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Acts 27

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Paul Begins the Voyage to Rome 1–8

1
And when it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band. ​
2
And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail unto the places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. ​
3
And the next day we touched at Sidon: and Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go unto his friends and refresh himself. ​
4
And putting to sea from thence, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. ​
5
And when we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6
And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy; and he put us therein. ​
7
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and were come with difficulty over against Cnidus, the wind not further suffering us, we sailed under the lee of Crete, over against Salmone;
8
and with difficulty coasting along it we came unto a certain place called Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

Paul Warns Against Sailing 9–12

9
And when much time was spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast was now already gone by, Paul admonished them, ​
10
and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our lives. ​
11
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. ​
12
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to put to sea from thence, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there; which is a haven of Crete, looking north-east and south-east. ​

The Voyage Encounters a Great Storm 13–20

13
And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore.
14
But after no long time there beat down from it a tempestuous wind, which is called Euraquilo: ​
15
and when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven.
16
And running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat:
17
and when they had hoisted it up, they used helps, under-girding the ship; and, fearing lest they should be cast upon the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven. ​
18
And as we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard;
19
and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling of the ship.
20
And when neither sun nor stars shone upon us for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was now taken away. ​

Paul’s Vision and Divine Assurance 21–26

21
And when they had been long without food, then Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss. ​
22
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
23
For there stood by me this night an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve, ​
24
saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Cæsar: and lo, God hath granted thee all them that sail with thee. ​
25
Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me.
26
But we must be cast upon a certain island.

Preparing for Shipwreck 27–38

27
But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some country: ​
28
and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms; and after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms.
29
And fearing lest haply we should be cast ashore on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for the day.
30
And as the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under color as though they would lay out anchors from the foreship,
31
Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. ​
32
Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
33
And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing. ​
34
Wherefore I beseech you to take some food: for this is for your safety: for there shall not a hair perish from the head of any of you. ​
35
And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat. ​
36
Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also took food.
37
And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. ​
38
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

Shipwreck and Survival 39–44

39
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they perceived a certain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could drive the ship upon it.
40
And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.
41
But lighting upon a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the foreship struck and remained unmoveable, but the stern began to break up by 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, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose; and commanded that they who could swim should cast themselves overboard, and get first to the land; ​
44
and the rest, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to the land. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Acts 27

Verse 1

Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band — 'Band' is speira, the word for Cornelius's 'Italian band' (Acts 10:1) and for the band that came down on the riot at Jerusalem (Acts 21:31). 'Augustus'' is sebastos, the emperor's title, as in Paul's appeal to him (Acts 25:21). Julius is named only here and in v.3.

Verse 2

Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica — Named five times in all: seized in the uproar at Ephesus (Acts 19:29), listed among Paul's company (Acts 20:4), here, then 'my fellowprisoner' (Col 4:10) and 'my fellowlabourers' (Philem 1:24). This ship of Adramyttium was to sail 'by the coasts of Asia', and Paul and Aristarchus went aboard together.

Verse 3

courteously entreated — Philanthropos, with kindness toward man, found only here in the New Testament. Its noun is the 'kindness' of the islanders at Malta (Acts 28:2) and of 'God our Saviour toward man' (Titus 3:4). The 'liberty' to visit 'his friends' (philos) at Sidon is a favour to a prisoner, who is cared for (epimeleia).

Verse 4

we sailed under Cyprus — Hypopleo, to sail under the lee of an island for shelter; it occurs only here and in v.7, 'we sailed under Crete'. The 'contrary' wind (enantios) is the word of Matt 14:24, 'the wind was contrary'. Cyprus was Barnabas's home (Acts 4:36), and Paul had sailed there before (Acts 13:4).

Verse 6

a ship of Alexandria — The centurion moved his prisoners to a second ship, the kind of vessel that carried wheat: its cargo is 'the wheat' thrown into the sea in v.38, and it held 276 souls (v.37). After the wreck, they left Malta in another 'ship of Alexandria' (Acts 28:11).

Verse 9

the fast — Nesteia; here the fast of the Day of Atonement, on the tenth day of the seventh month, when the people were to 'afflict your souls' (Lev 16:29; 23:27). Its passing meant autumn was well along and sailing 'dangerous' (episphales, found only here). 'Admonished' is paraineo, used again for Paul's 'exhort' in v.22.

Verse 10

hurt and much damage — Hybris and zemia, injury and loss; Paul repeats the pair in v.21 as 'harm and loss'. Hybris is rare: elsewhere only 2 Cor 12:10, 'reproaches'. 'Lives' is psyche, persons, the word of 'no loss of any man's life' (v.22) and the 276 'souls' of v.37. He says 'I perceive' before any storm has risen.

Verse 11

the master and the owner of the ship — Kybernetes, the helmsman, and naukleros, the shipowner (found only here). The only other use of kybernetes is 'every shipmaster' in Rev 18:17. The centurion who had shown Paul kindness (v.3) 'believed' the men who knew the sea 'more than' what Paul said.

Verse 12

the more part advised — 'Advised' is boule with tithemi, to give counsel; the same noun is the soldiers' 'counsel' in v.42. The haven (limen) was 'not commodious to winter in' (aneuthetos, found only here), so the majority wished to leave Fair Havens (v.8) and reach Phenice, a haven of Crete.

Verse 14

a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon — The name Euroclydon occurs only here. 'Tempestuous' is typhonikos, also found only here, a wind like a whirlwind. Of seafarers Psalm 107 says the LORD 'commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind' (v.25), and in the end 'bringeth them unto their desired haven' (v.30).

Verse 17

undergirding the ship — Hypozonnymi, to gird under, found only here: the hull was bound round with cables. 'Helps' is boetheia, found only here and in Heb 4:16, 'grace to help in time of need'. 'Quicksands' is syrtis, the Syrtis shoals, found only here. To 'strake sail' is chalao, to lower.

Verse 20

all hope… was then taken away — No 'sun nor stars' appeared for 'many days', with 'no small tempest' on them. 'Taken away' is periaireo, stripped off, and 'hope' is elpis. 'Saved' is sozo, the verb that returns in v.31; its noun soteria is the 'health' of v.34, usually rendered 'salvation'.

Verse 21

long abstinence — Asitia, lack of food, found only here; v.33 has the related asitos, 'fasting'. 'Ye should have hearkened' is peitharcheo, to obey one in authority, as in 'We ought to obey God rather than men' (Acts 5:29). 'Harm and loss' are the same two words as in v.10.

Verse 23

whose I am, and whom I serve — 'Serve' is latreuo, service of worship, as in 'so worship I the God of my fathers' (Acts 24:14). 'There stood by me' is paristemi, the verb of 'the Lord stood with me' in 2 Tim 4:17. On an earlier night the Lord had 'stood by him' at Jerusalem (Acts 23:11).

Verse 24

thou must be brought before Caesar — 'Must' is dei, the necessity of Acts 23:11, 'so must thou bear witness also at Rome'. 'Brought before' is paristemi, to stand before, the verb of the angel who 'stood by' in v.23. 'Hath given' is charizomai, to give as a gift: the ship's company is granted to Paul.

Verse 27

driven up and down in Adria — Adria is named only here in Scripture. 'Driven up and down' is diaphero, carried to and fro. The 'fourteenth night' counts from the storm's beginning (vv.14–20). The shipmen 'deemed' (hyponoeo, suspected) land near, as v.26 had said: 'we must be cast upon a certain island'.

Verse 31

Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved — The promise of vv.22–24 still holds, and now the means is named. The shipmen had let down the boat 'under colour' of casting anchors (v.30). The soldiers took Paul at his word and cut the boat's ropes (v.32). 'Saved' is sozo, as in v.20.

Verse 33

ye have tarried and continued fasting — Asitos, without food, found only here. 'Tarried' is prosdokao, to wait expectantly. 'Meat' is trophe, food, as in Acts 2:46, 'did eat their meat with gladness', and recurs in vv.34, 36 and 38. The fourteen days count from the storm's onset, as in v.27.

Verse 34

not an hair fall from the head — The promise has Scripture's own idiom: 'there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground' (1 Sam 14:45; also 1 Kin 1:52), and Christ's 'there shall not an hair of your head perish' (Luke 21:18). 'Health' is soteria, found elsewhere as 'salvation' (Acts 4:12; 13:26).

Verse 35

took bread, and gave thanks to God — The verbs are those of Luke 22:19: 'took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it' (lambano, eucharisteo, klao). Here the thanks are 'to God in presence of them all', before the whole company on the ship; 'they also took some meat' follows in v.36.

Verse 37

two hundred threescore and sixteen souls — 'Souls' is psyche, the word of the 'lives' in v.10 and the 'life' in v.22. These are the company given to Paul in v.24, as 'threescore and fifteen souls' counted Jacob's household in Acts 7:14 and 'eight souls' those 'saved by water' in the ark (1 Pet 3:20).

Verse 41

a place where two seas met — Dithalassos, found only here, literally 'between two seas'. 'Ran… aground' is epokello, also only here. The anchors had been cast from the stern (v.29, prymna), and now 'the forepart' (prora, also v.30) stuck fast while 'the hinder part' (prymna) broke up.

Verse 42

the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners — 'Counsel' is boule, the word of v.12. A guard answered for his prisoners with his own life: Herod 'commanded that they should be put to death' when Peter was gone (Acts 12:19), and the keeper at Philippi 'would have killed himself' (Acts 16:27).

Verse 43

willing to save Paul — 'Save' is diasozo, to bring safely through; it recurs in v.44 ('escaped… safe') and is used of Noah's 'eight souls' (1 Pet 3:20). 'Purpose' is boulema, the counterpart of the soldiers' boule (v.42). The centurion who had trusted the shipmaster in v.11 now overrules his own men.

Verse 44

escaped all safe to land — Diasozo again (see v.43), the same verb as 'when they were escaped' at Malta (Acts 28:1). 'Boards' is sanis, found only here. It answers the word of v.22, 'no loss of any man's life', and of v.24, 'God hath given thee all them that sail with thee'.