Paul sails for Rome as a prisoner. A violent storm lasts many days, but an angel promises that no life will be lost. The ship runs aground, and everyone reaches shore safely.
1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy , they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius , a centurion of Augustus ' band .
2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium , we launched , meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia ; one Aristarchus , a Macedonian of Thessalonica , being with us .
3 And the next day we touched at Sidon . And Julius courteously entreated Paul , and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself .
4 And when we had launched from thence , we sailed under Cyprus , because the winds were contrary .
5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia , we came to Myra , a city of Lycia .
6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy ; and he put us therein .
7 And when we had sailed slowly many days , and scarce were come over against Cnidus , the wind not suffering us , we sailed under Crete , over against Salmone ;
8 And , hardly passing it , came unto a place which is called The fair havens ; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea .
9 Now when much time was spent , and when sailing was now dangerous , because the fast was now already past , Paul admonished them,
10 And said unto them , Sirs , I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage , not only of the lading and ship , but also of our lives .
11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship , more than those things which were spoken by Paul .
12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in , the more part advised to depart thence also , if by any means they might attain to Phenice , and there to winter ; which is an haven of Crete , and lieth toward the south west and north west .
13 And when the south wind blew softly , supposing that they had obtained their purpose , loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete .
14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind , called Euroclydon .
15 And when the ship was caught , and could not bear up into the wind , we let her drive .
16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda , we had much work to come by the boat :
17 Which when they had taken up , they used helps , undergirding the ship ; and , fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands , strake sail , and so were driven .
18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest , the next day they lightened the ship ;
19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship .
20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared , and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away .
21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them , and said , Sirs , ye should have hearkened unto me , and not have loosed from Crete , and to have gained this harm and loss .
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer : for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you , but of the ship .
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God , whose I am , and whom I serve ,
24 Saying , Fear not , Paul ; thou must be brought before Caesar : and , lo , God hath given thee all them that sail with thee .
25 Wherefore , sirs , be of good cheer : for I believe God , that it shall be even as it was told me .
26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island .
27 But when the fourteenth night was come , as we were driven up and down in Adria , about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country ;
28 And sounded , and found it twenty fathoms : and when they had gone a little further , they sounded again , and found it fifteen fathoms .
29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks , they cast four anchors out of the stern , and wished for the day .
30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship , when they had let down the boat into the sea , under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship ,
31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers , Except these abide in the ship , ye cannot be saved .
32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat , and let her fall off .
33 And while the day was coming on , Paul besought them all to take meat , saying , This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting , having taken nothing .
34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat : for this is for your health : for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you .
35 And when he had thus spoken , he took bread , and gave thanks to God in presence of them all : and when he had broken it, he began to eat .
36 Then were they all of good cheer , and they also took some meat .
37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls .
38 And when they had eaten enough , they lightened the ship , and cast out the wheat into the sea .
39 And when it was day , they knew not the land : but they discovered a certain creek with a shore , into the which they were minded , if it were possible , to thrust in the ship .
40 And when they had taken up the anchors , they committed themselves unto the sea , and loosed the rudder bands , and hoised up the mainsail to the wind , and made toward shore .
41 And falling into a place where two seas met , they ran the ship aground ; and the forepart stuck fast , and remained unmoveable , but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves .
42 And the soldiers ' counsel was to kill the prisoners , lest any of them should swim out , and escape .
43 But the centurion , willing to save Paul , kept them from their purpose ; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land :
44 And the rest , some on boards , and some on broken pieces of the ship . And so it came to pass , that they escaped all safe to land .