12. The harbour at Fair Havens wasn't a good place to spend the winter. Because of this, almost everyone agreed that we should at least try to sail along the coast of Crete as far as Phoenix. It had a harbour that opened towards the south-west and north-west, and we could spend the winter there.
13. When a gentle wind from the south started blowing, the men thought it was a good time to do what they had planned. So they pulled up the anchor, and we sailed along the coast of Crete.
14. But soon a strong wind called “The North-easter” blew against us from the island.
15. The wind struck the ship, and we could not sail against it. So we let the wind carry the ship.
16. We went along the island of Cauda on the side that was protected from the wind. We had a hard time holding the lifeboat in place,
17. but finally we got it where it belonged. Then the sailors tied ropes around the ship to hold it together. They lowered the sail and let the ship drift along, because they were afraid it might hit the sandbanks in the gulf of Syrtis.
18. The storm was so fierce that the next day they threw some of the ship's cargo overboard.
19. Then on the third day, with their bare hands they threw overboard some of the ship's gear.
20. For several days we could not see either the sun or the stars. A strong wind kept blowing, and we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
21. Since none of us had eaten anything for a long time, Paul stood up and told the men:You should have listened to me! If you had stayed on in Crete, you would not have had this damage and loss.
22. But now I beg you to cheer up, because you will be safe. Only the ship will be lost.
23. I belong to God, and I worship him. Last night he sent an angel
24. to tell me, “Paul, don't be afraid! You will stand trial before the Emperor. And because of you, God will save the lives of everyone on the ship.”
25. Cheer up! I am sure that God will do exactly what he promised.
26. But we will first be shipwrecked on some island.
27. For fourteen days and nights we had been blown around over the Mediterranean Sea. But about midnight the sailors realized that we were getting near land.
28. They measured and found that the water was about forty metres deep. A little later they measured again and found it was only about thirty metres.
29. The sailors were afraid that we might hit some rocks, and they let down four anchors from the back of the ship. Then they prayed for daylight.
30. The sailors wanted to escape from the ship. So they lowered the lifeboat into the water, pretending that they were letting down an anchor from the front of the ship.
31. But Paul said to Captain Julius and the soldiers, “If the sailors don't stay on the ship, you won't have any chance to save your lives.”