< back

Acts of the Apostles 27,33-44 (Paul's shipwreck at Malta on the way to Rome, to stand trial before Caesar)

33: [after a fortnight of storms] As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing.
34: Therefore I urge you to take some food; it will give you strength, since not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you."
35: And when he had said this, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.
36: Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves.
37: (We were in all two hundred and seventy-six persons in the ship.)
38: And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
39: Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to bring the ship ashore.
40: So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders; then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach.
41: But striking a shoal they ran the vessel aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was broken up by the surf.
42: The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape;
43: but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their purpose. He ordered those who could swim to throw themselves overboard first and make for the land,
44: and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all escaped to land.

Acts of the Apostles 28,1-10

1: After we had escaped, we then learned that the island was called Malta.
2: And the natives showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.
3: Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, when a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.
4: When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live."
5: He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
6: They waited, expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
7: Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.
8: It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery; and Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him.
9: And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.
10: They presented many gifts to us; and when we sailed, they put on board whatever we needed.