
The Storm at Sea
And much time having passed, and the voyage now being dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul was advising them, saying, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”
But the centurion was persuaded more by the pilot and the shipowner than by what was said by Paul. And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter, the majority reached a decision to put to sea from there, if somehow they might reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.
And when a gentle south wind began to blow, supposing they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete close to shore. But not long after, a tempestuous wind, called the Northeaster, rushed down from the land; and when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way and were driven along.
And running under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, we were scarcely able to secure the ship’s boat; and after hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship, and fearing that they might run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven along.
And being violently storm-tossed, on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, and on the third day they threw out the ship’s tackle with their own hands.
And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was pressing upon us, all hope of our being saved was at last taken away.
Paul Encourages All on Board
And after much time without food, Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not set sail from Crete, and so avoided this injury and loss. And now I urge you to take courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
For this very night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’
Therefore take courage, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it has been told to me. But we must run aground on some island.”
The Shipwreck
But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors were suspecting that land was approaching them. And taking soundings, they found twenty fathoms; and going a little farther, they took soundings again and found fifteen fathoms.
And fearing that we might run aground on rocky places, they cast four anchors from the stern and were wishing for day to come.
And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea, under pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you are not able to be saved.”
Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let it fall away.
And until it was about to become day, Paul was urging all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense, continuing without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is for your salvation; for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.”
And having said these things, and taking bread, he gave thanks to God before all, and breaking it, he began to eat. And they all were encouraged and themselves also took food.
And we were in all two hundred seventy-six persons in the ship. And when they had eaten enough, they were lightening the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
And when it became day, they did not recognize the land, but they were noticing a bay with a beach, into which they were deciding, if possible, to drive the ship ashore. And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were making for the beach.
But falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the bow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.
And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape; but the centurion, wanting to save Paul, prevented them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first and go to land, and the rest on planks or on pieces from the ship. And so it happened that all were brought safely to land.