History · Chapter 27 of 28

Acts 27

Paul sails for Italy under the centurion Julius. After slow, dangerous progress, Paul warns against sailing on, but the crew presses ahead and is caught in a violent storm. For days they jettison cargo and lose all hope. Paul, assured by an angel that all lives will be spared, urges courage and food. The ship runs aground and breaks apart, yet everyone reaches shore safely, just as Paul foretold.

What happens in Acts 27

Paul and other prisoners are placed under Julius, a centurion, and sail toward Italy. Progress is slow and difficult, and the season for sailing has grown perilous. Paul warns that the voyage will bring loss of cargo, ship, and lives, but the centurion trusts the ship's master, and they sail on. A tempestuous wind called Euroclydon seizes the ship and drives it helplessly for days as the crew throws overboard cargo and tackle and abandons all hope of survival.

Paul stands and tells them to take courage: an angel has assured him that though the ship will be lost, not one life will perish, for he must stand before Caesar. On the fourteenth night, nearing land, Paul urges everyone to eat, takes bread, and gives thanks to God before them all. At dawn they run the ship aground; it breaks apart, but all two hundred seventy-six aboard reach land safely, exactly as Paul had promised.

Acts 27 in context

Luke narrates this voyage as an eyewitness, using 'we,' giving one of antiquity's most detailed accounts of ancient seafaring. Grain ships regularly carried passengers and prisoners from the eastern Mediterranean to Rome. Sailing after early October, past the Day of Atonement fast, was notoriously dangerous.

The storm and shipwreck occur around AD 59 as Paul is transported for his hearing before Caesar, fulfilling the Lord's promise that he would reach Rome.

Main themes of Acts 27

Acts 27 (KJV)

1And 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. 2And 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. 3And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself. 4And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. 7And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; 8And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. 9Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, 10And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. 11Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. 12And 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. 13And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. 14But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. 15And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. 16And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: 17Which 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. 18And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; 19And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 20And 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. 21But 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. 22And 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. 23For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 25Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 26Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island. 27But 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; 28And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. 29Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. 30And 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, 31Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. 32Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. 33And 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. 34Wherefore 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. 35And 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. 36Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. 37And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. 38And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. 39And 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. 40And 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. 41And 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. 42And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. 43But 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: 44And 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.

Verses to carry from Acts 27

“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.”Acts 27:22

“Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”Acts 27:24

“Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.”Acts 27:25

Reflection

When every experienced hand had given up, one man who belonged to God kept his courage and steadied the whole ship. You cannot always calm the storms around you, but you can decide whom you trust in them. Paul said, 'I believe God.' Whose word are you resting on when the sky goes dark and hope drains away?

A prayer from Acts 27