When Paul said these words in his defense, Festus cried, "Paul, you are
mad! Your great learning is driving you insane!" But Paul said, "I am
not insane, most noble Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. For
the King, to whom I can speak freely, knows about these things, for I am
sure that nothing escaped his notice, since this has not been done in a
corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do."
But Agrippa said to Paul, "With but little persuasion you would make me
a Christian!" Paul replied, "I pray to God that whether with little or
much not only you but also every one who hears me this day may become a
Christian as I am."
Then the King, together with the governor and Bernice and those who had
been sitting with them, rose and, when they were alone, they said to one
another, "This man has done nothing deserving of death or of
imprisonment." And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set
free if he had not appealed to the Emperor."
PAUL'S SHIPWRECK
When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, Paul and certain
other prisoners were placed in charge of Julius, an officer of the
Emperor's regiment. We went on board a ship which was bound for the
seaports of Asia Minor. The next day we stopped at Sidon, where Julius
very kindly allowed Paul to visit his friends and be entertained by
them. Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, for the
wind was against us. Then after sailing past Cilicia and Pamphylia, we
came to Myra in Lycia. There the officer found a ship from Alexandria
bound for Italy and put us on board. For many days we made slow progress
and it was only with great difficulty that we arrived off Cnidus. Then
as the wind was against us we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite
Cape Salmone, and after coasting along with great difficulty came to a
place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
As our voyage had taken some time and sailing had become dangerous (for
it was already late in October) Paul warned them, saying, "Men, I see
that the voyage will mean serious injury and loss, not only to the cargo
and the ship but also to our own lives." But the officer paid more
attention to the captain and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul
said. As the harbor was not a good one in which to winter, most of them
advised putting to sea from there, hoping that they could get to
Phœnix (a safe harbor) so as to winter there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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