Part 35

44:027:019 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

44:027:020 And 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.

44:027:021 But 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.

44:027:022 And 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.

44:027:023 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

44:027:024 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

44:027:025 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

44:027:026 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

44:027:027 But 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;

44:027:028 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

44:027:029 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

44:027:030 And 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,

44:027:031 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

44:027:032 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

44:027:033 And 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.

44:027:034 Wherefore 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.

44:027:035 And 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.

44:027:036 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

44:027:037 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

44:027:038 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

44:027:039 And 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.

44:027:040 And 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.

44:027:041 And 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.

44:027:042 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

44:027:043 But 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:

44:027:044 And 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.

44:028:001 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

44:028:002 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.