16. We passed the calmer side of a small island called Cauda. We almost lost the lifeboat.
17. So the men lifted it on board. Then they tied ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. They were afraid it would get stuck on the sandbars of Syrtis. They lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along.
18. We took a very bad beating from the storm. The next day the crew began to throw the ship's contents overboard.
19. On the third day, they even threw the ship's gear overboard with their own hands.
20. The sun and stars didn't appear for many days. The storm was terrible. So we gave up all hope of being saved.
21. The men had not eaten for a long time. Paul stood up in front of them. "Men," he said, "you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have avoided this harm and loss.
22. "Now I beg you to be brave. Not one of you will die. Only the ship will be destroyed.
23. I belong to God and serve him. Last night his angel stood beside me.
24. The angel said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must go on trial in front of Caesar. God has shown his grace by sparing the lives of all those sailing with you.'
25. "Men, continue to be brave. I have faith in God. It will happen just as he told me.
26. But we must run the ship onto the beach of some island."
27. On the 14th night we were still being driven across the Sea of Adria. About midnight the sailors had a feeling that they were approaching land.
28. They measured how deep the water was. They found that it was 120 feet deep. A short time later they measured the water again. This time it was 90 feet deep.
29. They were afraid we would crash against the rocks. So they dropped four anchors from the back of the ship. They prayed that daylight would come.
30. The sailors wanted to escape from the ship. So they let the lifeboat down into the sea. They pretended they were going to lower some anchors from the front of the ship.
31. But Paul spoke to the commander and the soldiers. "These men must stay with the ship," he said. "If they don't, you can't be saved."
32. So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat. They let it drift away.
33. Just before dawn Paul tried to get them all to eat. "For the last 14 days," he said, "you have wondered what would happen. You have gone without food. You haven't eaten anything.
34. Now I am asking you to eat some food. You need it to live. Not one of you will lose a single hair from your head."