[continued from previous message]   
      
   [13] And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained   
   their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.   
   [14] But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called   
   Euroclydon.   
   [15] And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we   
   let her drive.   
   [16] And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much   
   work to come by the boat:   
   [17] Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship;   
   and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so   
   were driven.   
   [18] And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they   
   lightened the ship;   
   [19] And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the   
   ship.   
   [20] And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small   
   tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.   
   [21] But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and   
   said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from   
   Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.   
   [22] And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of   
   any man's life among you, but of the ship.   
   [23] For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom   
   I serve,   
   [24] Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo,   
   God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.   
   [25] Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be   
   even as it was told me.   
   [26] Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.   
   [27] But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down   
   in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some   
   country;   
   [28] And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a   
   little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.   
   [29] Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four   
   anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.   
   [30] And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had   
   let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast   
   anchors out of the foreship,   
   [31] Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in   
   the ship, ye cannot be saved.   
   [32] Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.   
   [33] And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat,   
   saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued   
   fasting, having taken nothing.   
   [34] Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health:   
   for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.   
   [35] And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in   
   presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.   
   [36] Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.   
   [37] And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen   
   souls.   
   [38] And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out   
   the wheat into the sea.   
      
   The Shipwreck   
      
   39 (Ac 28:1) When it was day, they did not recognize the land. But they   
   noticed a bay with a shore, into which they were determined to run the ship if   
   possible.   
   40 Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while loosening the   
   ropes that secured the rudders. Then they hoisted the mainsail to the wind   
   and made for shore.   
   41 But striking a sandbar where two seas met, they ran the ship aground.   
   The bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was broken up by the   
   violent surf.   
   42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim   
   away and escape.   
   43 (Ac 27:3) But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, prevented them from   
   their intent and ordered those who could swim to abandon ship first   
   and get to land,   
   44 (Ac 27:22) and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship.   
   And in this way they all escaped safely to land.   
      
   [39] And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a   
   certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were   
   possible, to thrust in the ship.   
   [40] And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto   
   the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the   
   wind, and made toward shore.   
   [41] And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground;   
   and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part   
   was broken with the violence of the waves.   
   [42] And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them   
   should swim out, and escape.   
   [43] But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose;   
   and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into   
   the sea, and get to land:   
   [44] And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship.   
   And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.   
      
   Acts 28   
      
   Paul in Malta   
      
   1 (Ac 27:26; 27:39) When they had escaped, they learned that the island   
   was called Malta.   
   2 (Ac 28:4; Ro 1:14) The natives showed extraordinary kindness, for they   
   kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because of the rain and the cold.   
   3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper   
   driven out by the heat fastened on his hand.   
   4 (Lk 13:2; 13:4) When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand,   
   they said to one another, "Surely this man is a murderer. Though he has   
   escaped from the sea, justice does not allow him to live."   
   5 (Mk 16:18; Lk 10:19) But he shook off the creature into the fire   
   and suffered no harm.   
   6 They expected him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But while   
   they waited and saw no harm befall him, they changed their minds   
   and said that he was a god.   
   7 In that area was an estate of the chief man of the island, named Publius,   
   who had welcomed us and courteously housed us for three days.   
   8 (Ac 9:40; Mt 9:18) It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with   
   a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and, placing his hands on him, prayed   
   and healed him.   
   9 When this happened, the rest on the island who had diseases also came   
   and were healed.   
   10 They honored us in many ways. And when we sailed, they provided us   
   with necessary supplies.   
      
   [1] And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called   
   Melita.   
   [2] And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled   
   a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because   
   of the cold.   
   [3] And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the   
   fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.   
   [4] And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they   
   said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath   
   escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.   
   [5] And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.   
   [6] Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead   
   suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to   
   him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.   
   [7] In the same quarters were possessions 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 pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and   
   of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on   
   him, and healed him.   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)