Vezot HaBrachah Gospel

Acts of the Jewish Apostles 27-28
Act 27:1 And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Sha’ul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a captain of the Augustan regiment.
Act 27:2 And having embarked in a ship from Adramyttium, about to sail along the coasts of Asia, did set sail. Aristarchos, a Makedonian of Thessalonike, was with us.
Act 27:3 And on the next day we landed at Tsiḏon. And Julius treated Sha’ul kindly and allowed him to go to his friends to receive attention.
Act 27:4 And from there we put out to sea and sailed close to Cyprus, because the winds were against us.
Act 27:5 And having sailed over the sea along Kilikia and Pamphulia, we came to Mura, of Lukia.
Act 27:6 And there the captain, having found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, did put us on board.
Act 27:7 And having sailed slowly many days, and arriving with difficulty off Knidos, the wind not allowing us to proceed, we sailed close to Crete, off Salmone.
Act 27:8 And passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
Act 27:9 And much time having passed, and the sailing now being dangerous, because the Fast was already over, Sha’ul advised them,
Act 27:10 saying, “Men, I see that this voyage is going to end with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”
Act 27:11 But the captain was persuaded by the pilot and the owner of the ship, rather than what Sha’ul said.
Act 27:12 And because the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the greater part advised to set sail from there too, if somehow they were able to reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, to pass the winter.
Act 27:13 And a south wind blowing softly, thinking they had obtained their purpose, having lifted anchor, they sailed along Crete, close inshore.
Act 27:14 And not long after, a stormy head wind rushed down from it, called Northeaster.
Act 27:15 And when the ship was caught in it, and unable to head against the wind, we let her go and were driven.
Act 27:16 And having run under a small island called Klauda, we were hardly able to control the small boat.
Act 27:17 And having hoisted it, they used helps to undergird the ship. And fearing lest they should run aground on Surtis, they lowered the tackle and so were driven.
Act 27:18 And because we were exceedingly storm-tossed, the next day they began to throw overboard.
Act 27:19 And on the third day we threw out the ship’s tackle with our own hands.
Act 27:20 When, now, neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm beat on us, all expectancy that we would be saved was taken away.
Act 27:21 And when there had been a long abstinence from food, then Sha’ul, standing in the midst of them, said, “Truly, men, you should have listened to me not to have sailed from Crete and sustained this damage and loss.
Act 27:22 “And now I urge you to take courage, for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
Act 27:23 “For tonight a messenger of the Elohim to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by me,
Act 27:24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Sha’ul, you have to be brought before Caesar. And look, Elohim has favorably given you all those who sail with you.’
Act 27:25 “Therefore take courage, men, for I believe Elohim that it shall be according to the way it was spoken to me.
Act 27:26 “However, we need to run aground on some island.”
Act 27:27 And when the fourteenth night came, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were drawing near some land.
Act 27:28 So, taking soundings, they found it to be twenty fathoms. And a little farther on they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms.
Act 27:29 And, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and were praying for day to come.
Act 27:30 But when the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under pretence of going to cast out anchors from the prow,
Act 27:31 Sha’ul said to the captain and the soldiers, “If these do not remain in the ship, it is impossible for you to be saved.”
Act 27:32 Then the soldiers did cut the ropes of the boat and let it fall off.
Act 27:33 And when day was about to come, Sha’ul urged them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have continued without food, and eaten none at all.
Act 27:34 “So I urge you to take food, for this concerns your safety, since not a hair shall fall from the head of any of you.”
Act 27:35 And having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to Elohim in the presence of them all. And when he had broken it he began to eat.
Act 27:36 And they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.
Act 27:37 And all of us were two hundred and seventy-six beings in the ship.
Act 27:38 And being satisfied with food, they were lightening the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
Act 27:39 And when day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noted a certain bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible.
Act 27:40 And having cast off the anchors, they left them in the sea, meanwhile untying the rudder ropes. And they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.
