Acts 27:11

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

Nevertheless {G1161} the centurion {G1543} believed {G3982} the master {G2942} and {G2532} the owner of the ship {G3490}, more {G3123} than {G2228} those things which were spoken {G3004} by {G5259} Paul {G3972}.

However, the officer paid more attention to the pilot and the ship’s owner than to what Sha’ul said.

But contrary to Paul’s advice, the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and by the owner of the ship.

But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than to those things which were spoken by Paul.

Context

The Apostle Paul, a prisoner on his way to Rome to appeal to Caesar, is aboard a ship facing treacherous sailing conditions. It is late in the year, after the Fast (likely Yom Kippur), which marked the beginning of dangerous winter storms for maritime travel. In Acts 27:10, Paul, having received a divine warning, advises the centurion, Julius, and the ship's company against continuing the voyage, predicting severe loss for the ship, cargo, and even lives. This verse, Acts 27:11, highlights the centurion's pivotal decision to disregard Paul's prophetic counsel, choosing instead to trust the professional judgment of the ship's captain (master) and owner. This choice sets the stage for the dramatic and perilous shipwreck that unfolds later in the chapter.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Human Wisdom vs. Divine Warning: The central tension in this verse is the clash between practical, worldly expertise and spiritual, divinely inspired insight. The centurion's decision was logical from a human perspective, trusting seasoned mariners. However, Paul's warning came from God, emphasizing that even the most experienced human judgment can be flawed when it contradicts divine guidance.
  • Consequences of Disregarding Counsel: This verse serves as a narrative foreshadowing. The centurion's choice to ignore Paul directly leads to the violent storm and near-fatal ordeal that the ship and its passengers endure. It illustrates the often-severe consequences of prioritizing human reasoning over God's revealed will.
  • Authority and Responsibility: The centurion held significant authority over the ship's course and the lives of those on board. His decision, though seemingly prudent, carried immense responsibility. This highlights how those in positions of leadership must exercise discernment and consider all sources of counsel, including spiritual wisdom.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul" clearly indicates a preference and trust placed in one source of information over another. While there isn't a complex Greek word nuance here, the underlying concept is one of persuasion (Greek: peithō), where the centurion was more persuaded by the maritime professionals than by Paul, who was a prisoner and not a sailor.

Practical Application

Acts 27:11 offers timeless lessons for believers today:

  • The Need for Spiritual Discernment: We are constantly faced with choices where conventional wisdom may conflict with spiritual principles or warnings from God's Word. This verse encourages us to pray for and exercise discernment, recognizing that God's guidance can come through unexpected channels and may not always align with what seems "logical" or "expert."
  • Trusting God's Word Above All: The narrative powerfully underscores the importance of trusting God's warnings and promises, even when they seem counter-intuitive or are challenged by human experience. The eventual salvation of all on board, as prophesied by Paul in Acts 27:24, ultimately validates Paul's initial, disregarded counsel.
  • Humility in Decision-Making: The centurion's experience can teach us humility. It is wise to seek advice from experts, but true wisdom involves being open to counsel from diverse sources, particularly those rooted in spiritual insight, even if it contradicts our initial judgment or the prevailing opinion.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 33:4

    Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

  • Hebrews 11:7

    By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

  • Ezekiel 3:17

    Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

  • Ezekiel 3:18

    When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

  • Proverbs 27:12

    ¶ A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [but] the simple pass on, [and] are punished.

  • Acts 27:21

    ¶ But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

  • 2 Kings 6:10

    And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
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