Day 499 of 730

¹When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.

²Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.

³The next day, we landed at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself.

⁴Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

⁵When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

⁶There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board.

⁷When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.

⁸With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

⁹When much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished them,

¹⁰and said to them, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."

¹¹But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things which were spoken by Paul.

¹²Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking northeast and southeast.

¹³When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.

¹⁴But before long, a stormy wind beat down from shore, which is called Euraquilo.

¹⁵When the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along.

¹⁶Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.

¹⁷After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along.

¹⁸As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.

¹⁹On the third day, they threw out the ship's tackle with their own hands.

²⁰When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away.

²¹When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them, and said, "Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss.

²²Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

²³For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve,

²⁴saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.'

²⁵Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.

²⁶But we must run aground on a certain island."

²⁷But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land.

²⁸They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms. After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.

²⁹Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.

³⁰As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow,

³¹Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these stay in the ship, you cannot be saved."

³²Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off.

³³While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, "This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.

³⁴Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads."

³⁵When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat.

³⁶Then they all cheered up, and they also took food.

³⁷In all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship.

³⁸When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

³⁹When it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.

⁴⁰Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

⁴¹But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.

⁴²The soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape.

⁴³But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land;

⁴⁴and the rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So it happened that they all escaped safely to the land.

¹Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

²both low and high, rich and poor together.

³My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart shall utter understanding.

⁴I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.

⁵Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

⁶Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches-

⁷none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

⁸For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

⁹That he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.

¹⁰For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.

¹¹Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.

¹²But man, despite his riches, doesn't endure. He is like the animals that perish.

¹³This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.

¹⁴They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.

¹⁵But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.

¹⁶Do not be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased.

¹⁷For when he dies he shall carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend after him.

¹⁸Though while he lived he blessed his soul- and men praise you when you do well for yourself-

¹⁹he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.

²⁰A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.

¹My son, do not forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:

²for length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.

³Do not let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴So you will find favor, and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

⁶In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

⁸It will be health to your body, and nourishment to your bones.

⁹Honor the Lord with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:

¹⁰so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

¹¹My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, neither be weary of his reproof:

¹²for whom the Lord loves, he reproves; even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

¹³Happy is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gets understanding.

¹⁴For her good profit is better than getting silver, and her return is better than fine gold.

¹⁵She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.

¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.

¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness. All her paths are peace.

¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Happy is everyone who retains her.

¹⁹By wisdom the Lord founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens.

²⁰By his knowledge, the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

²¹My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

²²so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.

²³Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won't stumble.

²⁴When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:

²⁶for the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken.

²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again; tomorrow I will give it to you," when you have it by you.

²⁹Do not devise evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.

³⁰Do not strive with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

³¹Do not envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.

³²For the perverse is an abomination to the Lord, but his friendship is with the upright.

³³The Lord's curse is in the house of the wicked, but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.

³⁴Surely he is scornful to scoffers, but he gives grace to the humble.

³⁵The wise will inherit glory, but shame will be the promotion of fools.