The Bible Chronicle

Miraculous Escape As Ship Runs Aground And Breaks Apart

After fourteen days of relentless storm, and encouraged by Paul's divine assurance, the 276 souls aboard the beleaguered ship finally ate their fill. As day dawned, they spotted land, though unfamiliar. The sailors, hoping to run the ship aground safely in a sheltered bay, cut away the anchors and hoisted the foresail, making for the shore.

However, the ship struck a sandbar where two currents met and became hopelessly stuck, with the stern beginning to break apart from the force of the relentless waves. In their desperation, the soldiers plotted to kill the prisoners to prevent any escape, but the centurion, eager to save Paul, prevented them. He commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first, and the rest cling to planks or pieces of the ship. Miraculously, every single person made it safely to shore, fulfilling Paul's prophecy of no loss of life.