Apostol § 50a

In those days, when it was determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ regiment. And entering into a ship of Adram^tium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us. And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and to refresh himself. And when we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy, and he put us on board. And when we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone. And, hardly passing it, we came unto a place called the Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul admonished them, saying, “Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.” Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the master and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon; and when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail, and so were driven. And because we were exceedingly tossed by the tempest, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands. And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an Angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar; and lo, God hath granted thee all them that sail with thee.’ Therefore, sirs, take heart, for I believe God that it shall be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island.” Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight'the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. And they took soundings and found it twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little further, they took soundings again and found it fifteen fathoms. Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stem, and wished for day. And as the sailors were about to flee from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off. And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take meat, saying, ‘Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued fasting, and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some meat, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” And when he had thus spoken, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and cast out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted up the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stem was being broken up by the violence of the waves. And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.