CHAP. XXVII.

1 AND when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners unto a centurion of Au2 gustus' band, named Julius. And entering into a ship of Adramyttium,* we set sail, intending to pass along the coasts of Asia, (one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica,† 3 being with us.) And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul very kindly, and allowed him to visit his friends 4 and to partake of their favors. And departing thence, we sailed within the island of Cyprus, 5 because the winds were contrary. And sail

ing along the coasts of Cilicia and Pamphylia, 6 we came to Myra, a port of Lycia. And there the centurion put us on board a vessel of Al7 exandria, bound to Italy. And when we had sailed slowly many days, and had scarcely come over against Cnidus, the wind not suf fering us, we sailed under the island of Crete 8 over against Salmone: And passing it with difficulty, we came unto a place which is called the Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

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Now when much time had elapsed, and the sailing had become dangerous, (for the fast

A port in Mysia, the most western province of Asia Minor.

+ Thessalonica was a city of Macedonia, in which Paul made many converts to the Christian faith; and to whom he addressed two epistles.

was now already past,)* Paul admonished 10 them. And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be attended with injury and much damage, not only of the lading and 11 ship, but also of our lives. But the centurion regarded rather the master and the pilot of the 12 ship, than the opinion of Paul. And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the greater part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might reach Phenice, to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lies toward the south-west, and north-west. 13 And when the south wind blew softly, sup

posing they were secure of their object, they 14 set sail and passed close by Crete. But not

long after, there arose against it a tempestuous 15 wind, called Euroclydon. And when the

ship was caught, and could not bear up into 16 the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island which is called Claudia, we were scarcely able to manage the boat: 17 And when they had taken it up, they made use of the rigging to bind the ship beneath; and fearing lest they should fall upon quicksands, they took in the sail, and were driven 18 by the wind. And being exceedingly tossed with the tempest, the next day they lightened 19 the ship; and on the third day we cast out

with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 20. And when neither sun por stars for many days

* This fast was a holy day of the Jews, which happened in September, when the weather became tempestuous in that region,

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appeared, and a great tempest lay on us, all hope of being saved was taken away.

But after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have departed from Crete, and been subject to this harm and 22 loss. And now I exhort you to take courage; for there shall be no loss of life among you, 23 but of the ship. For there stood by me this

night an angel of God, whose I am, and whom 24 I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: and lo, God hath given thee all them who sail with thee. 25 Wherefore, sirs, be encouraged: for I believe

God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 26 However, we must be cast upon a certain 27 island. But when the fourteenth night was

come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic sea, about midnight the mariners 28 supposed that they drew near to land: And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. 29 Then fearing, lest they should have fallen upon

rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, 30 and wished the day would come. And as the mariners were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under pretence that they would have cast 31 anchors from the fore part of the ship, Paul

* The Adriatic sea, so called by the ancients, is a large bay (or inlet) of the Mediterranean, lying between Italy and Greece. It is now called the Gulph of Venice.

said to the centurion, and to the soldiers,

Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be 32 saved. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of 33 the boat, and let her fall off. And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take food, saying, This is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried, and continued fast34 ing, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take food; for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of 35 any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, "and gave thanks to God in presence of them all; and when he had broken 36 it, he began to eat. Then they were all en37 couraged, and took food. And we were in all, in the ship, two hundred, threescore and 38 sixteen souls. And when they had eaten

enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out 39 the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land; but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into which they were determined, if it were possible, to thrust 40 the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed her unto the sea, and loosed the rudder-bands, and hoisted up the main-sail to the wind, and made toward 41 shore. And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the fore-part stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder-part was broken with the vic42 lence of the waves. And the soldiers' advice was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them 43 should swim away and escape. But the centurion, desirous to cave Paul, kept them from

their purpose, and commanded that they who could swim should first leap into the sea, and 44 get to land. The others also reached the shore; some on planks, and some on parts of the vessel; and so it was, that they all got safe upon the land.

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CHAP. XXVIII.

AND when they were secure, they learnt 2 that the island was called Melita.* And the barbarous people shewed us great kindness:† for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of 3 the cold. And when Paul had gathered a

bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened 4 on his hand.‡ And when the barbarians saw the venomous animal hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to

* This island is supposed to be the same which is now called Malta.

The people of this island were called barbarians, to distinguish them from the Romans. The island was first settled by Phoenicians, who had the reputation of being kind and hospitable.

This was the first of October. The cold comes on early in that climate and the winds, at that season, are very tempestuous.