Acts 27:27-44

The fourteenth night had come and we were drifting and being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors began to suspect that they were approaching some land. So they took soundings [using a weighted line] and found [the depth to be] twenty fathoms (120 feet); and a little farther on they sounded again and found [the depth to be] fifteen fathoms (90 feet). Then fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern [to slow the ship] and kept wishing for daybreak to come. But as the sailors were trying to escape [secretly] from the ship and had let down the skiff into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain on the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes that held the skiff and let it fall and drift away. While they waited for the day to dawn, Paul encouraged them all [and told them] to have some food, saying, “This is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly on watch and going without food, having eaten nothing. So I urge you to eat some food, for this is for your survival; for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all, and he broke it and began to eat. Then all of them were encouraged and their spirits improved, and they also ate some food. All told there were two hundred and seventy-six of us aboard the ship. After they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the wheat [from Egypt] overboard into the sea. When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, and they decided to run the ship ashore there if they could. So they cut the cables and severed the anchors and left them in the sea while at the same time unlashing the ropes of the rudders; and after hoisting the foresail to the wind, they headed steadily for the beach. But striking a reef with waves breaking in on either side, they ran the ship aground. The prow (forward point) stuck fast and remained immovable, while the stern began to break up under the [violent] force of the waves. The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would dive overboard and swim [to land] and escape; but the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from [carrying out] their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to the shore; and [he commanded] the rest to follow, some on [floating] planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it was that all of them were brought safely to land.