Act 27:41 But coming upon a place where two seas met, they grounded the ship, and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was broken by the pounding of the surf.
Act 27:42 And the soldiers intended to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape.
Act 27:43 But the captain, intending to save Sha’ul, kept them from their intention, and commanded those able to swim to jump first and get to land,
Act 27:44 and the rest, some indeed on boards, and some on items of the ship. And so it came to be that all reached the land in safety.
Act 28:1 And having come to safety, they then learned that the island was called Melite.
Act 28:2 And the foreigners showed us extraordinary kindness, for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.
Act 28:3 But Sha’ul, having gathered a bundle of sticks, and having laid them on the fire, an adder came out because of the heat, and fastened itself on his hand.
Act 28:4 And when the foreigners saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man is certainly a murderer, whom, though saved from the sea, still right-ruling does not allow to live.”
Act 28:5 Then, indeed, he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no evil.
Act 28:6 And expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead, they waited for a long time and saw no harm come to him, changing their minds they said that he was a mighty one.
Act 28:7 And in the neighborhood of that place there were lands of the chief of the island, whose name was Poplius, who received us and housed us in a friendly way for three days.
Act 28:8 And it came to be that the father of Poplius lay sick with inflammation and dysentery. Sha’ul went in to him, and having prayed he laid his hands on him and healed him.
Act 28:9 And when this took place, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed,
Act 28:10 who also respected us in many ways. And when we were setting sail, they provided us with our needs.
Act 28:11 And after three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and whose figurehead was “Twin Brothers.”1 Footnote: 1Or Sons of Zeus, or Castor and Pollux.
Act 28:12 And having landed at Syracuse, we stayed three days,
Act 28:13 from which place we went round and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew, and the second day we came to Puteoli,
Act 28:14 where we found brothers, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome.
Act 28:15 And when the brothers there heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Forum of Appius and Three Taverns. When Sha’ul saw them, he thanked Elohim and took courage.
Act 28:16 And when we came to Rome, the captain delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Sha’ul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him.
Act 28:17 And it came to be after three days that Sha’ul called the leaders of the Yehuḏim together. And when they had come together, he said to them, “Men, brothers, though I have done none at all against our people or the practices of our fathers, I was delivered as a prisoner from Yerushalayim into the hands of the Romans,
Act 28:18 who, when they had examined me, intended to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death.
Act 28:19 “But the Yehuḏim spoke against it, and I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation.
Act 28:20 “This therefore is the reason I called for you, to see you and speak with you. It is because of the expectation of Yisra’ĕl that I am bound with this chain.”
Act 28:21 And they said to him, “We neither received letters from Yehuḏah concerning you, nor have any of the brothers who came reported or spoken whatever wicked about you.
Act 28:22 “And we think it right to hear from you what you think, for indeed, concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”
Act 28:23 And having appointed him a day, many came to him where he was staying, to whom he was explaining, earnestly witnessing about the reign of Elohim, and persuading them concerning יהושע from both the Torah of Moshe and the Prophets, from morning until evening.
Act 28:24 And some indeed were persuaded by what was said, but some believed not.
Act 28:25 And disagreeing with one another, they began to leave, after Sha’ul had spoken one word, “The Set-apart Spirit rightly spoke through Yesha’Yahu the prophet to our fathers,
Act 28:26 saying, ‘Go to this people and say, “Hearing you shall hear but by no means understand, and seeing you shall see but by no means perceive,
Act 28:27 for the heart of this people has become thickened, and with their ears they heard heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn back, and I should heal them.” ’1 Footnote: 1See Mt. 13:15.
Act 28:28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the deliverance of Elohim has been sent to the goyim, and they shall hear!”
Act 28:29 And when he had said these words, the Yehuḏim went away and had a great dispute among themselves.
Act 28:30 And Sha’ul stayed two entire years in his own rented house, and was receiving all who came to him,
Act 28:31 proclaiming the reign of Elohim and teaching about the Master יהושע Messiah with all boldness, unhindered.