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not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence alfo, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the fouth-west, 13 and north-weft. And when the fouth-wind blew foftly, fuppofing that they had obtained their pur14 pofe, loofing thence they failed clofe by Crete. But

not long after there arofe against it a tempeftuous 15 wind, called Euroclydon. And when the fhip was

caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let 16 her drive. And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the 17 boat: Which when they had taken up, they ufed helps, undergirding the thip; and fearing left they should fall into the quick-fands, ftruck fail, and fo 18 were driven. And we being exceedingly toffed with a tempeft, the next day they lightened the fhip; 19 And the third day we caft out with our own hands 20 the tackling of the fhip. And when neither fun nor

ftars in many days appeared (c), and no fmall tempeft lay on us, all hope that we fhould be faved was then 21 taken away. But after long abftinence, Paul ftood forth in the midst of them, and faid, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loofed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and lofs. 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no lofs of any man's life among you, 23 but of the fhip. For there ftood by me this night

the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought be

fore Cefar and lo, God hath given thee all them 25 that fail with thee. Wherefore, firs, be of good

(c) The mariner's compafs not being then found out, they had no means to direct their courfe by, but the obfervations they could take from the fun by day, and the ftars by night; but neither one nor the other appearing, they could not judge where they were.

cheer:

cheer for I believe God, that it shall be even as it 26 was told me. Howbeit, we must be caft upon a 27 certain ifland. But when the fourteenth night was

come, as we were driven up and down in Adria (d) about midnight, the fhipmen deemed that they 28 drew near to fome country : And founded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they founded again, and found it fif29 teen fathoms (e). Then fearing left they should have fallen upon rocks, they caft four anchors, out of 30 the ftern, and wifhed for the day. And as the fhipmen were about to flee out of the fhip, when they had let down the boat into the fea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the fore31 fhip, Paul faid to the centurion, and to the foldiers, Except these abide in the fhip, ye cannot be faved (f). Then the foldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. And while the day was coming on, Paul befought them all to take meat, faying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried (g), 34 and continued fafting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take fome meat: for this is for your health (b) for there fhall not an hair fall from the And when he had thus fpoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in prefence of them all, and when he had broken it, he began

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35 head of any of you.

(d) That part of the Mediterranean fea, which runs into the gulph of Venice, was then called the Adriatick.

(e) The fea being fhallower than when they founded before, they concluded that land was near.

(f) The feamen muft not be fuffered to quit the ship, for without their help you will be loft.

(g) All this day, which is now the fourteenth day fince we left Fair-haven, in Crete (Verfe 8.) you have been fafting.

(h) Having exhaufted your fpirits and ftrength by the fatigue you have undergone, meat is abfolutely neceffary to fupport you. For, much labour fill remains. However, do not defpair; you will all efcape at laft unhurt.

36 to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and they 37 alfo took fome meat. And we were in all in the 38 fhip, two hundred threescore and fixteen fouls. And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the fhip, 39 and caft out the wheat into the fea. And when it was day they knew not the land: but they difcovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were poffible, to thruft in the 40 fhip. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the fea, and loofed the rudder-bands, and hoifted up the main fail to the 41 wind, and made toward fhore. And falling into a place where two feas met, they ran the fhip a ground; and the fore part ftuck faft, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with 42 the violence of the waves. And the foldiers counsel was to kill the prisoners, left any of them fhould 43 fwim out, and efcape. But the centurion, willing to fave Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that they which could fwim, fhould caft 44 themselves firft into the fea, and get to land: And the reft, fome on boards, and fome on broken pieces of the fhip And fo it came to pafs that they escaped all fafe to land.

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CHA P. XXVIII.

ND when they were efcaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. And the barbarous people fhewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because 3 of the prefent rain, and becaufe of the cold. And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the, 4 heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians

barians faw the venomous beast (a) hang on his hand, they faid among themfelves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, 5 yet vengeance fuffereth not to live. And he fhook 6 off the beaft into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have fwollen, or fallen down dead fuddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and faw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and faid that he was a God. 7 In the fame quarters were poffeffions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. 8 And it came to pafs, that the father of Publius lay fick of a fever, and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, 9 and healed him. So when this was done, others alfo which had difeafes in the island, came, and 10 were healed: Who alfo honoured us with many

honours (b), and when we departed, they laded us II with fuch things as were neceffary. And after three months we departed in a fhip of Alexandria, which had wintered in the ifle, whofe fign was Caftor and 12 Pollux (c). And landing at Syracufe, we tarried 13 there three days. And from thence we fetched a com

pafs, and came to Rhegium (d): and after one day

(a) The viper is a venomous creature, whose bite, without immediate help, is mortal.

(b) Paid us much refpect; which however, we may be sure, was not of the nature of religious worship; for that was always refused by the Apoftles. See Chap. x. 26. xiv. 15.

(c) The fhip was called by that name, and had on its forepart the figures of Caflor and Pollux, who being fons of their great God Jupiter, and reckoned propitious to navigation, were held in as great veneration by Heathen feamen, as St. Antony is at present by many Romish ones.

(d) In order to avoid a dangerous whirlpool called Scylla, instead of fteering a ftraight courfe, they fetched a compass, that is, they kept out a little, and coafted along the island of Sicily, and fo came to Rhegium, in Italy.

the

the fouth wird blew, and we came the next day to 14 Puteoli: Where we found brethren (e), and were

defired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went 15 toward Rome (f). And from thence, when the brethren (g) heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii-forum (h), and the Three-taverns: whom when Paul faw, he thanked God, and took courage. 16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prifoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was fuffered to dwell by himfelf, with a foldier 17 that kept him. And it came to pass, that after threedays, Paul called the chief of the Jews together. And when they were come together, he faid unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people (i) or cuftoms of our fathers, yet was I delivered prifoner from Jerufalem into 18 the hands of the Romans. Who when they had examined me (k), would have let me go, because there 19 was no caufe of death in me. But when the Jews fpake against it, I was conftrained to appeal unto Cefar; not that I had ought to accufe my nation of.. 20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to fee

you, and to speak with you because that for the hope 21 of Ifrael (/), I am bound with this chain. And they faid unto him, We neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came, fhewed or fpake any harm of thee. 22 But we defire to hear of thee what thou thinkeft: for as concerning this fect, we know that every

(e) Some fellow-chriftians.

(f) We then fet forward by land on the road to Rome; · (g) The chriftians who were at Rome.

(h) Some came to meet us at Three-taverns: others came as far as Appii-forum.

(i) The people fignifies the nation of the Jews. See Chap. xxvi. 17. (k) When they had enquired into the charge against me..

(4) The hope of Ifrael was the Meffiah, and the refurrection of the dead. Chap. xxiii. 6. xxvi. 6. .

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