Paul Journeys to Rome

Title ideas:Paul traveled to Rome [as a prisoner.]Paul’s last journey.Shipwreck!Paul suffers more as he tells people about Jesus.

Because Paul belonged to Rome as a citizen, he said to governor Festus, “I officially [formally] ask you to send me to Rome [City], where the Roman King [Emperor] will judge me!” So Festus [the governor] ordered a Roman army officer to guard Paul while he went to Rome.

The officer led Paul and some other prisoners into a ship [large boat] that would carry them across a sea [big waters]. When the boat would stop at cities near the sea, the officer allowed Christians to bring food for Paul to eat in the ship.

The ship moved [travelled / sailed] slowly, because wind was blowing against it. When the ship stopped at another town, Paul saw that wind storms could make the ship crash or sink into the sea.

He said to the men [officers / crew] in the ship, “Our ship should wait here, until there be no more storms. If it moves on the sea, then storms could make it sink, and we could die in the sea.” But the other men [officers / crew] did not want to wait.

So, the ship’s owner and its pilot [driver] said, “We shall go in the ship to a better town where we will wait until there be no more storms.” So the ship left there to move [travel / sail] on the sea.

Same day, the wind blew so strongly, that it moved [forced] the ship where the men did not want to go.

The crews [sailors / workmen] tied things with rope so that things would not fall out of the ship. They also tied ropes round the ship body [hull], so that it would not break apart.

Second day, the wind blew more strongly. The crew threw many things out of the ship, so that the ship could float better and not sink.

Third day, the crew threw overboard [out] some ship equipment [parts], so that the ship could float better and not sink.

The wind storm became so strong that the men could no longer see the sun or the stars. They became too sick to eat, and they began to fear that they would drown [die] in the sea.

Another day, Paul shouted to all the men, “You should have done what I said! You should not have sailed from [left] that town. Then you would not have lost so many things from this ship! But have [take] courage!

“Last night, God sent an angel who said to me: Paul! Do not be afraid! You will go to [arrive] Rome City and you will see the Rome’s king [Emperor]! God is good, and he will protect all the men who are in this ship!

“You all, be encouraged! I believe that God will do what his angel has said. Our ship will crash [be broken], but we will be saved on land!”

The wind storm lasted for two weeks, blowing the ship around on a very big sea [waters / the Mediterranean Sea]. Paul and all the other men stayed in the ship.

After two weeks, the crew let a rope go down into the sea to measure its depth. They found that the sea was 40 meters [120 feet] deep.

After a while, they measured the sea again, and found it to be 30 meters [90 feet] deep, because the ship was floating [moving] towards big rocks. So they dropped ropes [drag anchors] to drag in the water to make the ship move more slowly.

Some crew [sailors] wanted to get off [flee / escape] from the ship, so they used ropes to lower a little boat into the sea.

So, Paul said to the officer, “Those men must stay in the ship, or we cannot be saved!” So the officer ordered some soldiers, “Cut those ropes and let the little boat float away empty!”

Before sunrise [dawn], Paul spoke to all the men, saying, “You have not eaten for two weeks! Please eat some food so you will become strong again. You will all be saved from the sea!”

Then Paul took some bread, thanked God for it, and ate it, while the men watched him. Then they all became encouraged [bold], took some food, and ate it.

When the sun rose, they saw land with a sandy shore, so they decided to steer the ship onto that shore.

So they cut loose the ship’s drag ropes [anchors], and loosened its rudders [steering boards], so they could steer the ship. They raised a sail [tarp/heavy sheet] so that the wind would push the ship towards shore.

But the ship [its front end] became stuck in sand under the sea water, and could not move. Then the ship began to break apart because the sea [water / waves] was shaking [beating against] the ship.

Some soldiers said, “We must kill the prisoners, so they will not escape!” But the ship officer wanted to save Paul, so he ordered the soldiers, “No! Do not kill anyone!”

The officer then commanded everyone, “If you can swim, then swim to shore, now! If you cannot swim, then hold on to ship pieces [broken wood] that float!” [OR “Get out of the ship now, and go to the sandy shore / beach!”]

All the men were able to come safely to the shore [beach]. People who lived at that place welcomed [greeted] the men, and built a fire to keep them warm.

As Paul was laying wood [sticks] on the fire, a poisonous snake bit Paul’s hand and would not let loose.

When the people saw the snake, they said, “This man [Paul] must be a murderer. Although he escaped from the sea, he has not escaped from [the goddess] Justice. So he will soon die!”

But Paul shook the snake from his hand into the fire. It did him no harm, and he did not die or get sick. Then the people said, “He [Paul] must be a god!”

The town Chief invited Paul and his friends [companions] to stay at his home for three days. The Chief’s father was sick with fever, so Paul prayed to Jesus for him, and he became healthy.

All of the men from the ship stayed in that town for three months. Many sick people came to Paul, so he would pray for them to become healthy. When another ship came to that place, the men went into it. And the town people gave to the men food to eat while [they traveled] on the sea.

After some weeks, the ship came to Rome City. The King [emperor] allowed Paul to stay in a house where a soldier kept guard over him. Three days later, Paul invited together Jewish leaders who were in Rome. He said to them, “My brothers [relatives], I have done nothing wrong against our people [tribe], nor against our customs!

“In Jerusalem, some Jewish men arrested [seized] me and took [gave] me to Roman officials. The officials examined [interrogated] me and learned that I had done nothing for which I should be killed. But leaders from the Jews wanted to kill me.

“Then I appealed [asked] that the Roman King should decide what to do with me. So, I am a prisoner because I believe that the Messiah, whom God promised long ago, has come.”

The Jewish leaders [in Rome] replied, “We have heard nothing bad about you, but we have heard people speak against Christians [those who obey / follow Jesus]. So, please tell us what you believe about Jesus.”

So they chose a day, and many Jews came to hear Paul at his house [where he was required to stay and guarded]. From morning till night time, Paul spoke to them from [about] the Scriptures [Old Testament / Bible / Jewish holy books], explaining that Jesus is the Messiah [the king whom God promised would come into the world].

Some of those Jews believed Paul’s message about Jesus, but most others did not. At the end of the day, Paul said to them, “We Christians also tell Gentiles [other tribes] that God offers to give them eternal life, and they listen to our message [words].”

Paul stayed in his house [being guarded, under arrest] for two years. Many people came to hear him, and he welcomed them all. He boldly talked with them about the One Great God, and about the Lord Jesus. During those two years, nobody tried to hinder [stop] him.