Preparing for Shipwreck

27

On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea. About midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.

28

They took soundings and found that the water was twenty fathoms deep. Going a little farther, they took another set of soundings that read fifteen fathoms.

29

Fearing that we would run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daybreak.

30

Meanwhile, the sailors attempted to escape from the ship. Pretending to lower anchors from the bow, they let the lifeboat down into the sea.

31

But Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain with the ship, you cannot be saved.”

32

So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and set it adrift.

33

Right up to daybreak, Paul kept urging them all to eat: “Today is your fourteenth day in constant suspense, without taking any food.

34

So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”

35

After he had said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.

36

They were all encouraged and took some food themselves.

37

In all, there were 276 of us on board.

38

After the men had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

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