Atti 27
Nuova Riveduta 2006
Quarto viaggio missionario; Paolo è inviato a Roma
27 Quando fu deciso che noi salpassimo per l’Italia, Paolo con altri prigionieri furono consegnati a un centurione, di nome Giulio, della coorte Augusta. 2 Saliti sopra una nave di Adramitto[a], che doveva toccare i porti della costa d’Asia, salpammo, avendo con noi Aristarco, un Macedone di Tessalonica.
3 Il giorno seguente arrivammo a Sidone; e Giulio, usando benevolenza verso Paolo, gli permise di andare dai suoi amici per ricevere le loro cure. 4 Poi, partiti di là, navigammo al riparo di Cipro, perché i venti erano contrari. 5 E, attraversato il mare di Cilicia e di Panfilia, arrivammo a Mira di Licia. 6 Il centurione, trovata qui una nave alessandrina che faceva vela per l’Italia, ci fece salire su quella.
7 Navigando per molti giorni lentamente, giungemmo a fatica, per l’impedimento del vento, di fronte a Cnido[b]. Poi veleggiammo sotto Creta, al largo di Salmone[c]; 8 e, costeggiandola con difficoltà, giungemmo a un luogo detto Beiporti, vicino al quale era la città di Lasea.
9 Intanto era trascorso molto tempo e la navigazione si era fatta pericolosa, poiché anche il giorno del digiuno[d] era passato. Paolo allora li ammonì dicendo: 10 «Uomini, vedo che la navigazione si farà pericolosa con grave danno, non solo del carico e della nave, ma anche delle nostre persone». 11 Il centurione però aveva più fiducia nel pilota e nel padrone della nave che non nelle parole di Paolo. 12 E, siccome quel porto[e] non era adatto a svernare, la maggioranza fu del parere di partire di là per cercare di arrivare a Fenice, un porto di Creta esposto a sud-ovest e a nord-ovest[f], e di passarvi l’inverno.
13 Intanto si era alzato un leggero scirocco e, credendo di poter attuare il loro proposito, levarono le ancore e si misero a costeggiare l’isola di Creta più da vicino.
La tempesta
14 (A)Ma poco dopo si scatenò giù dall’isola un vento impetuoso, chiamato Euroaquilone[g]; 15 la nave fu trascinata via e, non potendo resistere al vento, la lasciammo andare ed eravamo portati alla deriva. 16 Passati rapidamente sotto un’isoletta chiamata Clauda[h], a stento potemmo impadronirci della scialuppa. 17 Dopo averla issata a bordo, utilizzavano dei mezzi di rinforzo, cingendo la nave[i] di sotto; e, temendo di finire incagliati nelle Sirti[j], calarono l’àncora[k] galleggiante, e si andava così alla deriva. 18 Siccome eravamo sbattuti violentemente dalla tempesta, il giorno dopo cominciarono a gettare il carico. 19 Il terzo giorno, con le loro proprie mani, buttarono in mare[l] l’attrezzatura della nave. 20 Già da molti giorni non si vedevano né sole né stelle, e sopra di noi infuriava una forte tempesta, sicché ogni speranza di scampare era ormai persa.
21 Dopo che furono rimasti per lungo tempo senza mangiare, Paolo si alzò in mezzo a loro e disse: «Uomini, bisognava darmi ascolto e non partire da Creta, per evitare questo pericolo e questa perdita. 22 Ora però vi esorto a stare di buon animo, perché non vi sarà perdita della vita per nessuno di voi ma solo della nave. 23 Poiché un angelo del Dio al quale appartengo, e che io servo, mi è apparso questa notte, 24 dicendo: “Paolo, non temere; bisogna che tu compaia davanti a Cesare, ed ecco, Dio ti ha dato tutti quelli che navigano con te”. 25 Perciò, uomini, state di buon animo, perché ho fede in Dio che avverrà come mi è stato detto. 26 Dovremo però essere gettati sopra un’isola».
