4 when the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “no doubt this man is a murderer. though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 he, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no...

after we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called malta. the native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. [acts 28:1-2]   now safe on land, having...

now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. so they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. then...

as day was about to dawn, paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. therefore i urge you to take some food. for it will give you strength, for not a hair is...

and as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” then the...

when the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the adriatic sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. so they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. a little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen...

so take heart, men, for i have faith in God that it will be exactly as i have been told. but we must run aground on some island.” [acts 27:25-26]     as soon as i read this verse, i remembered a chorus i sang in church children’s choir as a child:  ...

since they had been without food for a long time, paul stood up among them and said, “men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from crete and incurred this injury and loss. yet now i urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you,...

where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.           - [proverbs 11:14]   we are better together   ‘i believe in God, but I don’t believe in church.’   we have all heard this, or something like it. in...

now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along crete, close to the shore. but soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. and when the ship was caught and could...