.30

hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these chains.

And as he was saying this, the king rose up, and the gene. ral and Bernice and they who sat with them. And as they were withdrawing, they conferred with each other, saying, This man 31 hath done nothing that deserveth death or chains. And Agrippa said to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed to Cæsar.

XXVII.

So, as it was determined that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners, to a certain cen2 turion, named Julius, of the Augustan cohort. And having embarked in a vessel of Adramyttium, we set sail, intending to coast along the shores of Asia, Aristarchus a Macedonian of 3 Thessalonica being with us. And on the next day we touched at Sidon, where Julius, who treated Paul with great humanity, suffered him to go to his friends and enjoy the benefit of their 4 care. Having taken our departure from this place we sailed 5 close under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And

traversing the sea over against Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came 6 to Myra of Lycia, where the centurion met with a ship of 7 Alexandria, bound for Italy, and put us on board it. And sailing slowly for several days and having hardly got over against Cnidus, the wind not favouring us, we sailed close under Crete

8 over against Salmone; and weathering this with much ado came to a place called Fair-haven, near to which is the city Lasea. 9 Much time being spent and the navigation now dangerous (for it was now after the fast,*) Paul gave them warning, say10 ing to them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be attend

ed with damage and no small risk, not only of the vessel and 11 cargo, but also of our lives. But the centurion paid greater re

gard to the pilot and the master of the vessel than to what Paul 12 said. And as the harbour was not convenient for a winter station, the greater part advised to depart thence and try to reach Phenice, a port in Crete looking south west and north west, to 13 winter there. So a gentle breeze springing up from the south,

* About the 25th of September. See Levit. 14. 29. 23. 27. and Num. 29. 7.

they, confident of gaining their point, weighed anchor and sail14 ed close along Crete. But not long after there arose against it 15 a tempestuous wind, which is called Euroclydon,* and the ves

sel being hurried away and not able to look up to the wind, we 16 were forced to let her drive. And running close under a little island called Clauda, we had much ado to secure the boat: 17 Having hoisted this in they used helps, under-girding the ship. And fearing lest they should run on the quicksands, they low18 ered the sail and so were driven. But as we were exceedingly

tossed by the tempest, they on the next day threw overboard 19 some of the cargo. And on the third day we with our own 20 hands threw overboard the tackling of the ship. Now as neither

sun nor stars appeared for several days, and the tempest still bore hard upon us, all hopes of escaping were at last taken 21 away. And there being then a great abstinence from food, Paul

standing in the midst of them said, Sirs, you ought to have hearkened to me and not sailed from Crete and incurred this 22 damage and risk. However, for the present, I exhort you to be

of good courage, for there will be no loss of any life among you, 23 but of the ship only. For an angel of God, whose I am, and

whom I serve, stood by me last night, and said, Fear not, Paul. 24 Thou must appear before Cæsar; and lo! God hath given thee 25 all them who are sailing with thee. Therefore take courage,

sirs: for I have a confidence in God that the result will be just 26 as it hath been told me. But we must be shipwrecked on some 27 island. So when the fourteenth night was come, while we were

driving about in the Adriatic sea, about midnight, the sailors 28 suspected that they were approaching some land. And upon

sounding they found twenty fathoms. And proceeding a little 29 further they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms. So fear

ing lest they should run ashore among rocks, they dropped 30 four anchors from the stern and wished for day. But the sailors seeking to flee from the ship, and having hoisted out the boat 31 under a pretence of carrying out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless those continue

* Or as we would say, a tempestuous wind, called a hurricane, or a Levanter.

32 in the ship, you cannot be saved. Upon this the soldiers cut the 33 ropes of the boat and let it go adrift. And while day was com

ing on, Paul advised them all to take some refreshment, saying, Longing for this fourteenth day you continue fasting, hav34 ing taken nothing. Therefore I intreat you to take refreshment, for this is conducive to your safety: for not a hair shall 35 fall from the head of any of you. And having said this he