27 E la quattordicesima notte da che eravamo portati qua e là per l’Adriatico[m], verso la mezzanotte, i marinai sospettavano di essere vicini a terra; 28 e, calato lo scandaglio, trovarono venti braccia; poi, passati un po’ oltre e scandagliato di nuovo, trovarono quindici braccia. 29 Temendo allora di urtare contro gli scogli, gettarono da poppa quattro ancore, aspettando con ansia che si facesse giorno.
30 Ma siccome i marinai cercavano di fuggire dalla nave, e già stavano calando la scialuppa in mare con il pretesto di voler gettare le ancore da prua, 31 Paolo disse al centurione e ai soldati: «Se costoro non rimangono sulla nave, voi non potete scampare». 32 Allora i soldati tagliarono le funi della scialuppa e la lasciarono cadere.
33 Finché non si fece giorno, Paolo esortava tutti a prendere cibo, dicendo: «Oggi sono quattordici giorni che state aspettando, sempre digiuni, senza prendere nulla. 34 Perciò vi esorto a prendere cibo, perché questo contribuirà alla vostra salvezza; e neppure un capello del vostro capo perirà[n]». 35 Detto questo, prese del pane e rese grazie a Dio in presenza di tutti; poi lo spezzò e cominciò a mangiare. 36 E tutti, incoraggiati, presero anch’essi del cibo. 37 Sulla nave eravamo duecentosettantasei persone in tutto. 38 E, dopo essersi saziati, alleggerirono la nave, gettando il frumento in mare.
Il naufragio
39 Quando fu giorno non riuscivano a riconoscere il paese; ma scorsero un’insenatura con spiaggia e decisero, se possibile, di spingervi la nave. 40 Staccate le ancore, le lasciarono andare in mare; sciolsero al tempo stesso i legami dei timoni e, alzata la vela maestra al vento, si diressero verso la spiaggia. 41 Ma essendo incappati in un luogo che aveva il mare dai due lati, vi fecero arenare la nave; e mentre la prua, incagliata, rimaneva immobile, la poppa si sfasciava per la violenza {delle onde}.
42 Il parere dei soldati era di uccidere i prigionieri perché nessuno fuggisse a nuoto. 43 Ma il centurione, volendo salvare Paolo, li distolse da quel proposito e ordinò che per primi si gettassero in mare quelli che sapevano nuotare, per giungere a terra, 44 e poi gli altri, chi sopra tavole e chi su rottami della nave. E così avvenne che tutti giunsero salvi a terra.
Footnotes
- Atti 27:2 Adramitto, città della costa di Misia, in Asia minore.
- Atti 27:7 Cnido, città dell’Asia minore sull’omonimo promontorio.
- Atti 27:7 Salmone, promontorio a est dell’isola di Creta.
- Atti 27:9 Il giorno del digiuno, corrispondeva al giorno dell’espiazione, celebrata il decimo giorno del settimo mese (vd. Le 23:27), a fine settembre, verso l’equinozio autunnale.
- Atti 27:12 Quel porto, cioè Beiporti; vd. At 27:8.
- Atti 27:12 A sud-ovest e a nord-ovest, cioè a libeccio e a maestrale.
- Atti 27:14 TR e M Euroclidone.
- Atti 27:16 Così TR e M; NA Cauda.
- Atti 27:17 Per mezzo di cavi fatti passare sotto la chiglia e attorno alle pareti laterali dell’imbarcazione.
- Atti 27:17 Sirti, due banchi di sabbia, ben conosciuti, sulla costa settentrionale dell’Africa.
- Atti 27:17 Calarono l’àncora galleggiante, altri traducono: abbassarono la vela.
- Atti 27:19 TR e M con le nostre proprie mani buttammo in mare.
- Atti 27:27 L’Adriatico, questo nome, con cui si indica oggi il solo mare Adriatico, anticamente includeva anche il mar Ionio.
- Atti 27:34 TR e M e non cadrà neppure un capello dal vostro capo.
