Acts 27

Acts 27:1

When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.

Acts 27:1 · BSB

Acts 27:2

We boarded an Adramyttian ship about to sail for ports along the coast of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.

Acts 27:2 · BSB

Adramyttium Adramyttium , now Adramyti , was a maritime city of Mysia in Asia Minor , seated at the foot of Mount Ida , on a gulf of the same name , opposite the island of Lesbos.

Acts 27:3

The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.

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Acts 27:4

After putting out from there, we sailed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.

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Acts 27:5

And when we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia.

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Myra Myra was a city of Lycia , situated on a hill , twenty stadia from the sea.

Acts 27:6

There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board.

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Acts 27:7

After sailing slowly for many days, we arrived off Cnidus. When the wind impeded us, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.

Acts 27:7 · BSB

Cnidus Cnidus was a town and promontory of Caria in Asia Minor , opposite Crete , now Cape Krio.

Crete or , Candy , Crete , now Candy , is a large island in the Mediterranean , 250 miles in length , 50 in breadth , and 600 in circumference , lying at the entrance of the Aegean sea.

Salmone Salmone , now Salamina , was a city and cape on the east of the island of Crete.

Acts 27:8

After we had moved along the coast with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

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Acts 27:9

By now much time had passed, and the voyage had already become dangerous because it was after the Fast. So Paul advised them,

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Acts 27:10

“Men, I can see that our voyage will be filled with disaster and great loss, not only to ship and cargo, but to our own lives as well.”

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Acts 27:11

But contrary to Paul’s advice, the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and by the owner of the ship.

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Acts 27:12

Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on, if somehow they could reach Phoenix to winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete facing both southwest and northwest.

Acts 27:12 · BSB

Phenice Phenice , was a sea-port on the western side of Crete; probably defended from the fury of the winds by a high and winding shore , forming a semicircle , and perhaps by some small island in front; leaving two openings , one towards the south-west , and the other towards the north-west.

Acts 27:13

When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along, hugging the coast of Crete.

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Acts 27:14

But it was not long before a cyclone called the Northeaster swept down across the island.

Acts 27:14 · BSB

arose or beat

Euroclydon Probably , as Dr. Shaw supposes , one of those tempestuous winds called levanters , which blow in all directions , from ne round by e to se

Acts 27:15

Unable to head into the wind, the ship was caught up. So we gave way and let ourselves be driven along.

Acts 27:15 · BSB

Acts 27:16

Passing to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we barely managed to secure the lifeboat.

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Acts 27:17

After hoisting it up, the crew used ropes to undergird the ship. And fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and were driven along.

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Acts 27:18

We were tossed so violently that the next day the men began to jettison the cargo.

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Acts 27:19

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

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Acts 27:20

When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the great storm continued to batter us, we abandoned all hope of being saved.

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Acts 27:21

After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have averted this disaster and loss.

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Acts 27:22

But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because you will not experience any loss of life, but only of the ship.

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Acts 27:23

For just last night an angel of God, whose I am and whom I serve, stood beside me

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Acts 27:24

and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’

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Acts 27:25

So take courage, men, for I believe God that it will happen just as He told me.

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Acts 27:26

However, we must run aground on some island.”

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Acts 27:27

On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea. About midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.

Acts 27:27 · BSB

Adria Adria strictly speaking , was the name of the Adriatic gulf , now the Gulf of Venice , an arm of the Mediterranean , about 400 miles long and 140 broad , stretching along the eastern shores of Italy on one side , and Dalmatia , Sclavonia , and Macedonia on the other. But the term Adria was extended far beyond the limits of this gulf , and appears to have been given to an indeterminate extent of sea , as we say , generally , the Levant. It is observable , that the sacred historian does not say "in the Adriatic gulf ," but "in Adria ," (that is , the Adriatic sea , נוכבדןע [Strong's G99] being understood); which , says Hesychius , was the same as the Ionian sea; and Strabo says that the Ionian gulf "is a part of that now called the Adriatic." But not only the Ionian , but even the Sicilian sea , and part of that which washes Crete , were called the Adriatic. Thus the scholiast on Dionysius Periegetis says , "they call this Sicilian sea Adria." And Ptolemy says that Sicily was bounded on the east by the Adriatic , ץנן [Strong's G5259] , הסיןי [Strong's G99] , and that Crete was bounded on the west by the Adriatic sea , ץנן [Strong's G5259] , פןץ [Strong's G5120] , הסיבפיךןם נוכבדןע [Strong's G3989].

Acts 27:28

They took soundings and found that the water was twenty fathoms deep. Going a little farther, they took another set of soundings that read fifteen fathoms.

Acts 27:28 · BSB

Acts 27:29

Fearing that we would run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daybreak.

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Acts 27:30

Meanwhile, the sailors attempted to escape from the ship. Pretending to lower anchors from the bow, they let the lifeboat down into the sea.

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Acts 27:31

But Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain with the ship, you cannot be saved.”

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Acts 27:32

So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and set it adrift.

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Acts 27:33

Right up to daybreak, Paul kept urging them all to eat: “Today is your fourteenth day in constant suspense, without taking any food.

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Acts 27:34

So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”

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Acts 27:35

After he had said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.

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Acts 27:36

They were all encouraged and took some food themselves.

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Acts 27:37

In all, there were 276 of us on board.

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Acts 27:38

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

Acts 27:38 · BSB

The wheat The Romans imported corn from Egypt , by way of Alexandria , to which this ship belonged; for a curious account of which see Bryant's treatise on the Euroclydon.

Acts 27:40

Cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.

Acts 27:40 · BSB

Acts 27:41

But the vessel struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was being broken up by the pounding of the waves.

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Acts 27:42

The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so none of them could swim to freedom.

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Acts 27:43

But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life, thwarted their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.

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Acts 27:44

The rest were to follow on planks and various parts of the ship. In this way everyone was brought safely to land.

Acts 27:44 · BSB

land Melita , now Malta , the island on which Paul and his companions were cast , is situate in the Mediterranean sea , about fifty miles from the coast of Sicily , towards Africa; and is one immense rock of soft white free-stone , twenty miles long , twelve in its greatest breadth , and sixty in circumference. Some , however , with the learned Jacob Bryant , are of opinion that this island was Melita in the Adriatic gulf , near Illyricum; but it may be sufficient to observe , that the course of the Alexandrian ship , first to Syracuse and then to Rhegium , proves that it was the present Malta , as the proper course from the Illyrian Melita would have been first to Rhegium , before it reached Syracuse , to which indeed it need not have gone at all.