Font Size
Acts 27:13-44
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Acts 27:13-44
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Storm at Sea
13 When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past Crete, close to the shore. 14 But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from Crete.[a](A) 15 Since the ship was caught and could not be turned head-on into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. 16 By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda[b] we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17 After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven.(B) 18 We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard,(C) 19 and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s tackle overboard. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss.(D) 22 I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.(E) 23 For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship,(F) 24 and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor, and, indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.’(G) 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.(H) 26 But we will have to run aground on some island.”(I)
27 When the fourteenth night had come, as we were drifting across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. 28 So they took soundings and found twenty fathoms; a little farther on they took soundings again and found fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. 30 But when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea on the pretext of putting out anchors from the bow,(J) 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and set it adrift.
33 Just before daybreak, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and remaining without food, having eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for it will help you survive, for none of you will lose a hair from your heads.”(K) 35 After he had said this, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat.(L) 36 Then all of them were encouraged and took food for themselves.(M) 37 (We were in all two hundred seventy-six[c] persons in the ship.) 38 After they had satisfied their hunger, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.(N)
The Shipwreck
39 In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if they could.(O) 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.(P) 41 But striking a reef,[d] they ran the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the force of the waves.(Q) 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape;(R) 43 but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land(S) 44 and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.(T)
Read full chapter
Acts 27:13-44
New International Version
Acts 27:13-44
New International Version
The Storm
13 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 Before very long, a wind of hurricane force,(A) called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15 The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat(B) secure, 17 so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground(C) on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor[a] and let the ship be driven along. 18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.(D) 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
21 After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice(E) not to sail from Crete;(F) then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage,(G) because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel(H) of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve(I) stood beside me(J) 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar;(K) and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’(L) 25 So keep up your courage,(M) men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.(N) 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground(O) on some island.”(P)
The Shipwreck
27 On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic[b] Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet[c] deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet[d] deep. 29 Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30 In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat(Q) down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”(R) 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33 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. 34 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.”(S) 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it(T) and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged(U) and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.(V)
39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach,(W) where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting loose the anchors,(X) 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. 41 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.(Y)
42 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life(Z) and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.(AA)
Footnotes
- Acts 27:17 Or the sails
- Acts 27:27 In ancient times the name referred to an area extending well south of Italy.
- Acts 27:28 Or about 37 meters
- Acts 27:28 Or about 27 meters
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.