Paulo Asafiri Kwenda Rumi
127:1 Mdo 25:12, 25Ilipoamuliwa kwamba tungesafiri kwa njia ya bahari kwenda Italia, Paulo na wafungwa wengine wakakabidhiwa kwa kiongozi mmoja wa askari aliyeitwa Juliasi, aliyekuwa wa Kikosi cha Walinzi wa Kaisari. 227:2 Mdo 19:29Tulipanda meli iliyotoka Adramitio, iliyokuwa inakaribia kusafiri kwenda kwenye bandari zilizopo pwani ya Asia, tukaanza safari yetu tukiwa pamoja na Aristarko, Mmakedonia kutoka Thesalonike.
327:3 Mdo 24:23; 28:16Kesho yake tukatia nanga Sidoni, naye Juliasi akamfanyia wema Paulo, akamruhusu aende kwa rafiki zake ili wamtimizie mahitaji yake. 427:4 Mdo 27:7Kutoka huko tukaingia baharini tena na tukapita upande wa chini wa kisiwa cha Kipro kwa sababu upepo ulikuwa wa mbisho. 527:5 Mdo 6:9; 2:10Baada ya sisi kuvuka bahari iliyoko upande wa Kilikia na Pamfilia, tukafika Mira huko Likia. 627:6 Mdo 28:11; 18:2; 25:12, 25Huko yule kiongozi wa askari akapata meli ya Iskanderia ikielekea Italia, akatupandisha humo. 727:7 Tit 1:5Tukasafiri polepole kwa siku nyingi na kwa shida, hatimaye tukafika karibu na Nido. Kwa kuwa upepo wa mbisho ulituzuia tusiweze kushika mwelekeo tuliokusudia, tukapita chini ya Krete mkabala na Salmone. 8Tukaambaa na pwani kwa shida, tukafika sehemu iitwayo Bandari Nzuri, karibu na mji wa Lasea.
927:9 Law 16:29-31; 23:27-29; Hes 29:7Muda mwingi ulikuwa umepotea na kusafiri baharini kulikuwa hatari kwa sababu wakati huu ulikuwa baada ya siku za kufunga. Hivyo Paulo akawaonya akasema, 1027:10 Mdo 27:21“Mabwana, naona kuwa hii safari ni yenye maafa na ya kuleta hasara kubwa kwa meli na shehena, pia kwa maisha yetu.” 11Lakini badala ya yule kiongozi wa askari kusikiliza yale Paulo aliyosema, akafuata zaidi ushauri wa nahodha na mwenye meli. 1227:12 Mdo 27:7Kwa kuwa ile bandari ilikuwa haifai kukaa wakati wa majira ya baridi, wengi wakashauri kwamba tuendelee na safari wakitarajia kufika Foinike na kukaa huko kwa majira ya baridi. Hii ilikuwa bandari iliyoko katika kisiwa cha Krete ikikabili upande wa kusini-magharibi na kaskazini-magharibi.
Dhoruba Baharini
13Upepo mtulivu ulipoanza kuvuma toka kusini, wakadhani kuwa wangeweza kufikia lengo lao, hivyo wakangʼoa nanga na kusafiri wakipita kandokando ya pwani ya kisiwa cha Krete. 1427:14 Mk 4:37Lakini baada ya muda mfupi ikavuma tufani kubwa iitwayo “Eurakilo” toka kisiwa cha Krete. 15Meli ikapigwa na dhoruba na haikuweza kushindana na ule upepo, tukarudishwa baharini upepo ulikokuwa unaelekea. 1627:16 Mdo 27:30Hatimaye tukisafiri kupita chini ya kisiwa kidogo kiitwacho Kauda, ambapo kwa kuwa tulikuwa tumekingiwa upepo na hicho kisiwa, tuliweza kwa shida kuifunga mashua ya kuokolea watu. 1727:17 Mdo 27:26, 39Watu walipokwisha kuivuta mashua hiyo na kuiingiza katika meli, waliifunga kwa kamba chini ya meli yenyewe ili kuzishikanisha pamoja. Wakiogopa kupelekwa kwenye mchanga karibu na pwani ya Sirti, wakashusha matanga wakaiacha meli isukumwe na huo upepo. 1827:18 Yn 1:5; Mdo 27:19, 38; Yn 1:5Tulikuwa tunapigwa na dhoruba kwa nguvu, kiasi kwamba kesho yake walianza kutupa shehena toka melini. 1927:19 Yon 1:5Siku ya tatu, wakatupa vyombo vya meli baharini kwa mikono yao wenyewe. 20Kulipokuwa hakuna kuonekana kwa jua wala nyota kwa siku nyingi, nayo dhoruba ikiwa inaendelea kuwa kali, hatimaye tulikata kabisa tamaa ya kuokoka.
2127:21 Mdo 27:10; 27:7Baada ya watu kukaa siku nyingi bila kula chakula, Paulo akasimama katikati yao akasema, “Enyi watu, iliwapasa kunisikiliza na kuacha kusafiri baharini kutoka Krete, ndipo ninyi mngekuwa mmejinusuru na uharibifu huu na hasara hii. 2227:22 Mdo 7:25, 36Sasa ninawasihi sana, jipeni moyo mkuu kwa kuwa hakuna hata mmoja wenu atakayepoteza maisha yake, ila meli itaangamia. 2327:23 Mdo 5:19; Rum 1:9; 2Tim 4:19Jana usiku, malaika wa Mungu yule ambaye mimi ni wake na ambaye ninamwabudu alisimama karibu nami, 2427:24 Mdo 23:11naye akasema, ‘Paulo usiogope, kwa kuwa ni lazima usimame mbele ya Kaisari, naye Mungu amekupa kwa neema uhai wa wote wanaosafiri pamoja nawe. 2527:25 Rum 4:20, 21Hivyo jipeni moyo, enyi watu, kwa kuwa ninamwamini Mungu kwamba yatakuwa kama vile alivyoniambia.’ 2627:26 Mdo 28:1Lakini hata hivyo meli yetu itakwama kwenye kisiwa fulani.”
