The sailors wanted to escape from the ship. So they lowered the lifeboat into the water, pretending that they were letting down some anchors from the front of the ship.
We went along the island of Cauda on the side that was protected from the wind. We had a hard time holding the lifeboat in place,
The soldiers then cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall into the sea.
For 14 days and nights we had been blown around over the Mediterranean Sea. But about midnight the sailors realized we were getting near land.
The sailors were afraid that we might hit some rocks, and they let down four anchors from the back of the ship. Then they prayed for daylight.
But Paul said to Captain Julius and the soldiers, “If the sailors don't stay on the ship, you won't have any chance to save your lives.”