Daily Bread

The Storm

¹³ When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. ¹⁴ Before very long, a wind of hurricane force,^(A) called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. ¹⁵ The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. ¹⁶ As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat^(B) secure, ¹⁷ so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground^(C) on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor^[a] and let the ship be driven along. ¹⁸ We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.^{(D) 19} On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰ When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

²¹ After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice^(E) not to sail from Crete;^(F) then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. ²² But now I urge you to keep up your courage,^(G) because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. ²³ Last night an angel^(H) of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve^(I) stood beside me^{(J) 24} and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar;^(K) and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’^{(L) 25} So keep up your courage,^(M) men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.^{(N) 26} Nevertheless, we must run aground^(O) on some island.”^(P)