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30 such as I am, except these bonds." Then the king rose up, and the governor also, and Bernicè, and those 31 who sat with them. And when they had gone aside,

they spake among themselves, saying, "This man doeth 32 nothing worthy of death or of bonds." And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cæsar."

CH. XXVII. Now when it was determined that we should sail to

Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were delivered to a 2 centurion of the Augustan band, named Julius. Then we entered into a ship of Adramyttium, and loosed, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; Aristarchus, a Mace3 donian of Thessalonica, being with us. And the next day we arrived at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul humanely, and gave him liberty to go to his friends, to be 4 taken care of. And when we had loosed thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pam6 phylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and put us therein.

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And when we sailed slowly for many days, and were scarcely come over-against Cnidus, the wind not suffer8 ing us, we sailed under Crete, over-against Salmonè: and, hardly passing by it, we came to a place which is called The fair havens; near which was the city of Laséa.

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Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now become dangerous, because even the Jewish fast was 10 now ended, Paul warned them, saying unto them, "Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with harm and much damage, not to the lading and the ship only, but to our11 selves also." However, the centurion believed the pilot, and the owner of the ship, more than the things spoken 12 by Paul. And because the haven was not commodious

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to winter in, the greater part advised to loose thence also, if by any means they might reach Phenicè, and winter there: which is an haven of Crete, lying toward the 13 south-west and west. And when the south wind blew softly, having supposed that they should obtain their purpose, they weighed anchor, and passed close by Crete. 14 But, not long after, a tempestuous wind, called Euro15 clydon, beat against the island. And when the ship was

borne away, and could not face the wind, we gave her 16 up, and were driven. And when we had run under a certain small island, called Clauda, we were scarcely able 17 to become masters of the boat: which when the sailors had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, 18 they struck sail, and thus were driven. And, we being

exceedingly tossed by a tempest, the next day they light19 ened the ship: and the third day we cast out with our 20 own hands the tackling of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be preserved was thenceforth taken away.

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But, after long abstinence, Paul stood in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened to me, and not have loosed from Crete, but have prevented this 22 harm and damage. And now I exhort you to be of good courage: for there shall be no

23 but of the ship there shall be loss.

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loss of life among you,

For there stood by me

this night an angel of that God, whose I am, and whom 24 I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar and, lo, God hath graciously given to 25 thee all who sail with thee.' Wherefore, sirs, be of good

courage: for I believe God, that it will be as it hath been 26 told me. However, we must be cast upon a certain

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island."

But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic sea, about midnight

the sailors thought that they drew near to some country; 28 and sounded, and found it twenty fathoms and, when

they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and 29 found it fifteen fathoms. Then fearing lest we should

fall upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, 30 and wished for day. And as the sailors sought to escape

out of the ship, and had let down the boat into the sea, under pretence as if they were about to cast anchors out 31 of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion, and to the soldiers, "Unless these remain in the ship, ye cannot be 32 preserved." Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her go off.

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And, while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to partake of food, saying, "To-day is the fourteenth day of the storm, during which we have waited, 34 and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I exhort you to partake of food: for this concerns your safety for an hair shall not fall from the head of 35 any among you." And, when he had thus spoken, he

took bread, and gave thanks to God before them all; and, 36 when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then they were 37 all of good courage; and they also took food. Now all

of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy persons. 38 And when they were satisfied with food, they lightened the ship, and threw the corn into the sea.

39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they observed a certain creek with an even shore, into which they were determined, if it were possible, to thrust 40 the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed the ship to the sea, and loosed the bands of the rudders, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, 41 and made toward shore. And having reached a place which had the sea on both sides, they ran the ship on ground; and the fore part stuck fast, and remained immoveable, but the hinder part was broken by the violence 42 of the waves. Now the counsel of the soldiers was, to

kill the prisoners; lest any of them should swim out, and 43 escape. But the centurion, wishing to preserve Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should cast themselves into the sea, and 44 get first to land: and that the rest should save themselves, some on boards, and some on things belonging to the ship and thus it came to pass that all escaped safe to land.

CH. XXVII. And when they had escaped safe, they then knew 2 that the island was called Meiita. And the barbarians shewed us no common humanity: for they kindled a fire, and brought us all to it, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

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And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, a viper came out of the heat, and 4 fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the serpent hanging on his hand, they said among themselves, "No doubt this man is a murtherer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance hath not permitted 5 to live." But Paul shook off the serpent into the fire, 6 and suffered no harm. However, they expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but expecting a great while, and seeing no harm befal him, "they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

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Now in the neighbourhood of that place were pos sessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and entertained us kindly three 8 days. And it came to pass that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever, and of a flux to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and put his hands on him, and cured him. 9 So when this was done, others also, that had diseases in 10 the island, came and were cured: who also bestowed on

us many gifts*; and, when we departed, laded the ship with such things as were necessary.

* honours; N. See the Primate's margin, and Bishop Pearce's Commentary and

note.

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And, after three months, we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the island; whose 12 sign was Castor and Pollux. And having landed at Sy13 racuse, we remained there three days. And thence we coasted round, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the second day 14 to Puteoli: where we found brethren, and were desired to remain with them seven days: and then we went to15 ward Rome. And when the brethren heard about us, they came thence to meet us as far as Appii forum, and the Three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

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And when we came to Rome [the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but] Paul was suffered to remain apart, with the soldier who kept him. 17 And it came to pass after three days, that Paul called the chief of the Jews together. And when they were assembled, he said to them, Brethren, though I have committed nothing against my people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem 18 into the hands of the Romans: who, when they had ex

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amined me, would have released me, since there was no 19 cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against

this, I was compelled to appeal unto Cæsar; not as hav20 ing aught to accuse my nation of. On this account

therefore I have called for you, that I might see you, and speak with you: because for the hope of Israel I am 21 bound with this chain." Then they said unto him, "We have neither received letters from Judæa concerning thee, nor hath any one of our brethren who came hither related 22 or spoken any thing bad of thee. But we desire to hear from thee what thou thinkest: for, as to this sect, we 23 know that every where it is spoken against." And when they had appointed him a day, many came to him into his lodging: to whom he explained and gave testimony to the kingdom of God, using persuasion to them about the

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