Acts 27:1-44
1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.
2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
3 And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5 And when we had sailed over 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 into Italy; and he put us therein.
7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete,a over against Salmone;
8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fastb was now already past, Paul admonished them,
10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurtc and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
14 But not long after there arosed against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
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.
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of 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 off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
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, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with 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, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
The journey to Rome has been seen as a striking picture of the history of the church publicly in its earlier years, with its rapid decline and eventual shipwreck. Paul is on board, but a prisoner, indicating that the truth he proclaimed was not given the liberty that is properly due to it, though there is some measure of respect for him. The end of the journey (and the end of Acts) sees Paul a prisoner in Rome itself, as in the great Roman church Paul's ministry has been confined severely for centuries, though he himself is given some measure of honor. Though Paul is emphatically "minister" of the truth of the body of Christ, the church (Colossians 1:24), yet that which professes to be the one church confines his ministry in such a way that it is ineffective so far as that church is concerned.
In verse 1 the word "we" is of precious interest. Luke has identified himself with Paul the prisoner, as we see he also did later when Paul was about to be offered (2 Timothy 4:6; 2 Timothy 4:11). Paul and other prisoners are put in custody of a centurion named Julius, who proves to be a considerate man. They find a ship that is expected to sail by way of the Asian coast. Aristarchus of Thessalonica is mentioned as being with them, no doubt a believer also who willingly identified himself with Paul. The ship stopping briefly at Sidon the next day, Julius showed remarkable kindness to Paul in allowing him to visit with his friends in the city. He evidently saw in Paul a character sufficiently trustworthy that he had no fears of his trying to escape.
Leaving Sidon, the ship carrying Paul and his company was required to change its plan of sailing close to the Asian coast because of contrary northerly winds, and sailed more westward on the south side of Cyprus. From there they travelled northwest to the Asian coast, arriving at Myra, a city of Lycia. Here they changed ships, the centurion finding an Alexandrian vessel due to sail to Italy. In trying to remain close to the coast, progress was slow, however, and many days elapsed in sailing about 100 miles. They still wanted to sail toward the northwest, but evidently headwinds prevented this, so that they turned southward and sailed around the east end of Crete and turned westward along its south coast. The sailing was hard there, but they finally arrived at a promontory of the island where they stopped in a small harbor called Fair Havens.
In all of this we are surely taught that much of the church's history has been influenced by the winds of circumstance. How often we too have found contrary winds that cause us to take a course much longer than we desire.
Because of unfavorable weather, time lengthens out, and with winter approaching, sailing was threatened by serious danger. Paul respectfully warned the centurion and the captain and owner of the ship that he perceived (not by distinct revelation, but by wisdom that perceived when danger threatened) that to proceed then would result in much damage to the ship and danger to their lives. However, both the captain and the owner were anxious to go on, and the centurion accepted their judgment, specially since Fair Havens was a small port, and Phenice, about forty miles further up the coast, would suit them much better. This has been an attitude repeated far too often in the history of the church. Though Paul's ministry has warned us of the dangers in the path, yet, instead of being content to wait on God while in confined circumstances, we act in view of finding better circumstances and run headlong into trouble.
The south wind blew softly. Outwardly the prospect seemed favorable, for the wind would keep them near the coast since they would be traveling northwest. All began well: they sailed close to Crete. But depending on present appearances is not depending on the Lord: in fact He had already spoken through Paul. When God has given His word, all rationalizing is disobedience to Him.
A violent change very soon took place. A northeast wind, Euraquillo as is understood by translators the most tempestuous known on the Mediterranean, arose with terrible fury. This drove the sailing vessel far off course, away from the Isle of Crete. It was impossible even to tack: they had to let the wind drive them toward Clauda, an island to the southwest, which they skirted on the south side. Luke mentions the difficulty with which they secured the lifeboat, which evidently was in danger of being swept overboard. In fact, it proved of no value to them anyway! We spend time and effort on human expedients to insure against possible danger, while the best insurance, obedience to God's word, we forget!
Using helps, they undergirded the ship, which is apparently called "trapping," done by passing cables around the ship to preserve it intact against the force of the waves. They lowered the gear also, which does not mean totally leaving themselves without sail, but with some lowered sail left they would at least have some measure of control remaining. Yet they were driven. The next day they lightened the ship by throwing overboard its cargo -- not all of it, for there was wheat at least left (v.38). The day following they threw out those furnishings of the ship that could be spared. Do we not see implicit in this the effort to preserve the church from ruin by means of giving up some of the valuable blessings with which the grace of God has blessed her?
