CHAPTER 27

(A.D. 62)

PAUL SAILS FOR ROME

¹And when it was determined that we (Luke is still with Paul) should sail into Italy (the time has now arrived when Paul will now go to Rome), they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus band (this was an elite band directly responsible to the Emperor).

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 (proclaims another of Pauls converts being with him along with Luke; consequently, Festus allowed Paul two traveling associates [Acts 20:4]).

³And the next day we touched at Sidon (a port about seventy miles north of Caesarea). And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself (Paul and his associates were allowed to stay with these people in Sidon until the ship sailed; this shows how much trust the Centurion placed in Paul).

⁴And when we had launched from thence (from Sidon), 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 (they changed ships).

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 (the winds were not favorable, so they were not making good time);

⁸And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; near whereunto was the city of Lasea (there was no town at Fair Havens for them to replenish their stores, with Lasea being about five miles distant).

⁹Now when much time was spent (spoke of several days with still no favorable winds), and when sailing was now dangerous (pertained to any time after September 14 th), because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them (pertained to the Great Day of Atonement, and was actually a one day fast which Paul and his two associates no doubt kept),

¹⁰And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading (cargo) and ship, but also of our lives (presents that which the Lord had evidently already related to Paul).

¹¹Nevertheless the Centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul (they would find to their chagrin that they had chosen wrong).

¹²And because the haven (Fair Havens) 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 lies toward the southwest and northwest (pertains to a harbor which, in fact, was commodious, and where some imperial grain ships actually did tie up for the winter; it was about fifty miles west of Fair Havens).

¹³And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete (pertains to a wind direction for which they had been waiting).

THE STORM

¹⁴But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon (this was a hurricane).

¹⁵And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive (means that the helmsman simply could not hold the wheel for the force of the wind; so he could do nothing but let the ship drive toward whatever the direction the wind wanted it to go).

¹⁶And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat (the boat of which Luke speaks was a little skiff they were pulling, which was the custom then and remained so for many centuries; due to the storm, they had great difficulty getting this small boat on-board):

¹⁷Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship (these were large ropes which were pulled under the ship and made sure, helping to hold the vessel together in the storm); and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven (this way they would be driven by the wind, but with few or no sails stretched at all; hopefully the wind would change before they were driven onto the rocks).

¹⁸And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship (they had to throw certain things overboard);

¹⁹And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship (pertains to the third day after leaving Clauda; they now threw overboard ship equipment, even that which was desperately needed).

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 (now all on-board knew that they should have listened to Paul).

THE VISION

²¹But after long abstinence (does not refer to a fast as some claim, but rather that they hadnt had a prepared meal for some days) Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, you should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss (is not really meant as a reprimand by the Apostle, but rather to give foundation to what he is about to say).

²²And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any mans life among you, but of the ship (plainly tells us that the ship will be lost with its cargo of wheat, but not a person will lose their life).

²³For there stood by me this night the Angel of God, Whose I am, and Whom I serve (the statements Whose I am, Whom I serve, and I believe God [Vs. 25] form a noble confession of Faith),

²⁴Saying, Fear not, Paul (said in this manner because there had been fear in Pauls heart, as well as everyone else on-board); you must be brought before Caesar (not because of Pauls appeal to Caesar, or because of the charges brought against him by the Jews, but rather because of the Divine Plan): and, lo, God has given you all them who sail with you (every Saint had better know as to what Preacher he is with).

²⁵Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me (insinuates that possibly some did not believe what Paul was saying).

²⁶Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island (the Angel evidently did not tell Paul what Island!).

THE SHIPWRECK

²⁷But when the fourteenth night was come (pertained to the length of time after leaving Fair Havens; so the storm had lasted now for about two weeks), as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country (they could hear waves breaking on the beach, or rocks, at some distance);

²⁸And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms (a depth of about 120 feet): 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 (were anxious for the night to be over, so they could see where they were).

³⁰And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea (portrays some, if not all, of the ships crew about to take the only small boat they had and attempt to escape to shore, in effect, deserting the ship), under cover as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship (presents their deception, but Paul was watching),

³¹Paul said to the Centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, you cannot be saved (to obtain Gods Promises, we must abide by His Conditions).

³²Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off (the Centurion now believes Paul).

³³And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that you have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing (nothing! the Greek word used here means they had eaten no regular meal).

³⁴Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health (they should attempt to force at least some food down, irrespective of their seasickness, which, no doubt, some of them still had): for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you (that is, if you will do what I say).

³⁵And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all (which every Believer should do at every meal, as well): and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

³⁶Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat (some food).

³⁷And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls (276 people on-board, which meant the ship was quite large).

³⁸And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea (what was left of the cargo still on-board).

³⁹And when it was day, they knew not the land (they did not know where they were): but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship (they wanted to take the ship as close to the shore as possible).

⁴⁰And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore (once again, trying to get as close as possible!).

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 (they had not gotten in as close as they desired).

⁴²And the soldiers counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape (the reason for this is that Roman Law condemned guards to death if prisoners escaped under their watch).

⁴³But the Centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose (presents this man now knowing Paul was not just another prisoner); 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 (fulfilled exactly that which the Angel had conveyed to Paul).