Acts 27
American Standard Version
27 And when it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan [a]band. 2 And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail unto the places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3 And the next day we touched at Sidon: and Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go unto his friends and [b]refresh himself. 4 And putting to sea from thence, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 And when we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy; and he put us therein. 7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and were come with difficulty over against Cnidus, the wind not [c]further suffering us, we sailed under the lee of Crete, over against Salmone; 8 and with difficulty coasting along it we came unto a certain place called Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
9 And when much time was spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast was now already gone by, Paul admonished them, 10 and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our lives. 11 But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than to those things which were spoken by Paul. 12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to put to sea from thence, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there; which is a haven of Crete, looking [d]north-east and south-east. 13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore. 14 But after no long time there beat down from it a tempestuous wind, which is called Euraquilo: 15 and when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven. 16 And running under the lee of a small island called [e]Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat: 17 and when they had hoisted it up, they used helps, under-girding the ship; and, fearing lest they should be cast upon the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven. 18 And as we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard; 19 and the third day they cast out with their own hands the [f]tackling of the ship. 20 And when neither sun nor stars shone upon us for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was now taken away. 21 And when they had been long without food, then Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss. 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve, 24 saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Caesar: and lo, God hath granted thee all them that sail with thee. 25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me. 26 But we must be cast upon a certain island.
27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some country: 28 and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms; and after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms. 29 And fearing lest haply we should be cast ashore on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and [g]wished for the day. 30 And as the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under color as though they would lay out anchors from 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 away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Wherefore I beseech you to take some food: for this is for your safety: for there shall not a hair perish from the head of any of you. 35 And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat. 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also took food. 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, throwing out the wheat into the sea. 39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they perceived a certain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could [h]drive the ship upon it. 40 And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 41 But lighting upon a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the foreship struck and remained unmoveable, but the stern began to break up by 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, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose; and commanded that they who could swim should cast themselves overboard, and get first to the land; 44 and the rest, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to the land.
Footnotes
- Acts 27:1 Or, cohort
- Acts 27:3 Greek receive attention.
- Acts 27:7 Or, suffering us to get there
- Acts 27:12 Greek down the south-west wind and down the north-west wind.
- Acts 27:16 Many ancient authorities read Clauda.
- Acts 27:19 Or, furniture
- Acts 27:29 Or, prayed
- Acts 27:39 Some ancient authorities read bring the ship safe to shore.
Acts 27
21st Century King James Version
27 And when it was determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band.
2 And entering into a ship from Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail along 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 treated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under the lee of 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 for Italy, and he put us aboard.
7 And when we had sailed slowly many days and scarcely had come as far as Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone;
8 and, with difficulty passing by it, we came unto a place which is called The Fair Havens, nigh unto the city of Lasea.
9 Now after much time had been lost, 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 attended by hurt and much damage, not only to the lading and ship, but also to our lives.”
11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, rather than those things which were spoken by Paul.
12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the greater number advised to depart thence also, hoping that by some means they might attain Phoenix, which is a haven of Crete and lieth toward the southwest and northwest, and there to winter.
13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, casting loose from 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 the lee of a certain island, which is called Clauda, we had much work in securing the boat,
17 which when they had taken up, they used helps to undergird the ship. And fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, they struck sail, and so were driven.
18 And being exceedingly tossed by a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
19 and the third day we cast out with our own hands the ship’s tackle.
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 fasting, Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, “Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and should not have cast loose from Crete and suffered 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 only.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, to whom I belong 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 Therefore sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God, and that it shall be even as it was told to me.
26 Nonetheless, we must be cast upon a certain island.”
27 But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven up and down in the Adriatic, about midnight the shipmen deemed that we were drawing near to some land.
28 And they took a sounding and found it to be twenty fathoms deep; and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again and found it fifteen fathoms.
29 Then, fearing lest we should be driven upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
30 And as the shipmen were about to flee from the ship, and had let down the boat into the sea under the pretext that they would cast anchors out of the prow,
31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these remain 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 as 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 Therefore I pray you to take some meat, for this is for your health; for there shall not a 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 the presence of them all; and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
36 Then they were all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
37 And we were in all on 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 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 ropes, and hoisted up the mainsail into the wind, and made toward shore.
41 And falling into a place where two currents met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up with the violence of the waves.
42 And the soldier’s counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out and escape.
43 But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who 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 all escaped safely to land.
Acts 27
Amplified Bible
Paul Is Sent to Rome
27 Now when it was determined that [a]we (including Luke) would sail for Italy, they turned Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion of the Augustan Regiment named Julius. 2 And going aboard a ship from Adramyttian which was about to sail for the ports along the [west] coast [province] of Asia [Minor], we put out to sea; and Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, accompanied us. 3 The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, treating Paul with [thoughtful] consideration, allowed him to go to his friends there and be cared for and refreshed. 4 From there we put out to sea and sailed to the leeward (sheltered) side of Cyprus [for protection from weather] because the winds were against us. 5 When we had sailed across the sea along the coasts of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia [on the south coast of Asia Minor]. 6 There the centurion [Julius] found an Alexandrian ship [a grain ship of the Roman fleet] sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 7 For a number of days we sailed slowly and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus; then, because the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the leeward (sheltered) side of Crete, off Salmone; 8 and hugging the shore with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea [on the south side of Crete].
