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 harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.
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 Northeaster, 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 sandbars 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 a hundred and twenty feet27:28 Or about 37 meters deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet27:28 Or about 27 meters 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 recognize 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 sandbar 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.
Paulo Apita ku Roma
1Zitatsimikizika kuti tiyenera kupita ku Italiya pa sitima ya pa madzi, anamupereka Paulo pamodzi ndi a mʼndende ena kwa msilikali wolamulira asilikali 100, dzina lake Yuliyo, amene anali wa gulu la asilikali lotchedwa, Gulu la Mfumu. 2Tinakwera sitima ya pamadzi yochokera ku Adramutiyo imene inali yokonzeka kale kupita ku madooko a ku Asiya, ndipo tinanyamuka. Aristariko, wa ku Makedoniya wa ku mzinda wa Tesalonika, anali nafe.
3Mmawa mwake tinafika ku Sidoni; ndipo Yuliyo, mokomera mtima Paulo, anamulola kupita kwa abwenzi ake kuti akamupatse zosowa zake. 4Kuchokera kumeneko tinayambanso ulendo pa nyanja ndipo tinadutsa kumpoto kwa chilumba cha Kupro chifukwa mphepo imawomba kuchokera kumene ife timapita. 5Titawoloka nyanja mbali ya gombe la Kilikiya ndi Pamfiliya, tinakafika ku Mura, mzinda wa ku Lukia. 6Kumeneko wolamulira asilikali 100 uja anapeza sitima ya pamadzi ya ku Alekisandriya imene imapita ku Italiya, ndipo anatikweza mʼmenemo. 7Tinayenda pangʼonopangʼono kwa masiku ambiri ndipo tinakafika kufupi ndi Knido movutikira. Pamene mphepo sinatilole kupitirira ulendo wathu molunjika, tinadzera kummwera kwa chilumba cha Krete, moyangʼanana ndi Salimoni. 8Timayenda movutikira mʼmbali mwa chilumbacho ndipo tinafika pa malo wotchedwa Madooko Okoma, pafupi ndi mzinda wa Laseya.
9Tinataya nthawi yayitali, ndipo kuyenda pa nyanja kunali koopsa chifukwa nʼkuti tsopano nthawi yosala kudya itapita kale. Choncho Paulo anawachenjeza kuti, 10“Anthu inu, ine ndikuona kuti ulendo wathuwu ukhala woopsa ndipo katundu ndi sitima ziwonongeka, ngakhalenso miyoyo yathu.” 11Koma wolamulira asilikali 100 uja, mʼmalo momvera zimene Paulo amanena, anatsatira malangizo a woyendetsa sitimayo ndiponso mwini wa sitimayo. 12Popeza kuti dookolo silinali labwino kukhalako nthawi yozizira anthu ambiri anaganiza kuti tichoke. Ife tinkayembekeza kukafika ku Foinikisi ndi kukhala kumeneko nthawi yachisanu. Ili linali dooko la ku Krete, limene limaloza kummwera cha kumadzulo ndiponso kumpoto cha kumadzulo.
Namondwe pa Nyanja
13Mphepo yochokera kummwera itayamba kuwomba pangʼonopangʼono, anthuwo anaganiza kuti apeza chimene amafuna; kotero analowetsa nangula ndipo anayamba kuyenda mʼmbali mwa chilumba cha Krete. 14Pasanathe nthawi yayitali, mphepo yamkuntho yotchedwa Eurokulo, inayamba kuwomba kuchokera ku chilumbacho. 15Mphepo yamkunthoyo inawomba sitima ija ndipo sinathe kulimbana nayo, kotero ife tinayigonjera ndi kuyamba kutengedwa nayo. 16Tikudutsa mʼmbali mwa kachilumba kakangʼono kotchedwa Kawuda, tinavutika kuti tisunge bwato lopulumukiramo. 17Anthuwo atakweza bwatolo mʼsitima, anakulunga zingwe sitimayo kuti ayilimbitse. Poopa kuti angakagunde mchenga wa ku Surti, iwo anatsitsa nangula ndi kuyilola sitima kuti idzingoyenda ndi mphepo. 18Ife tinavutika kwambiri ndi namondwe kotero kuti mmawa mwake tinayamba kuponya katundu mʼmadzi. 19Pa tsiku lachitatu anaponya mʼnyanja zipangizo za mʼsitima ndi manja awo. 20Sitinaone dzuwa kapena nyenyezi kwa masiku ambiri ndipo namondwe anapitirira kuwomba kwambiri, pomaliza ife tonse tinalibenso chiyembekezo choti nʼkupulumuka.
