1 Logo que foi determinado que embarcássemos para a Itália, Paulo foi entregue com outros presos a um centurião da coorte Augusta, chamado Júlio.2 Embarcamos num navio de Adramito que devia costear as terras da Ásia, e levantamos âncora. Em nossa companhia estava Aristarco, macedônio de Tessalônica.3 No dia seguinte, fazendo escala em Sidônia, Júlio, usando de bondade com Paulo, permitiu-lhe ir ver os seus amigos e prover-se do que havia de necessário.4 Dali, fazendo-nos ao mar, fomos navegando perto das costas de Chipre, por nos serem contrários os ventos.5 Tendo atravessado o mar da Cilícia e da Panfília, chegamos a Mira, cidade da Lícia.6 O centurião encontrou ali um navio de Alexandria, que rumava para a Itália, e fez-nos passar para ele.7 Por muitos dias navegamos lentamente e com dificuldade até diante de Cnido, onde o vento não nos permitiu aportar.8 Fomos então costeando ao sul da ilha de Creta, junto ao cabo Salmona. Navegando com dificuldade ao longo da costa, chegamos afinal a um lugar, a que chamam Bons Portos, perto do qual está a cidade de Lasaia.9 Passara o tempo - já havia passado a época do jejum - e a navegação se tornava perigosa. Paulo advertiu-os:10 Amigos, vejo que a navegação não se fará sem perigo e sem graves danos, não somente ao navio e à sua carga, mas ainda às nossas vidas.11 O centurião, porém, dava mais crédito ao piloto e ao mestre do que ao que Paulo dizia.12 O porto era impróprio para passar o inverno, pelo que a maior parte deles foi de parecer que se retornasse ao mar, na esperança de chegar a Fenice, para passar ali o inverno, por ser esse um porto de Creta, abrigado dos ventos do sudeste e do nordeste.13 Soprava então brandamente o vento sul. Julgavam poder executar os seus planos. Levantaram a âncora e foram costeando de perto a ilha de Creta.14 Mas, não muito depois, veio do lado da ilha um tufão chamado Euroaquilão.15 Sem poder resistir à ventania, o navio foi arrebatado e deixamo-nos arrastar.16 Impelidos rapidamente para uma pequena ilha chamada Cauda, conseguimos, com muito esforço, recolher o batel.17 Içaram-no e, depois, como meio de segurança, cingiram o navio com cabos. Então, temendo encalhar em Sirte, arriaram as velas e entregaram-se à mercê dos ventos.18 No dia seguinte, sendo a tempestade ainda mais violenta, atiraram fora a carga.19 No terceiro dia, atiramos para fora com as nossas próprias mãos os acessórios do navio.20 Ora, não aparecendo por muitos dias nem sol nem estrelas e sendo batidos por forte tempestade, tínhamos por fim perdido toda a esperança de sermos salvos.21 Desde muito tempo ninguém havia comido nada. Paulo levantou-se no meio deles e disse: Amigos, deveras devíeis ter-me atendido e não ter saído de Creta, e assim evitar esse perigo e essas perdas.22 Agora, porém, vos admoesto a que tenhais coragem, pois não perecerá nenhum de vós, mas somente o navio.23 Esta noite apareceu-me um anjo de Deus, a quem pertenço e a quem sirvo, o qual me disse:24 Não temas, Paulo. É necessário que compareças diante de César. Deus deu-te todos os que navegam contigo.25 Por isso, amigos, coragem! Eu confio em Deus que há de acontecer como me foi dito.26 Vamos dar a uma ilha.27 Já estávamos na décima quarta noite, pelo mar Adriático, quando, pela meia-noite, os marinheiros pressentiram que estavam perto de alguma terra.28 Então, atirando a sonda, perceberam que a profundidade era de vinte braças. Depois, um pouco mais adiante, viram que era de quinze braças.29 Temendo que déssemos em algum recife, lançaram quatro âncoras da popa, esperando ansiosos que amanhecesse o dia.30 Imediatamente, os marinheiros procuraram fugir e, sob o pretexto de largar as âncoras da proa, lançaram o bote ao mar.31 Paulo disse ao centurião e aos soldados: Se estes homens não permanecerem no navio, não podereis salvar-vos.32 Os soldados cortaram, então, os cabos do bote e deixaram-no cair.33 Enquanto ia amanhecendo, Paulo encorajou a todos que comessem alguma coisa, e disse: Já faz hoje catorze dias que estais em jejum, sem comer nada.34 Rogo-vos que comais alguma coisa, no interesse de vossa vida, porque nem um cabelo da cabeça de alguém de vós perecerá.35 Tendo dito isso, tomou do pão, pronunciou uma bênção na presença de todos e, depois de parti-lo, começou a comer.36 Com isso, todos cobraram ânimo e puseram-se igualmente a comer.37 No navio éramos ao todo duzentas e setenta e seis pessoas.38 Depois de terem comido à vontade, aliviaram o navio, atirando o trigo ao mar.39 Afinal, clareou o dia. Os marinheiros não reconheceram a terra, mas viram uma enseada com uma praia, na qual tencionavam encalhar o navio, caso o pudessem.40 Levantaram as âncoras e largaram ao mesmo tempo as amarras dos lemes. Desfraldaram ao vento a vela mestra e rumaram para a praia.41 Mas deram numa língua de terra, e o navio encalhou aí. A proa, encalhada, permanecia imóvel, ao mesmo tempo que a popa se abria com a força do mar.42 Os soldados tencionavam matar os presos, por temerem que algum deles fugisse a nado.43 O centurião, porém, querendo salvar Paulo, impediu que o fizessem e ordenou que aqueles que pudessem nadar fossem os primeiros a lançar-se ao mar e alcançar a terra.44 Os demais, uns atingiram a terra em tábuas, outros em cima dos destroços do navio. Desse modo, todos conseguiram chegar à terra, sãos e salvos.

