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.”
32. The soldiers then cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall into the sea.
33. Just before daylight Paul begged the people to eat something. He told them, “For fourteen days you have been so worried that you haven't eaten a thing.
34. I beg you to eat something. Your lives depend on it. Do this and not one of you will be hurt.”
35. After Paul had said this, he took a piece of bread and gave thanks to God. Then in front of everyone, he broke the bread and ate some.
36. They all felt encouraged, and each of them ate something.
37. There were 276 people on the ship,
38. and after everyone had eaten, they threw the cargo of wheat into the sea to make the ship lighter.
39. Morning came, and the ship's crew saw a coast that they did not recognize. But they did see a cove with a beach. So they decided to try to run the ship aground on the beach.
40. They cut the anchors loose and let them sink into the sea. At the same time they untied the ropes that were holding the rudders. Next, they raised the sail at the front of the ship and let the wind carry the ship towards the beach.
41. But it ran aground on a sandbank. The front of the ship stuck firmly in the sand, and the rear was being smashed by the force of the waves.