Nov 24 - Acts 27-28
Acts
1Then it was decided to send him by ship to Italy, and that Paul, with the others in custody, should be delivered to a centurion named Julius, of the cohort of Augusta2After climbing aboard a ship from Adramyttium, we set sail and began to navigate along the ports of Asia, with Aristarchus, the Macedonian from Thessalonica, joining us3And on the following day, we arrived at Sidon. And Julius, treating Paul humanely, permitted him to go to his friends and to look after himself4And when we had set sail from there, we navigated below Cyprus, because the winds were contrary5And navigating though the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we arrived at Lystra, which is in Lycia6And there the centurion found a ship from Alexandria sailing to Italy, and he transferred us to it7And when we had sailed slowly for many days and had barely arrived opposite Cnidus, for the wind was hindering us, we sailed to Crete, near Salmone8And barely being able to sail past it, we arrived at a certain place, which is called Good Shelter, next to which was the city of Lasea9Then, after much time had passed, and since sailing would no longer be prudent because the Fast Day had now passed, Paul consoled them10and he said to them: "Men, I perceive that the voyage is now in danger of injury and much damage, not only to the cargo and the ship, but also to our own lives.11But the centurion put more trust in the captain and the navigator of the ship, than in the things being said by Paul12And since it was not a fitting port in which to winter, the majority opinion was to sail from there, so that somehow they might be able to arrive at Phoenicia, in order to winter there, at a port of Crete, which looks out toward the southwest and northwest13And since the south wind was blowing gently, they thought that they might reach their goal. And after they had set out from Asson, they weighed anchor at Crete14But not long afterward, a violent wind came against them, which is called the Northeast Wind15And once the ship had been caught in it and was not able to strive against the wind, giving over the ship to the winds, we were driven along16Then, being forced along a certain island, which is called the Tail, we were barely able to hold on to the ship’s lifeboat17When this was taken up, they used it to assist in securing the ship. For they were afraid that they might run aground. And having lowered the sails, they were being driven along in this way18Then, since we were being tossed about strongly by the tempest, on the following day, they threw the heavy items overboard19And on the third day, with their own hands, they threw the equipment of the ship overboard20Then, when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no end to the storm was imminent, all hope for our safety was now taken away21And after they had fasted for a long time, Paul, standing in their midst, said: "Certainly, men, you should have listened to me and not set out from Crete, so as to cause this injury and loss22And now, let me persuade you to be courageous in soul. For there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship23For an Angel of God, who is assigned to me and whom I serve, stood beside me this night24saying: ‘Do not be afraid, Paul! It is necessary for you to stand before Caesar. And behold, God has given to you all those who are sailing with you.25Because of this, men, be courageous in soul. For I trust God that this will happen in the same way that it has been told to me26But it is necessary for us to arrive at a certain island.27Then, after the fourteenth night arrived, as we were navigating in the sea of Adria, about the middle of the night, the sailors believed that they saw some portion of the land28And upon dropping a weight, they found a depth of twenty paces. And some distance from there, they found a depth of fifteen paces29Then, fearing that we might happen upon rough places, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and they were hoping for daylight to arrive soon30Yet truly, the sailors were seeking a way to flee from the ship, for they had lowered a lifeboat into the sea, on the pretext that they were attempting to cast anchors from the bow of the ship31So Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these men remain in the ship, you will not be able to be saved.32Then the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat, and they allowed it to fall33And when it began to be light, Paul requested that they all take food, saying: "This is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting and continuing to fast, taking nothing34For this reason, I beg you to accept food for the sake of your health. For not a hair from the head of any of you shall perish.35And when he had said these things, taking bread, he gave thanks to God in the sight of them all. And when he had broken it, he began to eat36Then they all became more peaceful in soul. And they also took food37Truly, we were two hundred and seventy-six souls on the ship38And having been nourished with food, they lightened the ship, casting the wheat into the sea39And when day had arrived, they did not recognize the landscape. Yet truly, they caught sight of a certain narrow inlet having a shore, into which they thought it might be possible to force the ship40And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves to the sea, at the same time loosing the restraints of the rudders. And so, raising the mainsail to the gusting wind, they pressed on toward the shore41And when we happened upon a place open to two seas, they ran the ship aground. And indeed, the bow, being immobilized, remained fixed, but truly the stern was broken by the violence of the sea42Then the soldiers were in agreement that they should kill the prisoners, lest anyone, after escaping by swimming, might flee43But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, prohibited it from being done. And he ordered those who were able to swim to jump in first, and to escape, and to get to the land44And as for the others, some they carried on boards, and others on those things that belonged to the ship. And so it happened that every soul escaped to the land
