1487 verses about Safety

The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!”

But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”

But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”

The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.

They went out of the prison, and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, and departed.

When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.

for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him.

Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.

For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.”

When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia.

They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted.

Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus.

When we had departed from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail.

When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

Immediately he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. They, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul.

Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.

Some shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he couldn’t find out the truth because of the noise, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks.

When he came to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd;

As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, “May I speak to you?” He said, “Do you know Greek?

When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”

When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”

The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”

Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.

When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.”

He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.”

He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.

“This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”

So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.

“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

When 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.

Embarking 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.

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

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

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

When 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.

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

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

and 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.”

Because 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.

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

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

When the ship was caught, and couldn’t face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along.

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

After 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.

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

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

When 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.

When 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.

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

saying, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’

But we must run aground on a certain island.”

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.

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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.”

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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;

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

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,

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.

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

“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.” 1 Kings 19:10,14

For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.

Through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.

You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness.

Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.