the ship were two hundred and seventy-six persons. 38 When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea. 39 When day came, they could not recognize the land, but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders; then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. 41 But striking a sandbar they ran the vessel aground; the bow stuck fast and remained immovable, and the stern was broken up by the pounding of the surf. 42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest on planks or on various pieces of the ship. And so it happened that they were all brought safely to land. 28 1 When we had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The natives showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live." 5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They waited, expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but after they had waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. 7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed sick with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed. 11 After three months we set sail in a ship which had wintered in the island, an Alexandrian ship, with the Twin Brothers as figurehead. 12 After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found some brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brethren, when they heard of us, came from