Maangamizi Ya Meli
27Usiku wa kumi na nne ulipofika, tulikuwa bado tunasukumwa na upepo katika Bahari ya Adria. Ilipokuwa yapata usiku wa manane, mabaharia wakahisi kwamba walikuwa wanakaribia nchi kavu. 28Kwa hiyo wakapima kina cha maji na kukuta kilikuwa pima ishirini,27:28 Pima 20 ni kama mita 40. baada ya kuendelea mbele kidogo wakapima tena wakapata kina cha pima kumi na tano.27:28 Pima 15 ni kama mita 30. 29Wakiogopa kwamba meli yetu ingegonga kwenye miamba, wakashusha nanga nne za nyuma ya meli, wakawa wanaomba kupambazuke. 3027:30 Mdo 27:16Katika jaribio la kutoroka kutoka kwenye meli, mabaharia wakashusha mashua ya kuokolea watu baharini, wakijifanya kwamba wanakwenda kushusha nanga za omo.27:30 Omo hapa maana yake ni sehemu ya mbele ya meli, yaani gubeti. 3127:31 Mdo 27:24Ndipo Paulo akamwambia yule jemadari na askari, “Hawa watu wasipobaki katika meli, hamtaweza kuokoka.” 32Hivyo basi wale askari wakakata kamba zilizoshikilia ile mashua ya kuokolea watu kwenye meli, wakaiacha ianguke humo baharini.
3327:33 Mdo 27:27Kabla ya mapambazuko, Paulo akawasihi watu wote wale chakula akisema, “Leo ni siku ya kumi na nne mmekuwa katika wasiwasi mkiwa mmefunga na bila kula chochote. 3427:34 Mt 10:30Kwa hiyo nawasihi mle chakula, kwa maana itawasaidia ili mweze kuishi. Kwa kuwa hakuna hata mmoja wenu atakayepoteza unywele hata mmoja kutoka kichwani mwake.” 3527:35 Mt 14:19Baada ya kusema maneno haya, Paulo akachukua mkate, akamshukuru Mungu mbele yao wote, akaumega akaanza kula. 3627:36 Mdo 27:22, 25Ndipo wote wakatiwa moyo, wakaanza kula chakula. 3727:37 Mdo 2:41; 7:14; Rum 13:1; 1Pet 3:20Ndani ya meli tulikuwa jumla ya watu 276. 3827:38 Yn 1:5Baada ya watu wote kula chakula cha kutosha, wakapunguza uzito wa meli kwa kutupa ngano baharini.
3927:39 Mdo 28:1Kulipopambazuka, mabaharia hawakuitambua ile nchi, lakini waliona ghuba yenye ufuko wa mchanga, ambako waliamua kuipweleza meli kama ingewezekana. 40Kwa hiyo wakatupa nanga zote na kuziacha baharini, na wakati huo huo wakalegeza kamba zilizokuwa zikishikilia usukani wa meli. Kisha wakatweka tanga la mbele lishike upepo na kuisukuma meli kuelekea pwani. 4127:41 2Kor 11:25Lakini wakafika mahali ambapo bahari mbili zinakutana, wakaipweleza meli ufuoni, omo ikakwama sana, ikawa haiwezi kuondolewa, lakini sehemu ya shetri27:41 Shetri ni sehemu ya nyuma ya meli ambayo pia huitwa tezi. ikavunjika vipande vipande kwa kule kupiga kwa mawimbi yenye nguvu.
42Wale askari wakapanga kuwaua wale wafungwa ili kuzuia hata mmoja wao asiogelee na kutoroka. 43Lakini yule jemadari alitaka kuokoa maisha ya Paulo, basi akawazuia askari wasitekeleze mpango wao. Akaamuru wale wanaoweza kuogelea wajitupe baharini kwanza, waogelee mpaka nchi kavu. 44Waliosalia wangefika nchi kavu kwa kutumia mbao au vipande vya meli iliyovunjika, hivyo ikatimia kwamba wote wakaokoka na kufika nchi kavu salama.
Paul sails for Rome
1When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment. 2We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
3The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs. 4From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. 8We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
9Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement.27:9 That is, Yom Kippur So Paul warned them, 10‘Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.’ 11But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 12Since the harbour was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbour in Crete, facing both south-west and north-west.
The storm
13When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the ‘North-Easter’, swept down from the island. 15The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17so 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 on the sand-bars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor27:17 Or the sails and let the ship be driven along. 18We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
21After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: ‘Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.’
The shipwreck
27On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic27:27 In ancient times the name referred to an area extending well south of Italy. Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28They took soundings and found that the water was forty metres deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was thirty metres deep. 29Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, ‘Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.’ 32So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. ‘For the last fourteen days,’ he said, ‘you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food – you haven’t eaten anything. 34Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.’ 35After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
39When daylight came, they did not recognise the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41But the ship struck a sand-bar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.
42The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.
