the next day they cast the cargo overboard, and on the third day with our own hands we cast overboard the furniture of the ship. And neither sun nor stars appearing for many days, and no slight storm being upon us, at last all hope that we should be saved was taken away.

5 Then there having been long abstinence from food, Paul stood up in the midst of them and said, You ought, men, taking my advice, not to have sailed from Crete, and to have saved this injury and loss. And now I advise you to be of good courage; for there shall be no loss of a life of you, but only of the ship. For an angel of the God whose I am, and whom I serve, came to me this night and said, Fear not, Paul; you must stand before Cæsar, and behold, God has given you all that sail with you. Wherefore, men, be of good courage; for I believe God, that it will be as he has told me; but we must be cast on a certain island.

6 And on the fourteenth night, when we were borne along in the Adriatic, at about midnight the sailors suspected that some land was approaching them. And sounding they found twenty fathoms, and going a little distance and sounding again they found fifteen fathoms; and fearing lest we should fall on rough places, casting out four anchors from the stern, they prayed for day. And the sailors seeking to escape from the ship, and letting down the boat into the sea, with the pretence that they were about to put out anchors from the fore part of the ship, Paul said to the centurion and soldiers, Unless these continue in the ship you cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the boat and let it fall off.

And when day was about to appear, Paul exhorted all to take food, saying, It is the fourteenth day to-day that you have watched and continued without food, taking nothing. Wherefore I exhort you to partake of food; for this is necessary to your safety, for there shall not a hair perish from the head of any one of you. And having said these things, and taken bread, he thanked God before all, and having broken began to eat. And all being in good spirits they also partook of food; and all the souls in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six. And being satisfied with food they lightened the ship, casting the wheat into the sea. 8 And when it was day they did not know the land, but they perceived a bay having a shore, on which they wished if possible

to thrust the ship. And taking up the anchors, they committed [the ship] to the sea, loosening at the same time the fastenings of the rudder and raising the top sail to the wind, they bore down towards the shore. And falling on a place with a sea on both sides, they run the ship aground. And the bow being firmly fixed, remained immoveable; and the stern was broken by violence.

9 And the design of the soldiers was to kill the prisoners, that none might escape by swimming; but the centurion wishing to save Paul, prohibited them from this design, and commanded those able to swim to cast themselves into the water first, and go to the land; and the rest, some on boards, and some on parts of the ship; and in this way all were brought safely to land.

10 And when they were saved, they learned that the island was called Melita. And the barbarians showed us no ordinary humanity; for kindling a fire they received us all, on account of the rain which was falling, and the cold. And Paul having collected a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper coming out from the heat fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, This man is undoubtedly a murderer, whom though saved from the sea justice has not permitted to live. Then shaking off the creature into the fire he suffered no harm; but they expected that he would swell up, or suddenly fall down dead. And waiting a long time, and seeing nothing extraordinary happen to him, they thought differently, and said, He is a god.

11 Near that place were the lands of the first man in the island, whose name was Poplius, who received and entertained us kindly three days. And the father of Poplius lay sick with a fever and dysentery, and Paul came to him, and prayed, and put his hands on him, and cured him. And this being done, the rest also who had sicknesses in the island came and were cured, and they bestowed on us many rewards, and when we left supplied us with things that we needed.

12 And after three months we sailed away in an Alexandrian vessel, that had wintered in the island, with the sign of Castor and Pollux. And coming to Syracuse we remained there three days; and proceeding thence we came to Rhegium, and after one day, a south wind blowing, we came the second day to Puteoli, where finding

brothers we were invited to remain with them seven days; and thus we came to Rome. And thence, the brothers hearing of us came out to meet us even to the Forum of Appius, and the Three Taverns [fifty-one miles]; and when Paul saw them, thanking God he took courage.

CHAPTER XXV.

PAUL AT ROME.— A.D. 62, 64.

1 AND when we came to Rome the centurion committed the prisoners to the prefect of the camp, and Paul was allowed to remain by himself, with a soldier to guard him. And after three days he called the chief men of the Jews together; and when they had convened, said to them, Men and brothers, having done nothing contrary to the people or to the customs of the fathers, I was delivered up from Jerusalem a prisoner into the hands of the Romans, who on trial wished to release me, because they found no cause of death in me; but the Jews opposing it I was compelled to appeal to Cæsar; not that I have any thing of which to accuse my nation. For this reason, therefore, I have called you to see and converse with you, because I am loaded with this chain on account of the hope of Israel.

2 And they said to him, We have neither received letters concerning you from Judea, nor has any one of the brothers come and reported or told any evil of you. But we would like to hear from you what you think, for it is known to us concerning this sect, that it is everywhere spoken against.

3 And appointing him a day they came in great numbers to his lodging, to whom he set forth and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoker, and others believed not; and disagreeing among themselves they were dismissed by Paul, saying one word; Well did the Holy Spirit speak by Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, Go to this people and say, Hearing you shall hear and not understand, and seeing you shall see and not perceive; for the heart of this people has become hard, and they hear imperfectly with their ears, and they have shut their eyes, lest at

any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I should cure them. Be it known to you, therefore, that the salvation of God is sent to the gentiles, and they will hear it.

4 But Paul continued two entire years in his hired house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the doctrines concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

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EPISTLES OF PAUL.

FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS.

CORINTH, A.D. 53. (Acts 16, 3.)

CHAPTER I.

THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GOSPEL TO THE THESSALONIANS, TIMOTHY'S VISIT AND REPORT, ETC.

1 PAUL and Sylvanus [Silas] and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be to you and peace.

2 We thank God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God even our Father, knowing, brothers beloved by God, your election, that our gospel came not to you in word only, but with power and with the Holy Spirit and with full assurance, as you know what we were among you for your sakes.

3 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you the word of the Lord was proclaimed not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith with respect to God went into every place, so that we had no need to say any thing; for they declare of us what introduction we had to you, and how you turned from idols to God, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to

come.

4 For you know, brothers, our introduction to you that it was

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