When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius.

When a gentle south wind began to blow, they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the “northeaster,” swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. The ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.

The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. The rest were to get there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land in safety.

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2
FORTUNINO MATANIA
"St Paul's Shipwreck"

3
Source

4
FREDERIC LIX
"Paul Shipwrecked"

5
PHILIPPE DE LOUTHERBOURG
"Paul Shipwrecked"

6
"Paul Is Shipwrecked on Malta"

7
RICHARD HOOK
"A Roman Galley Taking St Paul to Rome
Crashes on the Rocks off Malta"

8
ARTHUR TWIDLE
"Paul, the Shipwreck"

9
English School
"Shipwreck of St. Paul"

10
WILLEM BASSE
"Saint Paul Shipwrecked on the Island of Malta"

11
European School
"St Paul on Malta after His Shipwreck"

12
CLIVE UPTTON
"St Paul"

13
GUSTAVE DORÉ
"St. Paul Shipwreck"

14
LUDOLF BACKHUYSEN
"Paul’s Shipwreck"

15
"Paul's Shipwreck"

16
"Paul Shipwrecked"

17
Source

18
STEFANO ERARDI
"St Paul in Malta"

19
MATTEO PEREZ D'ALECCIO
"Shipwreck of St Paul"

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

20
MARTEN DE VOS
"St Paul Bitten by a Viper on the Island of Malta"

21
DAVID TENIERS the Elder
"Miracle of St Paul on the Island of Malta"

22
LAURENT DE LA HYRE
"Saint Paul Shipwrecked on Malta"

23
Source

24
GIOVANNI PAOLO PANINI
"Saint Paul at Malta Grasping the Viper"

25
CORNELIS TROOST HOLLAND
"Paul Bitten by the Viper on the Isle of Malta"

26
Source

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28
HENDRIK GOLTZIUS
"St Paul Bitten by the Viper"

29
FRANCESCO BARTOLOZZI
"St. Paul Shipwrecked on Malta"

30
Source

31
GIUSEPPE BONNICI
"Shipwreck of St Paul"

32
"St. Paul's Grotto, Malta"

There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.

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"Before Publius in Malta"

34
Source

35
CHRISTOPH WEIGEL
"Paul Heals Publius's Father"

36
MATTHIAS GERUNG
"Saint Paul Heals the Father of Publius"

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