Acts 27:43 KJV
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
Acts 27:40–44 KJV Chapter Context
40
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
41
And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
42
And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
43
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
44
And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.