Paul’s Advice Ignored

By now much time had passed, and the voyage was already dangerous. Since the Day of Atonement[a](A) was already over, Paul gave his advice 10 and told them, “Men, I can see that this voyage is headed toward disaster and heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion paid attention to the captain and the owner of the ship rather than to what Paul said.(B) 12 Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to set sail from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor on Crete(C) facing the southwest and northwest, and to winter there.

Storm-Tossed Ship

13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they had achieved their purpose. They weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 But before long, a fierce wind called the “northeaster” rushed down from the island. 15 Since the ship was caught and unable to head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 After running under the shelter of a little island called Cauda,[b] we were barely able to get control of the skiff. 17 After hoisting it up, they used ropes and tackle and girded the ship. Fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the drift-anchor, and in this way they were driven along. 18 Because we were being severely battered by the storm, they began to jettison the cargo the next day.(D) 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 For many days neither sun nor stars appeared, and the severe storm kept raging. Finally all hope was fading that we would be saved.

21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss. 22 Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship. 23 For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me(E) 24 and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me.(F) 26 But we have to run aground on some island.”(G)

27 When the fourteenth night came, we were drifting in the Adriatic Sea, and about midnight the sailors thought they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found it to be a hundred twenty feet[c] deep; when they had sailed a little farther and sounded again, they found it to be ninety feet[d] deep. 29 Then, fearing we might run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight to come. 30 Some sailors tried to escape from the ship; they had let down the skiff into the sea, pretending that they were going to put out anchors from the bow. 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 the ropes holding the skiff and let it drop away.

33 When it was about daylight, Paul urged them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting and going without food, having eaten nothing. 34 So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.”(H) 35 After he said these things and had taken some bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and after he broke it, he began to eat.(I) 36 They all were encouraged and took food themselves. 37 In all there were 276 of us on the ship.(J) 38 When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the grain overboard into the sea.

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Footnotes

  1. 27:9 Lit the Fast
  2. 27:16 Or Clauda
  3. 27:28 Lit twenty fathoms
  4. 27:28 Lit fifteen fathoms

When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even (A)the [a]fast was already over, Paul started admonishing them, 10 saying to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with (B)damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion was more persuaded by the (C)pilot and the [b]captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. 12 The harbor was not suitable for wintering, so the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of (D)Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

13 [c]When a moderate south wind came up, thinking that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began (E)sailing along (F)Crete, closer to shore.

Shipwreck

14 But before very long a violent wind, called [d]Euraquilo, (G)rushed down from [e]the land; 15 and when the ship was caught in it and could not head up into the wind, we gave up and let ourselves be driven by the wind. 16 Running under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, we were able to get the ship’s [f]boat under control only with difficulty. 17 After they had hoisted it up, they used [g]supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might (H)run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the [h]sea anchor and let themselves be driven along in this way. 18 The next day as we were being violently tossed by the storm, [i]they began to (I)jettison the cargo; 19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was slowly abandoned.

21 [j]When many had lost their appetites, Paul then stood among them and said, “[k](J)Men, you should have followed my advice and not have set sail from (K)Crete, and thereby spared yourselves this (L)damage and loss. 22 And yet now I urge you to (M)keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night (N)an angel of the God to whom I belong, (O)whom I also serve, (P)came to me, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; (Q)you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has graciously granted you (R)all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 Therefore, (S)keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that [l]it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must (T)run aground on a certain (U)island.”

27 But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect that [m]they were approaching some land. 28 And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might (V)run aground somewhere on the [n]rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and [o]prayed for daybreak. 30 But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down (W)the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense 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 yourselves cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the (X)ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.

33 Until the day was about to dawn, Paul kept encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken in nothing. 34 Therefore, I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your survival, for (Y)not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35 Having said this, he took bread and (Z)gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 All (AA)of them [p]were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37 We were 276 [q](AB)people on the ship in all. 38 When they had eaten enough, they began lightening the ship by (AC)throwing the wheat out into the sea.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 27:9 I.e., Day of Atonement in September or October, which was a dangerous time of year for navigation
  2. Acts 27:11 Or owner
  3. Acts 27:13 Lit a south wind having gently blown
  4. Acts 27:14 I.e., a northeaster
  5. Acts 27:14 Lit it
  6. Acts 27:16 Or skiff: a small boat in tow for emergencies, transportation to and from shore, etc.
  7. Acts 27:17 Lit helps
  8. Acts 27:17 Lit implement, an object designed to stabilize a boat from the stern against the wind.
  9. Acts 27:18 Lit they were doing a throwing out
  10. Acts 27:21 Lit there being much lack of appetite
  11. Acts 27:21 Lit O men
  12. Acts 27:25 Lit it will be
  13. Acts 27:27 Lit some land was approaching them
  14. Acts 27:29 Lit rough places
  15. Acts 27:29 Or wished for
  16. Acts 27:36 Lit became cheerful
  17. Acts 27:37 Lit souls