Old/New Testament

Paul begins the voyage toward Rome. The centurion Julius treats him graciously. They suffer shipwreck.

27 When it was concluded that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of Caesar’s soldiers. ² And we entered into a ship of Adramyttium and put out from land, appointed to sail by the coasts of Asia. One Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us. ³ And the next day we came to Sidon. And Julius treated Paul graciously, and gave him liberty to go to his friends and to refresh himself. ⁴ And from there we put out to sea, and sailed hard by Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. ⁵ Then we sailed over the sea that is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, and came to Myra, a city in Lycia.

⁶ And there the centurion found a ship of Alexander ready to sail to Italy, and put us in it. ⁷ And when we had sailed slowly many days, and with difficulty arrived off Cnidus (because the wind was against us), we sailed hard by the coast of Crete off Salmone. ⁸ With much work we sailed beyond Salmone, and came to a Cretan port called Fair Havens, near which was a city called Lasea. ⁹ When much time had passed, and sailing was now risky, and also because we had fasted too long, Paul gave them warning ¹⁰ and said to them, Sirs, I can see that this voyage will be with injury and much loss, not of the cargo and ship only, but also of our lives.

¹¹ But the centurion believed the steersman and the shipmaster over those things that were spoken by Paul. ¹² And because the port was not good to winter in, many were minded to depart, if by any means they might reach Phoenix, a harbour of Crete that serves to the southwest and northwest wind, and winter there.

¹³ When the south wind blew, they, expecting to achieve their purpose, raised anchor and sailed past all Crete. ¹⁴ But soon after, there arose a contrary squall of wind out of the northeast. ¹⁵ And when the ship was caught and could not resist the wind, we let her go, and drove with the weather.

¹⁶ And we came to an isle named Clauda, and with much effort obtained a skiff, ¹⁷ which they hoisted up. And we had help undergirding the ship, fearing to fall into the Syrtis Sands.  And we floated an anchor, and so were carried.

¹⁸ The next day, when we were tossed with an exceeding tempest, they lightened the ship. ¹⁹ And the third day, we cast the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands. ²⁰ When at the last neither sun nor star appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay upon us, all hope that we would be saved was then taken away.

²¹ Then, after long forbearance, Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not set out from Crete, and brought to us this harm and loss. ²² But 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 only. ²³ For there stood by me this night an angel of the God whose I am, and whom I serve, ²⁴ saying, Fear not, Paul, for you must be brought before Caesar. And lo, God has given to you all those who sail with you.

²⁵ Therefore, Sirs, be of good cheer. For I believe God, that it will be just as it was told me. ²⁶ However, we must be cast onto a certain island.