Acts 27
New American Standard Bible
Paul Is Sent to Rome
27 Now when it was decided that (A)we (B)would sail for (C)Italy, they proceeded to turn Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion of the Augustan [a](D)cohort, named Julius. 2 And we boarded an Adramyttian ship that was about to sail to the regions along the coast of [b](E)Asia, and put out to sea accompanied by (F)Aristarchus, a (G)Macedonian of (H)Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at (I)Sidon; and Julius (J)treated Paul with consideration and (K)allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. 4 From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of (L)Cyprus, because (M)the winds were contrary. 5 When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of (N)Cilicia and (O)Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an (P)Alexandrian ship sailing for (Q)Italy, and he put us aboard it. 7 When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, (R)since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of (S)Crete, off Salmone; 8 and with difficulty (T)sailing past it, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.
9 When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even (U)the [c]fast was already over, Paul started admonishing them, 10 saying to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with (V)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 (W)pilot and the [d]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 (X)Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.
13 [e]When a moderate south wind came up, thinking that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began (Y)sailing along (Z)Crete, closer to shore.
Shipwreck
14 But before very long a violent wind, called [f]Euraquilo, (AA)rushed down from [g]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 [h]boat under control only with difficulty. 17 After they had hoisted it up, they used [i]supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might (AB)run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the [j]sea anchor and let themselves be driven along in this way. 18 The next day as we were being violently tossed by the storm, [k]they began to (AC)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 [l]When many had lost their appetites, Paul then stood among them and said, “[m](AD)Men, you should have followed my advice and not have set sail from (AE)Crete, and thereby spared yourselves this (AF)damage and loss. 22 And yet now I urge you to (AG)keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night (AH)an angel of the God to whom I belong, (AI)whom I also serve, (AJ)came to me, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; (AK)you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has graciously granted you (AL)all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 Therefore, (AM)keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that [n]it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must (AN)run aground on a certain (AO)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 [o]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 (AP)run aground somewhere on the [p]rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and [q]prayed for daybreak. 30 But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down (AQ)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 (AR)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 (AS)not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35 Having said this, he took bread and (AT)gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 All (AU)of them [r]were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37 We were 276 [s](AV)people on the ship in all. 38 When they had eaten enough, they began lightening the ship by (AW)throwing the wheat out into the sea.
39 Now when day came, (AX)they [t]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 (AY)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 [u]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 (AZ)kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, (BA)wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from accomplishing their intention, and commanded that those who could swim were to [v]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 (BB)they all were brought safely to land.
Footnotes
- Acts 27:1 Normally 600 men (the number varied)
- Acts 27:2 I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
- Acts 27:9 I.e., Day of Atonement in September or October, which was a dangerous time of year for navigation
- Acts 27:11 Or owner
- Acts 27:13 Lit a south wind having gently blown
- Acts 27:14 I.e., a northeaster
- Acts 27:14 Lit it
- Acts 27:16 Or skiff: a small boat in tow for emergencies, transportation to and from shore, etc.
- Acts 27:17 Lit helps
- Acts 27:17 Lit implement, an object designed to stabilize a boat from the stern against the wind.
- Acts 27:18 Lit they were doing a throwing out
- Acts 27:21 Lit there being much lack of appetite
- Acts 27:21 Lit O men
- Acts 27:25 Lit it will be
- Acts 27:27 Lit some land was approaching them
- Acts 27:29 Lit rough places
- Acts 27:29 Or wished for
- Acts 27:36 Lit became cheerful
- Acts 27:37 Lit souls
- Acts 27:39 Lit were not recognizing
- Acts 27:41 Lit place
- Acts 27:43 Lit throw themselves
Acts 27
King James Version
27 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.
2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by 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 entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under 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 into Italy; and he put us therein.
7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;
8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
9 Now when much time was spent, 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 with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing 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 a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
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 abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained 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.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, 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 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
27 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;
28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
30 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,
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 off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
33 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.
34 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.
35 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.
36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
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, 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 the 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 bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
41 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.
42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
43 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:
44 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.
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