THE APOSTLE PAUL’S WITNESS DURING THE STORM AND SHIPWRECK AT SEA Acts 27 (King James Version’s Child) [1] And when it was determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto a centurion of Augustus’ company whose name was Julius. [2] And entering a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia with a man named Aristachus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. [3] The next day we made port at Sidon and Julius treated Paul courteously and allowed him to go to refresh himself with his friends there. [4] After all returned to the ship, we set sail from there and sailed under Cyprus because the winds boisterous. [5] As we 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 to Italy and he put us on it. [7] When we had sailed slowly many days because of the heavy winds, we were barely able to sail by Cnidus, so we continued to sail under Crete, which is over against Salmone. [8] And hardly passing it, we came unto a place that is called ‘The Fair Havens;’ which is near the city of Lasea. [9] Now when much time and the fast had passed and sailing had become dangerous, Paul entreated those on the ship [10} And said, “Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will bring hurt and much damage, not only to the ship and its cargo, but also to our own lives.” [11] Nevertheless, the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship more than those things that Paul had spoken t them. [12] Also, because the haven there was not a good place to spend the winter, most of the men on the ship advised to depart from there as well, if by any means they might reach Phenice, which is a haven of Crete that lies northwest to southwest, and spend the winter there. [13] So when the south wind started blowing softly, they supposed that they had obtained their purpose, so leaving there they sailed close by the shores of Crete. [14] But not long after that, there arose a tempestuous wind named Euroclydon, [15] And when the ship was caught up in the wind and they could not bear up to it, they let the wind drive her. [16] Then running under a certain island called Clauda, there was much work to be done to the ship. [17] Then having used supports to undergird the ship while they touched down there, they feared that they would fall into the quicksand and struck sail again, and so we were driven by the wind. [18] The next day, the ship was tossed violently about by the storm, so they lightened the ship by throwing the freight overboard. [19] On the third day we cast out the tackling of the ship with our own hands, [20] And when we could neither see the sun or the stars for many days, and still the great storm was upon us, all hope that we should be saved was lost. [21] But after a long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, “Sirs, you should have listened to me and not have departed from Crete, which because you did we have now gained this harm and loss. [22] I now exhort you to be of good cheer, for there will be no loss of any man’s life among us, but we will lose the ship. [23] For there stood by me this night the angel of God, to whose I am and serve, [24] And said to me, ‘Fear not Paul, you must be brought before Caesar, and lo, God has given you all them that sail with you.’ [25] Wherefore sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God and that it will even be as He had His angel tell me. [26] However, we must be cast upon a certain island.” [27] So when we came upon the fourteenth night, still being driven up and down in the Adrian Sea, about midnight the shipmen believed that we were drawing near to some country. [28] They sounded and found it to be twenty fathoms deep, and when they had gone a little further and sounded again they found it to be fifteen fathoms deep. [29] Then fearing lest we might be heading into rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern and wished for daylight. [30] As the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, they let the boat down into the sea as if though they were going to cast anchors out of the bow of the ship. [31] But Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these stay men stay in the ship, you will not be saved.” [32] Then the soldiers cut the ship’s ropes and let her fall off, [33] And as the next day neared, Paul exhorted them all to eat some food saying, “This is the fourteenth day that you have continued fasting. [34] Now therefore, I implore you to eat, for this is for your health and not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” [35] And when he had said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, and when he had broken it, he began to eat. [36] This cheered them all up and they ate too. [37] The number of all of us who were on the ship was two hundred and seventy-six souls. [38] When they had eaten enough, they cast the wheat into the sea to lighten the ship, [39] And when it was day, they did not recognize the land. They did discover it had a bay with a shore into which they decided, if it was possible, to thrust the ship in. [40] So they took up the anchors and committed themselves to the sea. They loosed the rudder bands, hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. [41] Then falling into a place where the two seas met, the ship ran aground where the bow stuck fast and remained unmovable, but the stern was broken with the violence of the waves. [42] Then the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. [43] But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose and commanded that they that could swim should cast themselves first into the sea and get to land, [44] And the rest, to cling onto the boards and broken pieces of the ship and let the waves carry them in. So it came to pass, that they all reached land safely.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 21:56:49 +0000
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