27:13. And the south wind gently blowing, thinking that they had obtained their purpose, when they had loosed from a.s.son, they sailed close by Crete.
27:14. But not long after, there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroaquilo.
27:15. And when the ship was caught and could not bear up against the wind, giving up the ship to the winds, we were driven.
27:16. And running under a certain island that is called Cauda, we had much work to come by the boat.
27:17. Which being taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship: and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, they let down the sail yard and so were driven.
27:18. And we, being mightily tossed with the tempest, the next day they lightened the ship.
27:19. And the third day they cast out with their own hands the tacking of the ship.
27:20. And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and no small storms lay on us, all hope of our being saved was now taken away.
27:21. And after they had fasted a long time, Paul standing forth in the midst of them, said: You should indeed, O ye men, have hearkened unto me and not have loosed from Crete and have gained this harm and loss.
27:22. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer. For there shall be no loss of any man"s life among you, but only of the ship.
27:23. For an angel of G.o.d, whose I am and whom I serve, stood by me this night,
27:24. Saying: Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar; and behold, G.o.d hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
27:25. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe G.o.d, that it shall so be, as it hath been told me.
27:26. And we must come unto a certain island.
27:27. But after the fourteenth night was come, as we were sailing in Adria, about midnight, the shipmen deemed that they discovered some country.
27:28. Who also sounding, found twenty fathoms: and going on a little further, they found fifteen fathoms.
27:29. Then fearing lest we should fall upon rough places, they cast four anchors out of the stern: and wished for the day.
27:30. But as the shipmen sought to fly out of the ship, having let down the boat into the sea, under colour, as though they would have cast anchors out of the forepart of the ship,
27:31. Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers: Except these stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.
27:32. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and let her fall off.
27:33. And when it began to be light, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying: This day is the fourteenth day that you have waited and continued fasting, taking nothing.
27:34. Wherefore, I pray you to take some meat for your health"s sake: for there shall not an hair of the head of any of you perish.
27:35. And when he had said these things, taking bread, he gave thanks to G.o.d in the sight of them all. And when he had broken it, he began to eat.
27:36. Then were they all of better cheer: and they also took some meat.
27:37. And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
27:38. And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, casting the wheat into the sea.
27:39. And when it was day, they knew not the land. But they discovered a certain creek that had a sh.o.r.e, into which they minded, if they could, to thrust in the ship.
27:40. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves to the sea, loosing withal the rudder bands. And hoisting up the mainsail to the wind, they made towards sh.o.r.e.
27:41. And when we were fallen into a place where two seas met, they run the ship aground. And the forepart indeed, sticking fast, remained unmoveable: but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the sea.
27:42. And the soldiers" counsel was that they should kill the prisoners, lest any of them, swimming out should escape.
27:43. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, forbade it to be done.
And he commanded that they who could swim should cast themselves first into the sea and save themselves and get to land.
27:44. And the rest, some they carried on boards and some on those things that belonged to the ship. And so it came to pa.s.s that every soul got safe to land.
Acts Chapter 28
Paul, after three months" stay in Melita, continues his voyage and arrives at Rome. His conference there with the Jews.
28:1. And when we had escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melita. But the barbarians shewed us no small courtesy.
28:2. For kindling a fire, they refreshed us all, because of the present rain and of the cold.
28:3. And when Paul had gathered together a bundle of sticks and had laid them on the fire, a viper, coming out of the heat, fastened on his hand.
28:4. And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging on his hand, they said one to another: Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, who, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance doth not suffer him to live.
28:5. And he indeed, shaking off the beast into the fire, suffered no harm.
28:6. But they supposed that he would begin to swell up and that he would suddenly fall down and die. But expecting long and seeing that there came no harm to him, changing their minds, they said that he was a G.o.d.
28:7. Now in these places were possessions of the chief man of the island, named Publius: who, receiving us for three days, entertained us courteously.
28:8. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a b.l.o.o.d.y flux. To whom Paul entered in. And when he had prayed and laid his hands on him, he healed him.
28:9. Which being done, all that had diseases in the island came and were healed.
28:10. Who also honoured us with many honours: and when we were to set sail, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
28:11. And after three months, we sailed in a ship of Alexandria, that had wintered in the island, whose sign was the Castors.
28:12. And when we were come to Syracusa, we tarried there three days.
28:13. From thence, compa.s.sing by the sh.o.r.e, we came to Rhegium: and after one day, the south wind blowing, we came the second day to Puteoli:
28:14. Where, finding brethren, we were desired to tarry with them seven days. And so we went to Rome.
28:15. And from thence, when the brethren had heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and the Three Taverns. Whom when Paul saw, he gave thanks to G.o.d and took courage.