This continued for many days with no glimpse of the sun or stars, no light from heaven to either cheer them or give guidance. Typically speaking, no doubt at the period of the church's history of which this is typical, many felt that they had been forgotten by God, but it was their own neglect of dependence on God that had brought them to this. They come to the point of despair as to the possibility of being saved from a watery grave.
Through all the time of the tumultuous tempest until everything seemed totally hopeless, Paul had restrained himself from speaking his mind about the matter; but finally boldly drew the attention of the crew, respectfully reminding them that they ought to have listened to his counsel before, yet not in an arrogant way, but in kindness encouraging them to take courage, for he assures them that none of their lives would be lost, though the ship would be. He speaks with fullest confidence that God had revealed this through His angel. The interest of God in that ship was mainly because of His servant being on board: that servant, Paul, must eventually stand before Caesar. Divine wisdom had ordained that this great man must hear the gospel through God's imprisoned servant. But it was added that God had given him all that sailed with him: their lives would be spared because of Paul's presence on the ship. Is there not here an indication that the ministry of Paul is a wonderful preservative for the saints of God though the outward testimony of the church is reduced to ruins?
His words to them are full of refreshing encouragement in contrast to the despair that others were so keenly feeling, for he says, "I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me." Whatever the causes of discouragement, this is the precious basis of all encouragement. However, he tells them that they would be "cast upon a certain island," a very descriptive phrase in view of what actually happened.
The ordeal continued until the fourteenth night, and it was a virtual miracle that all should survive through this. About midnight the sailors sensed that they were nearing land. Their soundings confirmed this, and fearing the possibility of shipwreck on the rocks, they threw Out four anchors. Other than in this chapter, we read of an anchor onlyHebrews 6:19; but there the anchor is secured within the veil where Christ has entered. The anchor is our hope in Him, both sure and steadfast. In this case they later cut the anchors off and wrecked the ship (vs.40-41).
The sailors however lowered the lifeboat, wanting to give the impression that they were going to secure the bow of the ship by anchors, but with the intention of rowing to shore themselves. Paul discerned this and warned the centurion and soldiers that it was necessary that all must remain in the ship if they were to be saved at all. On this occasion the centurion believed Paul: experience had taught him enough for this. The soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and the sailors had no time to board it. Typically, does this not tell us that deserting the testimony of the church is no remedy for its condition?
Day being about to break, Paul urged all on board to eat, since they had not done so for the fourteen days of violent weather. Because of troubles through which the church passes too, we neglect the feeding of our souls on the truth of the Word of God. In view of such a condition as 2nd Timothy contemplates, Paul also tells Timothy, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). Let us take Paul's words to heart. He accompanies this exhortation by the assurance that God would preserve all of them, certainly a hint of the eternal security of all true believers. Before them all he then took bread and gave thanks to God. His doing this, and himself eating, encouraged them all to eat also.
The number of people on the ship is recorded here -- 276. If all the soldiers under the centurion were on board, this would be 100. Therefore there were many passengers besides, including Luke and Aristarchus as well as the prisoners and of course the sailors. When all had eaten sufficient, the remaining cargo of wheat was thrown overboard to lighten the ship.
Daylight gave them no recognition of the land to which they had been driven, and they had no idea where they were. However they found themselves near the mouth of a creek bounded by shores rather than rocky crags, a convenient place for them to run the ship aground. If the weather had been favorable they may have tried proceeding along the shore to see if they could find a landing, but they were no longer inclined to battle with the wind and waves nor to risk the danger of being wrecked on the rocks.
After so traumatic an ordeal the captain of the ship had no hesitation in beaching it. They cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Also loosening the lashings that had kept the rudders from movement and running up the foresail, they used the power of the wind to drive them as forcibly as possible toward the beach. The ship grounded in a place where two currents met and the prow stuck and remained unmoveable. The violence of the two contrary currents was directed against the stern, causing it to break up.
The cruel suggestion of the soldiers that the prisoners should be killed was forbidden by the centurion because of his regard for Paul. He gave orders that those who could swim should get to land that way, while the rest used boards or other paraphernalia of the ship to support themselves in the water. Paul's words were fulfilled in all getting safely to land.