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.

28 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

² And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

³ And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

⁴ And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

⁵ And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.