39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach,(A) where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting loose the anchors,(B) 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.(C)

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(D) 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.(E)

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39 Now when day came, (A)they [a]could not recognize the land; but they did notice a bay with a beach, and they resolved to run the ship onto it if they could. 40 And casting off (B)the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and they hoisted the foresail to the wind and were heading for the beach. 41 But they struck a [b]reef where two seas met and ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck firmly and remained immovable, while the stern started to break up due to the force of the waves. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to (C)kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, (D)wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from accomplishing their intention, and commanded that those who could swim were to [c]jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest were to follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that (E)they all were brought safely to land.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 27:39 Lit were not recognizing
  2. Acts 27:41 Lit place
  3. Acts 27:43 Lit throw themselves