Acts27

Paul, a prisoner, embarks on a perilous voyage to Rome. Despite his warning, the ship's crew sails into a violent tempest, the Euroclydon, losing all hope. An angel assures Paul that all lives will be saved, though the ship will be lost. After fourteen days, the ship wrecks on an island, but all 276 souls safely reach land as prophesied.

Paul Begins the Voyage to Rome

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.

Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.

The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself.

Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board.

When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.

With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

Paul Warns Against Sailing

When much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished them,

and said to them, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”

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.

Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking northeast and southeast.

The Voyage Encounters a Great Storm

When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.

But before long, a stormy wind beat down from shore, which is called Euroclydon.

When the ship was caught, and couldn’t face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along.

Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.

After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along.

As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.

On the third day, they threw out the ship’s tackle with their own hands.

When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away.

Paul’s Vision and Divine Assurance

When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them, and said, “Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss.

Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve,

saying, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’

Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.

But we must run aground on a certain island.”

Preparing for Shipwreck

But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land.

They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms. After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.

Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.

As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow,

Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these stay in the ship, you can’t be saved.”

Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off.

While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, “This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.

Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads.”

When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat.

Then they all cheered up, and they also took food.

In all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship.

When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

Shipwreck and Survival

When it was day, they didn’t recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.

Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.

The soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape.

But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land;

and the rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So they all escaped safely to the land.

Study Notes for Acts 27

Verse 1

Paul, along with other prisoners, was committed to Julius, a centurion (a commander of 100 men). The 'Augustus' band' refers to an elite cohort, likely stationed in Syria or Caesarea, suggesting Julius was an officer of some standing.

Verse 2

Luke, the author, uses the inclusive 'we,' confirming his presence on the journey. Aristarchus, a Macedonian companion, demonstrates great loyalty by traveling with Paul, even as a presumed fellow prisoner (cf. Col 4:10).

Verse 3

Julius’s courteous treatment of Paul suggests respect, perhaps influenced by the favorable reports Paul received from governors Festus and Felix, or recognition of Paul's status as a Roman citizen.

Verse 4

Sailing under Cyprus indicates they were using the island’s shelter for protection because prevailing winds (the westerly Etesian winds) were contrary to their intended course to Italy.

Verse 6

The centurion transferred them to a large grain ship from Alexandria, Egypt, which was the primary supplier of grain to Rome. Such ships were large and often carried hundreds of passengers and crew.

Verse 9

The 'fast' refers to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which occurred in late September or early October. This date marked the end of the safe sailing season in the Mediterranean, making further travel highly dangerous.

Verse 10

Paul, though a prisoner, offers expert advice, likely based on his extensive experience in maritime travel (cf. 2 Cor 11:25) combined with divine foresight, though the centurion chose to trust the ship’s professionals.

Verse 11

The centurion’s decision reflects the general ancient preference for trusting the technical expertise of the ship's master over the warning of an outsider or a prisoner.

Verse 12

Fair Havens was poorly suited for wintering. The crew’s desire to reach Phenice (Phoenix), a better harbor, led them to take a risk that proved catastrophic.

Verse 14

Euroclydon (often translated as Euraquilo, meaning 'northeast wind') was a sudden, violent, cyclonic wind known for rapidly changing direction and devastating ships in the eastern Mediterranean.

Verse 17

They used 'helps' (undergirding or frapping) by passing ropes or chains under the hull and tightening them to prevent the ship’s timbers from separating. The 'quicksands' refer to the dangerous sandbanks (Syrtis Major) off the coast of North Africa.

Verse 20

The inability to see the sun or stars meant they had lost all means of celestial navigation, leading to complete despair among the sailors.

Verse 21

Paul establishes his authority by reminding them of his ignored warning, but immediately pivots to offer hope, demonstrating leadership rooted in prophetic assurance.

Verse 23

Paul affirms his identity and mission: 'whose I am, and whom I serve.' He is secure in his relationship with God, even in the face of imminent death.

Verse 24

The promise that Paul 'must be brought before Caesar' guarantees his safety, demonstrating that God’s ultimate plan for the gospel’s spread overrides immediate physical dangers. God grants the safety of the entire ship’s company for Paul’s sake.

Verse 27

Adria here refers not narrowly to the Adriatic Sea, but to the central Mediterranean basin between Greece, Italy, and Malta, where they had been drifting for two weeks.

Verse 31

This verse presents a crucial theological principle: God’s guaranteed promises (V. 24) do not negate the necessity of human effort and practical obedience. Salvation requires both divine decree and responsible human action.

Verse 33

Paul takes command again, urging them to eat. This fasting was involuntary (due to the severity of the storm), and Paul recognized the need to restore physical strength before the final ordeal.

Verse 34

The assurance that 'there shall not an hair fall from the head' is a common biblical idiom (cf. 1 Sam 14:45; Luke 21:18) guaranteeing complete, divinely protected safety.

Verse 35

Paul publicly gives thanks for the bread. This action, mirroring the patterns of Jesus' meals, restores morale and establishes Paul as the spiritual and moral leader of the 276 people.

Verse 37

The number 276 is typical for large grain carriers (Alexandrian ships). Luke’s inclusion of this specific detail attests to his meticulous historical record-keeping.

Verse 41

Running the ship aground was a deliberate, desperate act to prevent the ship from sinking in deep water. The force of the waves immediately broke the stern, leaving the bow fixed.

Verse 42

Under Roman military law, a soldier was liable for the escape of his prisoner, often facing the same penalty (death). Killing the prisoners was standard protocol to avoid this liability.

Verse 43

The centurion’s desire to save Paul’s life, likely due to the respect Paul had earned and the assurance he provided, providentially overrides military protocol, ensuring the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Verse 44

The chapter concludes with a statement confirming the complete fulfillment of Paul’s prophecy (V. 22): all 276 people were saved, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His servant.

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Acts27

Paul Begins the Voyage to Rome

Paul Warns Against Sailing

The Voyage Encounters a Great Storm

Paul’s Vision and Divine Assurance

Preparing for Shipwreck

Shipwreck and Survival

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