21Anthu aja atakhala nthawi yayitali osadya, Paulo anayimirira pakati pawo ndipo anati, “Anthu inu, mukanamvera malangizo anga oti tisachoke ku Krete: zonsezi sizikanawonongeka ndi kutayika. 22Koma tsopano ndikuti limbani mtima, chifukwa palibe aliyense wa inu amene adzataya moyo wake; koma sitima yokhayi idzawonongeka. 23Usiku wathawu mngelo wa Mulungu, Mulungu amene ine ndili wake ndipo ndimamutumikira, anayima pafupi ndi ine, 24ndipo iyeyu anati, ‘Usachite mantha, Paulo. Ukuyenera kukayima pamaso pa Kaisara; ndipo Mulungu mwa kukoma mtima kwake wakupatsa miyoyo ya anthu onse amene ukuyenda nawo.’ 25Tsono limbani mtima, anthu inu, pakuti ine ndili ndi chikhulupiriro mwa Mulungu kuti zichitika monga momwe wandiwuzira. 26Komabe tiyenera kukatsakamira pa chilumba china chake.”
Kuwonongeka kwa Sitima
27Pakati pa usiku wa tsiku la khumi ndi chinayi tikukankhidwabe ndi mphepo mʼnyanja ya Adriya, oyendetsa sitimayo anazindikira kuti timayandikira ku mtunda. 28Iwo anatenga choyezera kuzama kwa nyanja ndi kupeza kuti kuzama kwake kunali mamita 36. Atayendanso pangʼono anatenganso choyezera chija napeza kuti kuzama kwake kunali 27. 29Poopa kuti tingagunde miyala, iwo anatsitsira anangula anayi mʼmadzi kumbuyo kwa sitimayo ndipo tinapemphera kuti kuche. 30Pofuna kuthawa mʼsitimayo, oyendetsa aja anatsitsira mʼnyanja bwato lopulumukiramo nʼkumachita ngati akufuna kutsitsira anangula mʼnyanjamo kutsogolo kwa sitimayo. 31Pamenepo Paulo anawuza wolamulira asilikali uja ndi asilikaliwo kuti, “Ngati anthu awa sakhala mʼsitima muno, inu simungapulumuke.” 32Pamenepo asilikaliwo anadula zingwe za bwatolo ndipo linagwera mʼmadzi.
33Kutatsala pangʼono kucha, Paulo anawawumiriza anthu onse kuti adye. Iye anati, “Kwa masiku khumi ndi anayi mwakhala mukuda nkhawa ndipo simumadya kanthu kalikonse. 34Tsopano ine ndikukupemphani kuti mudye. Muyenera kudya kuti mupulumuke. Palibe ndi mmodzi yemwe wa inu adzataye ngakhale tsitsi limodzi la pamutu pake.” 35Paulo atanena zimenezi, anatenga buledi nayamika Mulungu pamaso pa onse. Ndipo ananyema bulediyo nayamba kudya. 36Onse analimba mtima nayamba kudyanso. 37Tonse pamodzi mʼsitimamo tinalipo anthu 276. 38Onse atadya, nakhuta anapeputsa sitimayo potaya tirigu mʼnyanja.
39Kutacha, anthu sanazindikire dzikolo, koma anaona pomwe sitima zimayimapo pamodzi ndi mchenga wa pa gombe. Iwo anaganiza zokocheza sitimayo kumeneko ngati zikanatheka kutero. 40Atadula anangula aja, nawasiya mʼnyanja, pa nthawi yomweyo anamasula zingwe zimene anamangira zowongolera sitimayo. Kenaka anayimika chinsalu chimene mphepo imakankha kuti sitima iyende, ndipo anayamba kupita ku gombe. 41Koma sitimayo inagunda mchenga wobisika ndipo inayima. Mbali ya kutsogolo ya sitimayo inakanirira ndipo sinathe kuyendanso, ndipo mbali yakumbuyo inasweka ndi kuwomba kwa mafunde.
42Asilikali anaganiza za kupha amʼndende onse, kuti angasambire kupita pa mtunda ndi kuthawa. 43Koma wolamulira asilikali uja anafuna kupulumutsa Paulo ndipo anawaletsa kuchita zimene anakonza. Iye analamulira asilikali kuti amene amatha kusambira kuti adziponye mʼmadzi ndi kuyamba kukafika pa mtunda. 44Otsalawo anayenera kugwira matabwa kapena tizidutswa ta sitimayo. Motero onse anapulumuka nakafika pa mtunda.