1 But when it was determined that we should sail unto Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto [one] named Julius, a centurion of the Augustus company.2 And entering into the ship, Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia, [one] Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.3 And the next [day] we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul and gave [him] liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.4 And when we had launched from there, we sailed under Cyprus because the winds were contrary.5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, [a city] of Lycia.6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy, and he put us in it.7 And when we had sailed slowly many days and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not allowing us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone,8 and, passing it with difficulty, came unto a place which is called The Fair Havens, near which was the city [of] Lasea.9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished [them],10 saying, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship more than those things which were spoken by Paul.12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, many were in agreement to depart from there also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice [and] winter [there, which is] a port of Crete and lies toward Africa and the west.13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained [their] purpose, raising [sails], they sailed close by Crete.14 But not long after, there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.15 And when the ship was caught up [by it] and could not resist against the wind, [the ship] was taken by [the wind and] drifted.16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat,17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into Syrtis, struck sail and so were driven.18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next [day] they lightened the ship;19 and the third [day] with our own hands we cast off the dead works of the ship.20 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 lost.21 Then 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 to have avoided this harm and loss.22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any person's life among you, but only of the ship.23 For the angel of God stood by me this night, whose I am and whom I serve,24 saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar; and, behold, God has given thee all those that sail with thee.25 Therefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.26 However we must be cast upon a certain island.27 And when the fourteenth night was come as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic sea, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country28 and sounded and found [it] twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again and found [it] fifteen fathoms.29 Then fearing lest we should fall upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern and wished for the day.30 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,31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and let her fall off.33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought [them] all to take food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have waited and continued fasting, having taken nothing.34 Therefore I pray you to take [some] food, for this is for your [salvation and] health, for there shall not one hair fall from the head of any of you.35 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.36 Then they were all of good cheer, and they also took [some] food.37 And we were in all, in the ship, two hundred and seventy-six souls.38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and cast out the grain into the sea.39 And when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they discovered a certain gulf with a shore, into which they decided, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed [themselves] unto the sea and loosed the rudder bands and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind and made toward shore.41 But falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast and remained unmovable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out and escape.43 But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, frustrated this counsel and commanded that those who could swim should cast [themselves] first [into the sea] and get to land;44 and the rest, some on boards and some on [broken pieces] of the ship. And so it came to pass that they were all saved [by making it] to land.: