Acts 27:11-44 (NASB) (2025)

¹¹But the centurion was more persuaded by the ^(A)pilot and the ^[a]captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. ¹²The harbor was not suitable for wintering, so the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of ^(B)Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

^13[b]When a moderate south wind came up, thinking that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began ^(C)sailing along ^(D)Crete, closer to shore.

Shipwreck

¹⁴But before very long a violent wind, called ^[c]Euraquilo, ^(E)rushed down from ^[d]the land; ¹⁵and when the ship was caught in it and could not head up into the wind, we gave up and let ourselves be driven by the wind. ¹⁶Running under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, we were able to get the ship’s ^[e]boat under control only with difficulty. ¹⁷After they had hoisted it up, they used ^[f]supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might ^(F)run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the ^[g]sea anchor and let themselves be driven along in this way. ¹⁸The next day as we were being violently tossed by the storm, ^[h]they began to ^(G)jettison the cargo; ¹⁹and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was slowly abandoned.

^21[i]When many had lost their appetites, Paul then stood among them and said, “^[j](H)Men, you should have followed my advice and not have set sail from ^(I)Crete, and thereby spared yourselves this ^(J)damage and loss. ²²And yet now I urge you to ^(K)keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. ²³For this very night ^(L)an angel of the God to whom I belong, ^(M)whom I also serve, ^(N)came to me, ²⁴saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; ^(O)you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has graciously granted you ^(P)all those who are sailing with you.’ ²⁵Therefore, ^(Q)keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that ^[k]it will turn out exactly as I have been told. ²⁶But we must ^(R)run aground on a certain ^(S)island.”

²⁷But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect that ^[l]they were approaching some land. ²⁸And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. ²⁹Fearing that we might ^(T)run aground somewhere on the ^[m]rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and ^[n]prayed for daybreak. ³⁰But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down ^(U)the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow, ³¹Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain on the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” ³²Then the soldiers cut away the ^(V)ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.

³³Until the day was about to dawn, Paul kept encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken in nothing. ³⁴Therefore, I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your survival, for ^(W)not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” ³⁵Having said this, he took bread and ^(X)gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, and he broke it and began to eat. ³⁶All ^(Y)of them ^[o]were encouraged and they themselves also took food. ³⁷We were 276 ^[p](Z)people on the ship in all. ³⁸When they had eaten enough, they began lightening the ship by ^(AA)throwing the wheat out into the sea.

³⁹Now when day came, ^(AB)they ^[q]could not recognize the land; but they did notice a bay with a beach, and they resolved to run the ship onto it if they could. ⁴⁰And casting off ^(AC)the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and they hoisted the foresail to the wind and were heading for the beach. ⁴¹But they struck a ^[r]reef where two seas met and ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck firmly and remained immovable, while the stern started to break up due to the force of the waves. ⁴²The soldiers’ plan was to ^(AD)kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; ⁴³but the centurion, ^(AE)wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from accomplishing their intention, and commanded that those who could swim were to ^[s]jump overboard first and get to land, ⁴⁴and the rest were to follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that ^(AF)they all were brought safely to land.

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¹¹Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

¹²And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.

¹³And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

¹⁴But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

¹⁵And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

¹⁶And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

¹⁷Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

¹⁸And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

¹⁹And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

²⁰And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

²¹But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

²²And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.

²³For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

²⁴Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

²⁵Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

²⁶Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

²⁷But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;

²⁸And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

²⁹Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

³⁰And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,

³¹Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

³²Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

³³And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

³⁴Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

³⁵And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

³⁶Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

³⁷And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

³⁸And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

³⁹And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.

⁴⁰And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.

⁴¹And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

⁴²And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

⁴³But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

⁴⁴And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

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