Acts 27

Paul’s journey to Rome

And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they handed Paul and some other prisoners over to a man named Julius, a centurion of the Regiment of Augustus.

27:1 Italy was the country where Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire, was located.⚜

2 And entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put out to sea, intending to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.

3 And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul courteously, and permitted him to go to his friends to refresh himself. 4 And when we had put out to sea from there, we sailed close by Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 And when we had sailed across the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing to Italy, and he put us in it. 7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and had hardly come opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us to go quickly, we sailed close by Crete, opposite Salmone, 8 and, hardly getting by it, came to a place called The Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

9 Now when much time had been spent and sailing had become dangerous (because the Fast was already over), Paul advised them,

27:9 The “Fast” here refers to the Day of Atonement. See notes at Lev 16; 23:16-32. It came between the last part of September and the first part of October. Sailors in the Mediterranean Sea considered that a dangerous time of the year for sailing, because of the possibility of bad weather. After the middle of November they considered sailing practically impossible.⚜

10 and said to them, “Men, I perceive that this voyage is going to result in disaster and great damage, not only to the cargo and ship, but also to our lives”.

27:10 Paul was a prophet and God had revealed this to him.⚜

11 Nevertheless the centurion was persuaded more by the sailing master, and the owner of the ship, than by those things Paul said. 12 And because the harbour was not suitable to stay during winter, the majority advised departure from there also, if by any means they might get to Phoenix, and spend the winter there. This is a harbour of Crete, and faces toward the southwest and northwest.

The storm and the shipwreck

13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had achieved their purpose, raising anchor, they sailed close by Crete. 14 But not long afterwards a violent wind, called Euroclydon, arose against the ship. 15 And when the ship was caught and could not face into the wind, we let it be driven. 16 And running close to an island called Clauda, we had much work to control the lifeboat. 17 When they had taken it up, they used help and bound the ship together. And being afraid that they might fall onto the sandbanks, they lowered the sail, and so were driven by the wind. 18 And since we were violently tossed by the tempest, the next day they lightened the ship, 19 and the third day we threw out with our own hands the equipment of the ship. 20 And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay over us, all hope that we would be saved was then taken away.

21 But after a long abstinence from food Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not set sail from Crete and incurred this harm and loss. 22 But now I urge you to take courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For tonight there stood by me an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must be brought before Caesar. And see, God has given you all those who are sailing with you.’

27:22-24 In other moments of crisis God encouraged Paul by some revelation or other (Acts 18:9-10; 22:17-18; 23:11).⚜

25 Therefore, men, have courage, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.

27:25 Paul could say this not only about that particular revelation but about all that God had revealed in the Bible. This is how he was able to endure triumphantly all the storms that came into his life. Compare Acts 24:14; Rom 4:20-21; 2 Cor 4:13-14; 2 Tim 1:12; 4:18.⚜

26 However, we must run aground on a certain island”.

27 And when the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the sailors thought that they were drawing near some land. 28 And they took soundings and found the depth was twenty fathoms. And when they had gone a little further, they again took soundings, and found the depth fifteen fathoms. 29 Then fearing that we might fall on rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight. 30 And as the sailors were about to escape from the ship, having let down the lifeboat into the sea, pretending that they were dropping anchors from the prow of the ship, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless they stay in the ship, you cannot be saved”. 32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the boat and let it fall.

33 And while day was dawning, Paul urged them all to take food, saying, “This is the fourteenth day that you have waited and continued to fast and have taken nothing. 34 So I beg you to take some food for the sake of your health, for not a hair from the head of any of you will fall”. 35 And when he had said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all. And when he had broken it, he began to eat.

27:35 Blessed are those believers who can show the same trust and confidence in all the experiences of life and so be an example to others.⚜

36 Then all of them gained courage and they also took some food. 37 And altogether in the ship we were two hundred and seventy-six persons. 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw the grain out into the sea.

39 And when daylight had come, they did not recognize the land, but observed a cove with a beach, into which they resolved, if possible, to drive the ship. 40 And when they had removed the anchors, letting them go into the sea, they loosened the fastenings of the rudder, raised the mainsail to the wind, and made for the beach. 41 And happening onto a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground. And the front part stuck fast and remained firm, but the stern was broken up by the violence of the waves.

42 And the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners so that none of them would swim out and escape.

27:42 The soldiers were afraid they would have to endure the punishment due to any prisoners who escaped (Acts 12:19; 16:27).⚜

43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and ordered that those who could swim should first throw themselves into the sea and get to land,

27:43 Once again God had His way of preserving the life of His servant (note at 23:12-35).⚜

44 and the rest should follow, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And it came about that they all escaped safely to the land.

27:44 Verses 22-25.⚜