p, ye cannot be preserved.
(32)Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall
off.

(33)And while they waited until the day should break, Paul exhorted
them all to take some nourishment, saying, To day, expecting the
fourteenth day, ye are continuing without food, taking nothing.
(34)Wherefore I exhort you to take some food, for this is for your
preservation: for a hair shall not fall from the head of any one of
you. (35)And so saying, and taking a loaf, he gave thanks to God before
them all, and breaking it, began to eat. (36)Then were they all cheered
up, and they too took refreshment.

(37)Now all the souls which were in the ship amounted to two hundred
seventy-six: (38)and having made a hearty meal, they lightened the
vessel, throwing the wheat into the sea. (39)And when the day broke,
they knew not the land: but they observed a certain creek with a beach,
into which they resolved, if they could, to run the vessel aground.
(40)And weighing the anchors, they committed her to the sea, and
loosing at the same time the chains of the rudders, and hoisting the
foresail to the breeze, they made for the beach. (41)But falling on a
shoal where two currents met, they ran the ship aground; and the
forecastle stuck fast, and remained immoveable, but the stern was stove
in by the violence of the waves. (42)Then the soldiers' design was to
have murdered the prisoners, lest any of them should swim ashore and
escape. (43)But the centurion, desirous to preserve Paul, withheld them
from their purpose, and commanded those who were able to swim to jump
overboard first, and reach the land: (44)and that the rest should make
the attempt, some on planks, and some on the floating materials of the
ship: and in this manner so it was that they all safely reached the
shore.

CHAP. XXVIII.

AND being safe landed, we then understood that the island was called
Melita. (2)And the rude people treated us with singular humanity; for,
lighting a fire, they received us all, because of the violent rain, and
because of the cold. (3)But as Paul was gathering up a faggot of
sticks, and laying them on the fire, there came a viper out of the
heat, and fastened on his hand.

(4)Now when the rude people saw the venomous animal hanging from his
hand, they said one to another, Surely this man is a murderer, whom
though preserved from the sea, righteous vengeance suffereth not to
live. (5)But he then shaking off the venomous animal into t