Acts 21:1-18
When we had departed from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail.When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for the ship was there to unload her cargo.Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem.When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.After saying goodbye to each other, we went on board the ship, and they returned home again.When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers and stayed with them one day.On the next day, we who were Paul’s companions departed, and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.Coming to us and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said,“ The Holy Spirit says:‘ So the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”When we heard these things, both we and the people of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.Then Paul answered,“ What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying,“ The Lord’s will be done.”After these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay.When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.The day following, Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.
Acts 27:1-28:16
When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself.Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board.When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.When much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished themand said to them,“ Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things which were spoken by Paul.Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking southwest and northwest.When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.But before long, a stormy wind beat down from shore, which is called Euroclydon.When the ship was caught and couldn’t face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along.As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.On the third day, they threw out the ship’s tackle with their own hands.When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away.When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them, and said,“ Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete and have gotten this injury and loss.Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve,saying,‘ Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.But we must run aground on a certain island.”But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land.They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms. After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow,Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers,“ Unless these stay in the ship, you can’t be saved.”Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off.While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying,“ Today is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.Therefore I beg you to take some food; for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads.”When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, then he broke it and began to eat.Then they all cheered up, and they also took food.In all, we were two hundred seventy- six souls on the ship.When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.When it was day, they didn’t recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.The soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape.But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land;and the rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So they all escaped safely to the land.When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called Malta.The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the present rain and because of the cold.But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another,“ No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.”However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn’t harmed.But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and courteously entertained us for three days.The father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came and were cured.They also honored us with many honors, and when we sailed, they put on board the things that we needed.After three months, we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose sign was“ The Twin Brothers.”Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.From there we circled around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,where we found brothers, and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to Rome.From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.