took bread, and gave thanks to God in the presence of them 36 all, and having broken it began to eat. And they all became. 37 cheerful and also took nourishment. Now we in the ship were 38 in all two hundred and seventy six souls. And when they had satisfied themselves with food, they lightened the vessel, throw39 ing out the corn into the sea. And when it was day they did not know the land; but they observed a creek convenient for landing, into which they determined, if possible, to force the 40 ship. So having got rid of the anchors, leaving them in the sea, and at the same time loosing the bands of the rudder and hoising the mainsail to the wind, they pressed towards the 41 shore. And coming to a place where two currents met, they ran the ship aground. And the prow stuck fast and remained immoveable; but the stern was broken to pieces by the force 42 of the waves. It was now the counsel of the soldiers to kill 43 the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. But the

centurion desirous to save Paul prevented their design and ordered those who could swim to throw themselves out first and 44 get to land; and the rest, some on planks, and some on pieces of the vessel and so it came to pass that all got safe to land. XXVIII. And having escaped, they then knew that the island was called Melita.

2

Now the barbarians treated us with uncommon humanity; for having kindled a fire they took us all to it, because of the 3 present rain, and because of the cold. And as Paul having gathered a bundle of sticks was laying them on the fire, a viper 4 coming out from the heat, fastened on his hand. When the

barbarians saw the venomous creature hanging to his hand they said to one another, This man is certainly a murderer whom vengeance suffereth not to live, though he hath escaped 5 from the sea. He indeed shaked off the venomous creature into the fire, and suffered no harm; but they expected that

6 he would swell or fall dead suddenly. But when they had waited a considerable time and saw no mishap befal him, they changed their minds and said, He is a god.

7

Now in the neighbourhood of that place lay the estate of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius, who 8 took us to his house and entertained us kindly three days. And it happened that the father of Publius being seized with a fever and a dysentery, was confined to his bed, to whom Paul went in 9 and having prayed, laid his hands on him, and cured him. This therefore being done, the rest in the island who had diseases 10 came and were cured. Therefore they honoured us with many honours and at our departure put on board such things as were necessary.

11

Now after three months we embarked on board a ship of Alexandria which had for its ensign Castor and Pollux, and 12 which had wintered in that island. And being conveyed to Sy

racuse we staid there three days. Thence we came round and 13 touched at Regium; and after one day, the south wind spring14 ing up, we on the second day arrived at Puteoli, where we met

with brethren and were intreated to stay with them seven days 15 and then set out for Rome, from which place the brethren, having heard of us, came, some to Appii-forum* and some 16 to Tres-tabernæ* to meet us. And when Paul saw them he gave thanks to God and took courage. And when we arrived at Rome the centurion delivered the prisoners to the prefect. But Paul was permitted to be at a private lodging, with the soldier who guarded him.

17

And it came to pass after three days that Paul sent for them who were the chief men of the Jews, and when assembled he said to them, Men, brethren, though I have done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, I was delivered up a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of 18 the Romans. These when they examined me, would have set me at liberty, because I had done nothing that deserved 19 death. But the Jews opposing this, I was forced to appeal to

* Two towns on the road, the first about 50 miles from Rome, and the other about 30.

Cæsar, not that I have any thing to lay to the charge of my 20 nation. For this cause, therefore, I have sent for you that I might see you and speak with you. For on account of the hope of Israel, I am bound with this chain.

21

To this they replied, We have neither received any letters concerning thee from Judea, nor hath any of the brethren who 22 have arrived, related or spoken any harm of thee. But we should be glad to hear what thou thinkest; for with respect to this sect we know that it is every where spoken against. So 23 having set him a day, they came to him at his lodging, in greater numbers; to whom he explained the kingdom of God, testifying and endeavouring to reconcile them to the things concerning Jesus, from the law of Moses and the prophets, 24 from morning till evening. And some indeed were reconciled 25 by what were spoken, and some disbelieved. And being at variance among themselves they broke up, upon Paul's saying one word, that the holy spirit had spoken well to our fathers 26 by the prophet Esaias, saying, "Go and say to the people, Hearing you shall hear, though you may not understand; and seeing you shall see, though you may not perceive; for the 27 heart of this people is callous, and their ears are dull of hear

ing, and they have shut their eyes, that for a while they may not see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and under. 28 stand with their hearts, and turn that I may heal them.*" Be it known therefore to you, that this salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will hearken to it.

29

And when he had said this the Jews departed, debating 30 warmly among themselves. And Paul continued two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came to him, proclaiming the reign of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all freedom and without restraint.

*Esaias 6. 9, &c.