1And after we had escaped, we then realized that the island was called Malta. Yet truly, the natives offered us no small amount of humane treatment2For they refreshed us all by kindling a fire, because rain was imminent and because of the cold3But when Paul had gathered together a bundle of twigs, and had placed them on the fire, a viper, which had been drawn to the heat, fastened itself to his hand4And truly, when the natives saw the beast hanging from his hand, they were saying to one another: "Certainly, this man must be a murderer, for though he escaped from the sea, vengeance will not permit him to live.5But shaking off the creature into the fire, he indeed suffered no ill effects6But they were supposing that he would soon swell up, and then would suddenly fall down and die. But having waited a long time, and seeing no ill effects in him, they changed their minds and were saying that he was a god7Now among these places were estates owned by the ruler of the island, named Publius. And he, taking us in, showed us kind hospitality for three days8Then it happened that the father of Publius lay ill with a fever and with dysentery. Paul entered to him, and when he had prayed and had laid his hands on him, he saved him9When this had been done, all who had diseases on the island approached and were cured10And then they also presented us with many honors. And when we were ready to set sail, they gave us whatever we needed11And so, after three months, we sailed in a ship from Alexandria, whose name was ‘the Castors,’ and which had wintered at the island12And when we had arrived at Syracuse, we were delayed there for three days13From there, sailing close to the shore, we arrived at Rhegium. And after one day, with the south wind blowing, we arrived on the second day at Puteoli14There, after locating the brothers, we were asked to remain with them for seven days. And then we went on to Rome15And there, when the brothers had heard of us, they went to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. And when Paul had seen them, giving thanks to God, he took courage16And when we had arrived at Rome, Paul was given permission to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him17And after the third day, he called together the leaders of the Jews. And when they had convened, he said to them: "Noble brothers, I have done nothing against the people, nor against the customs of the fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans18And after they held a hearing about me, they would have released me, because there was no case for death against me19But with the Jews speaking against me, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, though it was not as if I had any kind of accusation against my own nation20And so, because of this, I requested to see you and to speak to you. For it is because of the hope of Israel that I am encircled with this chain.21But they said to him: "We have not received letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the other new arrivals among the brothers reported or spoken anything evil against you22But we are asking to hear your opinions from you, for concerning this sect, we know that it is being spoken against everywhere.23And when they had appointed a day for him, very many persons went to him at his guest quarters. And he discoursed, testifying to the kingdom of God, and persuading them about Jesus, using the law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning until evening24And some believed the things that he was saying, yet others did not believe25And when they could not agree among themselves, they departed, while Paul was speaking this one word: "How well did the Holy Spirit speak to our fathers through the prophet Isaiah26saying: ‘Go to this people and say to them: Hearing, you shall hear and not understand, and seeing, you shall see and not perceive27For the heart of this people has grown dull, and they have listened with reluctant ears, and they have closed their eyes tightly, lest perhaps they might see with the eyes, and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and so be converted, and I would heal them.28Therefore, let it be known to you, that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they shall listen to it.29And when he had said these things, the Jews went away from him, though they still had many questions among themselves30Then he remained for two whole years in his own rented lodgings. And he received all who went in to him31preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which are from the Lord Jesus Christ, with all faithfulness, without prohibition