New Testament in a Year

^27-28 Imagine what happened: It’s the 14th night of our nightmare voyage; we’re being driven by the storm somewhere in the Adriatic Sea. It’s about midnight, and the sailors are taking soundings, fearing we might run aground. “Twenty fathoms,” somebody calls out in the darkness, then a little later, “Fifteen fathoms.” We’re nearing land! ²⁹ But hope quickly gives way to a new fear. At any moment in this darkness, they realize, we could be smashed onto unseen rocks. So they drop four anchors from the stern and pray for first light.

³⁰ Then some of the crew decide to make a run for it on their own. They say they need to let out more anchors from the bow, and this will require lowering the ship’s lifeboat. They actually plan to abandon us; we realize what’s going on. ³¹ Paul quickly speaks to the officer and soldiers.

³² So the soldiers intervene, cut away the lifeboat, and let it drift away. ^{33, 37} We wait. Just before dawn, Paul again gathers everyone on the ship—all 276 of us. He urges everyone to eat and encourages us not to lose hope.^[a]

³⁵ Then Paul takes a loaf of bread and gives thanks to God in front of all of them. He breaks it, takes a piece, and begins to eat. ³⁶ A fresh surge of courage seems to fill their hearts as they also begin to eat. ³⁸ After satisfying their hunger, the crew lightens the ship by throwing the remaining wheat overboard. ³⁹ Day finally breaks. They survey the coastline and don’t recognize it, but they do notice a bay with a beach—the best place to try to run ashore.

⁴⁰ So they cut the anchor ropes, untie the steering oars, hoist the foresail to the wind, and make for the beach. ⁴¹ But then there’s a horrible sound, and we realize we’ve struck a reef; the bow is jammed solid, and the waves are smashing the stern to pieces. ⁴² The soldiers start talking about killing the prisoners so they won’t swim away and escape; ⁴³ but the officer wants to save Paul, so he stops them. He tells those who can swim to jump overboard and swim to the shore, ⁴⁴ and those who can’t, he tells to hold on to planks and other pieces of the ship when it breaks apart. Some hours later, we reassemble on the beach, each one safe and sound.