Acts 27 :: New International Version (NIV)

Paul Sails for Rome

Act 27:1When 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.

Act 27:2

Act 27:2We 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.

Act 27:3

Act 27:3The 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.

Act 27:4

Act 27:4From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.

Act 27:5

Act 27:5When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.

Act 27:6

Act 27:6There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board.

Act 27:7

Act 27:7We 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.

Act 27:8

Act 27:8We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

Act 27:9

Act 27:9Much 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,

Act 27:10

Act 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.”

Act 27:11

Act 27:11But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.

Act 27:12

Act 27:12Since 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

Act 27:13

Act 27:13When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.

Act 27:14

Act 27:14Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island.

Act 27:15

Act 27:15The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.

Act 27:16

Act 27:16As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure,

Act 27:17

Act 27:17so 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.

Act 27:18

Act 27:18We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.

Act 27:19

Act 27:19On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.

Act 27:20

Act 27:20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

Act 27:21

Act 27:21After 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.

Act 27:22

Act 27:22But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.

Act 27:23

Act 27:23Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me

Act 27:24

Act 27:24and 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.’

Act 27:25

Act 27:25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.

Act 27:26

Act 27:26Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

The Shipwreck

Act 27:27

Act 27:27On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic[fn] Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.

Act 27:28

Act 27:28They 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.

Act 27:29

Act 27:29Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.

Act 27:30

Act 27:30In 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.

Act 27:31

Act 27:31Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”

Act 27:32

Act 27:32So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.

Act 27:33

Act 27:33Just 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.

Act 27:34

Act 27:34Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.”

Act 27:35

Act 27:35After 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.

Act 27:36

Act 27:36They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.

Act 27:37

Act 27:37Altogether there were 276 of us on board.

Act 27:38

Act 27:38When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

Act 27:39

Act 27:39When 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.

Act 27:40

Act 27:40Cutting 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.

Act 27:41

Act 27:41But 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.

Act 27:42

Act 27:42The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping.

Act 27:43

Act 27:43But 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.

Act 27:44

Act 27:44The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.

See the NIV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NIV Footnotes

(27:9)

That is, Yom Kippur

(27:17)

Or the sails

(27:27)

In ancient times the name referred to an area extending well south of Italy.

(27:28)

Or about 37 meters

(27:28)

Or about 27 meters

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Acts Chapter 27 — Additional Translations: