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Acts 27 :: New International Version (NIV)

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Paul Sails for Rome

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:1 - When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:2 - We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:3 - The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:4 - From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:5 - When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:6 - There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:7 - We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:8 - We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:9 - Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement.[fn] So Paul warned them,
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:10 - “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.”
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:11 - But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:12 - Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.

The Storm

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:13 - When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:14 - Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:15 - The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:16 - As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure,
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:17 - so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor[fn] and let the ship be driven along.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:18 - We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:19 - On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:20 - When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:21 - After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:22 - But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:23 - Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:24 - and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:25 - So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:26 - Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

The Shipwreck

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:27 - On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic[fn] Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:28 - They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet[fn] deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet[fn] deep.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:29 - Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:30 - In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:31 - Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:32 - So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:33 - Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:34 - Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.”
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:35 - After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:36 - They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:37 - Altogether there were 276 of us on board.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:38 - When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:39 - When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:40 - Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:41 - But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:42 - The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:43 - But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
Unchecked Copy BoxAct 27:44 - The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.
NIV Footnotes
That is, Yom Kippur
Or the sails
In ancient times the name referred to an area extending well south of Italy.
Or about 37 meters
Or about 27 meters
NIV

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Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
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For more information on this translation, see the NIV Preface.

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