1 And when the decision had been made that we were to go by sea to Italy, they gave Paul and certain other prisoners into the care of a captain named Julius, of the Augustan band.
2 And we went to sea in a ship of Adramyttium which was sailing to the sea towns of Asia, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
3 And on the day after, we came to Sidon; and Julius was kind to Paul, and let him go to see his friends and take a rest.
4 And sailing again from there, we went on under cover of Cyprus, because the wind was against us.
5 And having gone across the sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia we came to Myra, in Lycia.
6 And there the captain came across a ship of Alexandria, sailing for Italy, and put us in it.
7 And when we had gone on slowly for a long time, and had had hard work getting across to Cnidus, for the wind was against us, we went under cover of Crete, in the direction of Salmone;
8 And sailing down the side of it, as well as we were able, we came to a certain place named Fair Havens, near which was the town of Lasea.
9 And as a long time had gone by, and the journey was now full of danger, because it was late in the year, Paul put the position before them,
10 Saying, Friends, I see that this journey will be one of great damage and loss, not only to the goods and the ship, but to ourselves.
11 But the captain gave more attention to the master and the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.
12 And as the harbour was not a good one in which to be for the winter, the greater number of them were for going out to sea, in order, if possible, to put in for the winter at Phoenix, a harbour of Crete, looking to the north-east and south-east.
13 And when the south wind came softly, being of the opinion that their purpose might be effected, they let the ship go and went sailing down the side of Crete, very near to the land.
14 But after a little time, a very violent wind, named Euraquilo, came down from it with great force.
15 And when the ship got into the grip of it, and was not able to make headway into the wind, we gave way, and went before it.
16 And, sailing near the side of a small island named Cauda, we were able, though it was hard work, to make the ship's boat safe:
17 And having got it up, they put cords under and round the ship; but fearing that they might be pushed on to the Syrtis, they let down the sails and so went running before the wind.
18 And, still fighting the storm with all our strength, the day after they made a start at getting the goods out of the ship;
19 And on the third day, they let all the sailing apparatus go over the side.
20 And as we had not seen the sun or stars for a long time, and a great storm was on us, all hope of salvation was gone.
21 And when they had been without food for a long time, Paul got up among them and said, Friends, it would have been better if you had given attention to me and not gone sailing out from Crete, to undergo this damage and loss.
22 But now, I say to you, be of good heart, for there will be no loss of life, but only of the ship.
23 For this night there came to my side an angel of the God who is my Master and whose servant I am,
24 Saying, Have no fear, Paul, for you will come before Caesar, and God has given to you all those who are sailing with you.
25 And so, O men, be of good heart, for I have faith in God that it will be as he said to me.
26 But we will be sent on to a certain island.
27 But when the fourteenth day came, while we were going here and there in the Adriatic sea, about the middle of the night the sailors had an idea that they were getting near land;
28 And they let down the lead, and saw that the sea was a hundred and twenty feet deep; and after a little time they did it again and it was ninety feet.
29 Then, fearing that by chance we might come on to the rocks, they let down four hooks from the back of the ship, and made prayers for the coming of day.
30 Then the sailors made attempts secretly to get away from the ship, letting down a boat as if they were about to put down hooks from the front of the ship;
31 But Paul said to the captain and his men, If you do not keep these men in the ship, you will not be safe.
32 Then the armed men, cutting the cords of the boat, let her go.
33 And when dawn was near, Paul gave them all orders to take food, saying, This is the fourteenth day you have been waiting and taking no food.
34 So I make request to you to take food; for this is for your salvation: not a hair from the head of any of you will come to destruction.
35 And when he had said this and had taken bread, he gave praise to God before them all, and took a meal of the broken bread.
36 Then they all took heart and did the same.
37 And we were, in the ship, two hundred and seventy-six persons.
38 And when they had had enough food, they made the weight of the ship less, turning the grain out into the sea.
39 And when it was day, they had no knowledge of the land, but they saw an inlet of the sea with a floor of sand, and they had the idea of driving the ship up on to it if possible.
40 So cutting away the hooks, and letting them go into the sea, and freeing the cords of the guiding-blades, and lifting up the sail to the wind, they went in the direction of the inlet.
41 And coming to a point between two seas, they got the ship to land; and the front part was fixed in the sand and not able to be moved, but the back part was broken by the force of the waves.
42 Then the armed men were for putting the prisoners to death, so that no one would get away by swimming.
43 But the captain, desiring to keep Paul safe, kept them from their purpose, and gave orders that those who had knowledge of swimming were to go off the ship and get first to land:
44 And the rest, some on boards and some on things from the ship. And so it came about that they all got safe to land.
1 Finalmente, fizeram-se preparativos para a viagem por mar até Itália. Paulo e diversos outros presos foram confiados à vigilância de um oficial chamado Júlio, pertencente ao Regimento Imperial. Partimos num barco que ia para a Adramítio e que tocaria em vários portos da costa da província da Ásia. Estávamos acompanhados de Aristarco, um grego de Tessalónica.
3 No dia seguinte, quando atracámos em Sidom, Júlio mostrou-se muito amável para com Paulo, permitindo-lhe que fosse a terra visitar amigos e receber a ajuda que precisasse.
