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

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But we must run aground on a certain island.”

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But 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.

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

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

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As 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,

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Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these stay in the ship, you can’t be saved.”

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

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While 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.

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

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When 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.

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

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

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

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

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Casting 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.

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But 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.

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

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But 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;

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and 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.

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When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called Malta.

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The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

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But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

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When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.”

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However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn’t harmed.

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But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

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Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and courteously entertained us for three days.

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It happened that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.

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Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came, and were cured.

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They also honored us with many honors, and when we sailed, they put on board the things that we needed.

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After three months, we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose sign was “The Twin Brothers.”

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Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

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From there we circled around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,

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where we found brothers, and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to Rome.

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From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage.

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When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

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It happened that after three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, “I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

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who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me.

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But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation.

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For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”

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They said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you.

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But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.”

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When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about the Kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.

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Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.

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When they didn’t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah, the prophet, to our fathers,

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saying, ‘Go to this people, and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive.

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For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.’

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“Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations. They will also listen.”

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When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.

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Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who were coming to him,

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preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.

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Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God,

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which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,

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concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

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who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

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through whom we received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name’s sake;

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among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ;

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to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.

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For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,

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requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.

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For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established;

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that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.

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Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you, and was hindered so far, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.

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I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.

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So, as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.

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For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

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For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”

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For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

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because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.

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For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse.

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Because, knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.

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Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

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and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.

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Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves,

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who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

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For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.

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Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.

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Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

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being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,

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backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

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without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;

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who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.

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Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.

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We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

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Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

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Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

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But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God;

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who “will pay back to everyone according to their works:”

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to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;

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but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath and indignation,

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oppression and anguish, on every soul of man who works evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

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But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

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For there is no partiality with God.

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For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

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For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified

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(for when Gentiles who don’t have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves,

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in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them)

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in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.

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Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, and rest on the law, and glory in God,