|
- On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.
- They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep.
- Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.
- In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow.
- Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved."
|
- 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;
- And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
- Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
- 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,
- Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
|
- So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall away.
- Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last fourteen days," he said, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food--you haven't eaten anything.
- Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head."
- After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.
- They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.
|
- Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
|
- Altogether there were 276 of us on board.
- When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
- When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could.
- Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.
- But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.
|
- And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
- And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
|
- The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping.
- But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
- The rest were to get there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land in safety.
|
- And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
- 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:
- 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.
|
|
|