4 Quando dali partimos, apanhámos ventos de proa que tornavam difícil conservar o navio no rumo; assim, seguimos pelo norte de Chipre, entre a ilha e o continente, costeámos as províncias da Cilícia e Panfília, desembarcando em Mirra, na província da Lícia
6 Aí, o oficial encontrou um barco egípcio vindo de Alexandria e que se dirigia à Itália, e fez-nos embarcar nele. Após vários dias de navegação difícil, aproximámo-nos por fim de Cnido, mas o vento era demasiado forte e atravessámos para Creta, passando o porto de Salmone. Navegando contra o vento com grande dificuldade, e avançando lentamente ao longo da costa sul, chegámos a Bons Portos, perto da cidade de Laseia.
9 Ali nos demorámos vários dias. O tempo estava já a ficar perigoso para viagens de longo curso porque se aproximava o Inverno, e Paulo falou nisso à tripulação:
10 Olhem que nos podemos meter em trabalhos se prosseguirmos viagem; podemos perder a carga e as nossas vidas.
11 Mas os oficiais encarregados de vigiarem os presos davam mais ouvidos ao piloto e ao dono do navio do que a Paulo. Como aquele porto não tivesse boas condições para passar o Inverno, a maior parte da tripulação achava melhor tentarem subir mais pela costa até Fénix, que era outro porto, mas abrigado, aberto só a noroeste e sudoeste, e onde se podia melhor passar o Inverno.
13 Nesse instante começou a soprar brandamente um vento do sul, e o dia parecia bom para viagem; assim, levantaram ferro e foram navegando ao longo da costa.
14 Pouco depois, porém, um vento muito forte abateu-se sobre o navio, empurrando-o para o mar; era o nordeste, como lhe chamavam. E não conseguindo navegar assim, deram mão de tudo e deixaram o navio ir à deriva à frente do vento.
16 Finalmente, viemos parar atrás duma pequena ilha chamada Clauda, onde com grande dificuldade içamos para bordo o bote que trazíamos a reboque, amarrando depois o barco com cordas para reforçar o casco. Os marinheiros tinham medo de serem atirados para os bancos de areia da costa africana, e, assim, baixaram a vela grande e continuaram impelidos à frente do vento.
18 No dia seguinte, como o mar piorasse ainda mais, a tripulação começou a deitar a carga pela borda fora. No outro dia, atiraram ao mar os aprestos e tudo o mais a que podiam lançar mão.
20 Esta terrível tempestade continuou durante muitos dias sem abrandar, não sendo possível a orientação nem pelo Sol nem pelas estrelas. Por fim, todas as esperanças se perderam.
21 Ninguém comia havia já muito tempo, até que Paulo, reunindo a tripulação, disse: Deviam ter-me dado ouvidos e não sair de Bons Portos; assim ter-se-ia evitado todo este estrago e perda!
22 Mas agora, coragem! O navio afundar-se-á, mas nenhum de nós perderá a vida,P
23 porque a noite passada um anjo do Deus a quem pertenço e sirvo surgiu perante mim e disse: 'Nada receies, Paulo, porque serás julgado diante de César! E mais ainda: Deus, na sua bondade, concedeu o teu pedido e salvará a vida de todos os que contigo viajam.'
25 Por isso, animem-se! Creio em Deus. Estou certo de que será tal como ele disse.
26 Todavia havemos de naufragar nalguma ilha.
27 Perto de meia-noite, a décima quarta da tempestade, andávamos nós perdidos no Adriático, quando os marinheiros desconfiaram que havia terra ali perto. Lançaram a sonda e encontraram trinta e sete metros de fundo. Pouco depois, já eram só vinte e oito metros. Não tardaria que dessem à costa e, com medo de encalhar em rochedos, lançaram quatro âncoras pela ré, ansiando pela manhã.
30 Alguns dos marinheiros resolveram escapar-se do barco e arrearam o escaler de emergência sob pretexto de lançar âncoras pela proa. Paulo, porém, disse aos soldados e ao comandante: Ninguém se poderá salvar se estes homens não ficarem a bordo. Então, os soldados cortaram os cabos e deixaram o escaler tombar na água.
33 Quando veio a luz da madrugada, Paulo pediu a todos que comessem: Há duas semanas que ninguém se alimenta. Por favor, e para vosso bem, comam agora qualquer coisa, porque nem um cabelo das vossas cabeças se perderá.
35 Ele próprio pegou num pão, agradeceu a Deus na presença de todos, partiu um pedaço e comeu-o. Toda a gente se sentiu mais animada e começou a comer; éramos duzentos e setenta e seis pessoas a bordo. Depois de comer, os tripulantes tornaram a aliviar o navio, deitando todo o trigo pela borda fora.
39 Quando se fez dia, não reconheceram a costa, mas, reparando numa baía com uma praia, perguntaram a si próprios se conseguiriam passar por entre os rochedos para que as ondas os atirassem para o areal. Resolveram, então, tentar. Cortando os cabos às âncoras e deixando-as no fundo, desprenderam os lemes, içaram a vela grande e apontaram à praia. O barco, porém, encalhou num banco de areia. A proa enterrou-se, enquanto que a popa, exposta à força das ondas, começou a desfazer-se.
42 Os soldados aconselharam o seu comandante a deixá-los matar os presos, não fosse algum nadar para terra e escapar-se. Mas Júlio, desejando poupar a vida a Paulo, disse que não. Mandou então a todos quantos soubessem nadar que saltassem pela amurada e fossem para terra, enquanto os restantes tentariam fazê-lo agarrados a pranchas e destroços do navio. E foi assim que todos chegaram a terra.