21 “And when they had been long without food, then Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have set sail from Crete, and 22 have gotten this injury and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of God, whose I am, whom also I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Cæsar; and lo, God hath granted thee all them that sail with thee. 24 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me. 25 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island. 27 “But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some country; 28 and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms; and after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms. 29 And fearing lest haply we should be cast ashore on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for the day. 30 And as the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under color as tho they would lay out anchors from the foreship, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye can not be saved. 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Wherefore I beseech you to take some food; for this is for your safety; for there shall not a hair perish from the head of any of you. 35 And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat. 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also took food. 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, 39 throwing out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land; but they perceived a certain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could drive the ship upon it. 40 And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 41 But lighting upon a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the foreship struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by 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, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should 44 cast themselves overboard, and get first to the land; and the rest, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to the land. 1 “And when we were escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melita. 2 And the barbarians showed us no common kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, a viper came out by reason of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4 And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said one to another, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped from the sea, yet Justice hath not suffered to live. 5 Howbeit he shook off the beast into the fire, and took no harm. 6 But they expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly; but when they were long in expectation, and beheld nothing amiss come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.”
QUESTIONS.
(1) Trace the course of the voyage to Rome, as far as our last lesson carried us. (2) What difficulties were encountered? and what warning had those in command received? (3) When all hope was given up, what did Paul do? What did he say was the cause of their present trouble? Chapter 27: 21. (4) Nevertheless, what exhortation and assurance did he give them? V. 22. (5) What authority had he for this statement? What did he say of his own relation to God? V. 23. (6) What had the angel said to Paul? What did he say that God had given to Paul? V. 24. (7) To what did Paul therefore exhort them? Why was he so confident? V. 25. (8) Nevertheless, what did he say must take place? V. 26. (9) When was it that the sailors thought they were near land? V. 27. (10) What evidence had they? V. 28. (11) What measures did they then take for safety? V. 29. (12) What cowardly act were the sailors about to do? How was this frustrated? Vs. 30–32. (13) As the day dawned, what did Paul desire all to do? How long had they fasted? Verse 33. (14) What did he again assure them? For what did he have thought? V. 34. (15) Having said this, what did he do? What was the effect of his words and example? Vs. 35, 36. (16) How many were on board the ship? Having eaten, what did they do? Vs. 37, 38. (17) What did they discover as soon as it was day? and what did they try to do? V. 39. (18) How did they proceed? and what was the result? Vs. 40, 41. (19) What did the soldiers advise? V. 42. (20) Who kept them from their purpose? Why? What orders did the centurion give? What was the result? Vs. 43, 44. (21) When they came to land, what did they find it to be? Chapter 28: 1. (22) How were they treated by the people of the island? V. 2. (23) How did Paul busy himself? What happened to him as he worked? V. 3. (24) How did the13people of the island regard this? V. 4. (25) How much ado did Paul make over it? V. 5. (26) What did the barbarians confidently expect to see? When they saw that no harm followed, what did they conclude? V. 6.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
(1) Who virtually took command of the ship when it got into danger? (2) How was Ps. 116:10; 2 Cor. 4:13 fulfilled in the case before us? (3) What statement of Christ concerning the immunity of His servants from danger by serpents was fulfilled in Paul’s case? Quote the scripture.
