Acts 27 Summary

Paul and certain prisoners are delivered to Julius, a centurion, for passage to Italy aboard a ship of Adramyttium. They sail along the Asian coast with Aristarchus of Thessalonica accompanying them, and touch at Sidon where Julius courteously allows Paul to visit friends. After sailing under Cyprus due to contrary winds, they reach Myra where the centurion finds an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and boards them. Sailing slowly, they pass Crete and Paul admonishes them that the voyage will bring hurt, damage, and loss of lives, but the centurion trusts the master and owner more than Paul's warning. When a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon arises, the ship is caught and they let her drive, running under Clauda to secure the boat. They undergird the ship, lower sails fearing quicksands, and are driven by the tempest. After days of being tossed and losing hope of salvation, Paul stands forth declaring they should have hearkened to him, yet assuring them no loss of lives will occur but the ship will be lost. An angel visited Paul in the night saying he must come before Caesar and that God has given him all who sail with him. When the fourteenth night comes, the shipmen sense land approaching and fear rocks, so they cast anchors. The sailors attempt to flee in the boat, but Paul tells the centurion and soldiers that unless the sailors remain in the ship, they cannot be saved. The soldiers cut the boat loose. As day breaks, Paul urges all to eat for health, noting fourteen days have passed without food, then he eats before them. All take courage and eat. The ship carries two hundred seventy-six souls. After eating, they lighten the ship by casting out wheat. At daylight, seeing unfamiliar land, they spot a creek and attempt to run the ship aground, but she strikes and the forepart sticks while the hinder part breaks from waves. The soldiers plan to kill prisoners lest they escape, but the centurion, willing to save Paul, forbids it and commands those who can swim to cast themselves into the sea to land, and the rest to follow on boards and broken ship pieces. All escape safely to land.