Taking advantage of a lull in the tempest, Paul stood forth on the deck and, lifting up his voice, said: “Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.” Acts 27:21~26. (AA 443.1) MC VC

At these words, hope revived. Passengers and crew roused from their apathy. There was much yet to be done, and every effort within their power must be put forth to avert destruction. (AA 443.2) MC VC

It was on the fourteenth night of tossing on the black, heaving billows, that “about midnight” the sailors, hearing the sound of breakers, “deemed that they drew near to some country; and sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. Then fearing,” Luke writes, “lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.” Acts 27:27-29. (AA 443.3) MC VC

At break of day the outlines of the stormy coast were dimly visible, but no familiar landmarks could be seen. So gloomy was the outlook that the heathen sailors, losing all courage, “were about to flee out of the ship,”(Acts 27:30) and feigning to make preparations for casting “anchors out of the foreship,”(Acts 27:31) they had already let down the lifeboat, when Paul, perceiving their base design, said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” The soldiers immediately “cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off”(Acts 27:32) into the sea. (AA 443.4) MC VC