Acts 27:38

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

And {G1161} when they had eaten {G5160} enough {G2880}, they lightened {G2893} the ship {G4143}, and cast out {G1544} the wheat {G4621} into {G1519} the sea {G2281}.

After they had eaten all they wanted, they lightened the ship by dumping the grain into the sea.

After the men had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

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

Commentary

Acts 27:38 describes a critical moment during Paul's perilous sea voyage to Rome. After enduring a ferocious storm for many days and having just shared a meal encouraged by Paul's assurance of survival, the crew and passengers took drastic measures to save the ship and their lives.

Context

For weeks, the ship carrying Paul, Roman soldiers, and other prisoners had been violently battered by a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon (Acts 27:14). All hope of being saved was nearly lost (Acts 27:20). However, Paul, having received a divine revelation, assured everyone that while the ship would be lost, no lives would perish (Acts 27:22-25). After Paul encouraged them to eat, regaining their strength, they prepared for the inevitable grounding. Lightening the ship by casting out the wheat was a desperate, yet logical, final attempt to make the vessel more buoyant and easier to control as they approached land, hoping to avoid immediate shipwreck on unseen reefs.

Key Themes

  • Survival Instincts and Pragmatism: Faced with imminent danger, the crew resorted to extreme measures, sacrificing valuable cargo (wheat, likely their primary freight) to increase their chances of survival. This highlights the human drive to preserve life.
  • Sacrifice for Preservation: The act of "casting out the wheat" symbolizes the necessity of letting go of material possessions or burdens when life itself is at stake. It was a calculated risk to ensure the safety of the people.
  • Human Action in Divine Providence: Although Paul had received a divine promise of safety, the crew and passengers were still required to take practical steps. God's miraculous intervention often works through human effort and wise decisions, not in spite of them.
  • Desperation and Hope: This action underscores the desperation of their situation while simultaneously reflecting a renewed sense of hope and determination to survive, especially after Paul's encouraging words.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "lightened the ship" comes from the Greek word ekouphizon (ἐκούφιζον), meaning "to make light" or "to relieve of a burden." "Cast out the wheat" (ἐκβολὴν ἐποιοῦντο τοῦ σίτου - ekbolēn epoiounto tou sitou) refers to the act of jettisoning the cargo. Wheat was a common and valuable commodity transported from Egypt or North Africa to Rome, making this act a significant financial loss, but a necessary one for life.

Practical Application

Acts 27:38 offers a powerful metaphor for life's challenges. When navigating our own "storms," we sometimes need to "lighten the ship" by shedding things that weigh us down, even if they are valuable or seem essential. This could involve letting go of:

  • Unnecessary worries or anxieties that hinder progress.
  • Material possessions that become a burden rather than a blessing.
  • Relationships or commitments that are toxic or unsustainable.
  • Pride or self-reliance that prevents us from trusting God.

Just as the sailors jettisoned the wheat to save their lives, we may need to make difficult choices and sacrifices to preserve our spiritual well-being, mental health, or core relationships. This verse reminds us that prioritizing what truly matters—our life, faith, and eternal hope—sometimes requires letting go of lesser things. It reinforces the idea that laying aside every weight is crucial for navigating life's race effectively.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jonah 1:5 (4 votes)

    Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that [were] in the ship into the sea, to lighten [it] of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

  • Matthew 6:25 (3 votes)

    Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

  • Matthew 16:26 (3 votes)

    For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

  • Acts 27:18 (3 votes)

    And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next [day] they lightened the ship;

  • Acts 27:19 (3 votes)

    And the third [day] we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

  • Hebrews 12:1 (2 votes)

    ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

  • Job 2:4 (2 votes)

    And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.