9 Now much time had been lost, and [b]navigation was dangerous, because even [the time for] the fast (Day of Atonement) was already over, so Paul began to strongly warn them, 10 saying, “Men, I sense [after careful thought and observation] that this voyage will certainly be a disaster and with great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 However, the centurion [Julius, ranking officer on board] was persuaded by the pilot and the owner of the ship rather than by what Paul said. 12 Because the harbor was not well situated for wintering, the majority [of the sailors] decided to put to sea from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.
13 So when the south wind blew softly, thinking that they had obtained their goal, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, hugging the coast.
Shipwreck
14 But soon afterward a violent wind, called Euraquilo [a northeaster, a tempestuous windstorm like a typhoon], came rushing down from the island; 15 and when the ship was caught in it and could not head against the wind [to gain stability], we gave up and [letting her drift] were driven along. 16 We ran under the shelter of a small island [twenty-five miles south of Crete] called Clauda, and with great difficulty we were able to get the ship’s [c]skiff on the deck and secure it. 17 After hoisting the skiff [on board], they used [d]support lines [for frapping] to undergird and brace the ship’s hull; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis [off the north coast of Africa], they let down the [e]sea anchor and lowered the sails and were driven along [backwards with the bow into the wind]. 18 On the next day, as we were being violently tossed about by the storm [and taking on water], they began to jettison the cargo; 19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle (spare lines, blocks, miscellaneous equipment) overboard with their own hands [to further reduce the weight]. 20 Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm kept raging about us, from then on all hope of our being saved was [growing worse and worse and] gradually abandoned.
21 After [f]they had gone a long time without food [because of seasickness and stress], Paul stood up before them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice and should not have set sail from Crete, and brought on this damage and loss. 22 But even now I urge you to keep up your courage and be in good spirits, because there will be no loss of life among you, but only loss of the ship. 23 For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24 and said, ‘Stop being afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has given you [the lives of] all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I believe God and have complete confidence in Him that it will turn out exactly as I have been told; 26 but we must run [the ship] aground on some island.”
27 The fourteenth night had come and we were drifting and being driven about in the [g]Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors began to suspect that they were approaching some land. 28 So they took soundings [using a weighted line] and found [the depth to be] twenty fathoms (120 feet); and a little farther on they sounded again and found [the depth to be] fifteen fathoms (90 feet). 29 Then fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern [to slow the ship] and kept wishing for daybreak to come. 30 But as the sailors were trying to escape [secretly] from the ship and had let down the skiff into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain on the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes that held the skiff and let it fall and drift away.
33 While they waited for the day to dawn, Paul encouraged them all [and told them] to have some food, saying, “This is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly on watch and going without food, having eaten nothing. 34 So I urge you to eat some food, for this is for your survival; for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35 Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then all of them were encouraged and their spirits improved, and they also ate some food. 37 All told there were two hundred and seventy-six of us aboard the ship. 38 After they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the [h]wheat [from Egypt] overboard into the sea.
39 When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, and they decided to run the ship ashore there if they could. 40 So they cut the cables and severed the anchors and left them in the sea while at the same time [i]unlashing the ropes of the rudders; and after hoisting the foresail to the wind, they headed steadily for the beach. 41 But striking a [j]reef with waves breaking in on either side, they ran the ship aground. The prow (forward point) stuck fast and remained immovable, while the stern began to break up under the [violent] force of the waves. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would dive overboard and swim [to land] and escape; 43 but the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from [carrying out] their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to the shore; 44 and [he commanded] the rest to follow, some on [floating] planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it was that all of them were brought safely to land.
Footnotes
- Acts 27:1 Luke apparently stayed nearby, so that he could visit and assist Paul during the two years of his imprisonment.
- Acts 27:9 Sailing in the Mediterranean was dangerous for ancient ships after the second week of September, and virtually impossible after Nov 11, so now there was no hope of reaching Italy before winter.
- Acts 27:16 This was a small boat towed behind the ship for transportation to and from shore or as a lifeboat for emergencies. In a violent sea it might collide repeatedly with the ship and cause major damage.
- Acts 27:17 These were ropes that were tightly wrapped around (and sometimes under) the hull of an ancient ship to firm and strengthen it in heavy seas.
- Acts 27:17 A sea anchor (para-anchor) is a sturdy fabric parachute set at the end of an anchor rode (designed for use with a rope/chain windlass) or other long line and sometimes weighted so it rides deep. A sea anchor is placed off the bow (front) so that the boat’s bow would be held into the wind while drifting or being blown downwind. One danger of this is that the rudder may be damaged and that is what happened later—the rudder was lost (see v 40). A drogue is set off the stern (back) when sailing downwind to slow the boat and provide more control. The sea anchor held the bow into the wind and slowed the drift. The Annapolis Book of Seamanship, Third Edition.
- Acts 27:21 Lit there was much loss of appetite.
- Acts 27:27 The Ionian Sea was then considered part of the Adriatic (Adrian Gulf) which, in ancient times, extended much farther south than today’s Adriatic Sea.
- Acts 27:38 Wheat was a major Egyptian export.
- Acts 27:40 Ships of this period and region often had two large paddles on either side of the stern for steering, and when not in use they would be secured with ropes. This was particularly necessary in foul weather, where the sea might dislodge a rudder. Now that they were casting off, the rudders had to be freed and lowered into the water for use.
- Acts 27:41 Lit place with water on both sides. This may have been a strip of land extending from the beach, but most of it evidently was awash by the waves at the time, since the centurion commanded everyone to swim or paddle on debris to land (vv 43f).
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