Bible Commentaries
Acts 27

Verse 1

1 Act 27:1. This chapter and half of the next has to do with the voyage to Rome in Italy, the capital city of the Roman Empire. The voyage was made necessary by Paul's appeal from the lower courts (chapter 25:11; 26:32). Augustus' band. Josephus writes of a "Troop of Sebaste [the Greek word for Augustus], of Caesarea," and it was an officer of this band of soldiers who was given charge of Paul and the other prisoners.

Verse 2

2 Act 27:2. The first ship sailing in the desired direction was from the city of Adramyttium. This Aristarchus was the same who was with Paul in chapter 19:29.

Verse 3

3 Act 27:3. The ship landed next day at Sidon, a seaport on the coasts of Asia. While the ship was anchored here, Paul was permitted to visit his friends among the disciples.

Verse 4

4 Act 27:4. To sail under means "to sail close by," according to Thayer. They sailed near the shore of this island to shield them from the winds that were blowing against them.

Verse 5

5 Act 27:5. Sea of Cilicia and Pam-phylia means the waters bordering on those provinces. Passing on they landed at Myra in Lycia, another province of the Roman Empire.

Verse 6

6 Act 27:6. At Myra all on board had to change to another ship.

Verse 7

7 Act 27:7. Scarce were come means they just barely made it to reach Cnidus on account of the opposing wind. Going on in a southwestern direction, they sailed between the islands of Salmone and Crete, passing nearer the former.

Verse 8

8 Act 27:8. Hardly (with difficulty) they sailed round along the southern shore of Crete and came to a harbor called fair havens, near the city of Lasea.

Verse 9

9 Act 27:9. The fast was now already past. The fast was the period of the Atonement which came on the 10th day of the 7th month (Lev 23:27). This ceremonial day had nothing to do with the sailing, but it so happened that it came about the beginning of a stormy season on the Mediterranean. The reference to it was merely as a date, indicating the season of the year when it was generally dangerous to sail.

Verse 10

0 Act 27:10. I perceive is from THEOREO, and the several definitions in the lexicon present the idea of a conclusion based on what one has seen or can see, in connection with his better judgment. From such a basis, Paul advised that it would be a risk to both their lives and to the ship for them to sail.

Verse 11

1 Act 27:11. It was natural to prefer the judgment of these men to that of Paul since they were experienced seamen, and should have been in position to judge.

Verse 12

2 Act 27:12. Just because the place was not commodious (convenient) where they were in which to winter, the majority of the crew advised leaving. They thought they could reach the haven of Phenice which faced the northwest and southeast. Due to some "weather conditions" with which I am not acquainted, this was thought to offer a safe place in which to remain until spring.

Verse 13

3 Act 27:13. South wind blew softly. Such a wind seemed favorable, both as to direction and intensity. It would gently press them north and west along Crete.

Verse 14

4 Act 27:14. The chief characteristic of Euroclydon was that of churning up the water into huge waves, which accounts for the difficulties they had with the body of the ship. Thayer defines the word, "A S. E. wind raising mighty waves.

Verse 15

5 Act 27:15. Let her drive means they did not try to control the direction of the ship, but let it float in whatever direction the wind and waves drove it.

Verse 16

6 Act 27:16. Running under denotes going south of the island and passing near the shore. At this place the conditions had become so severe that they had difficulty to come by the boat, which means they could hardly manage the boat.

Verse 17

7 Act 27:17. The boat referred to was a lifeboat, which had been towed up to now because the waters were calm when they started. The word for boat is from SKAPHE which Robinson defines, "A skiff, boat." They hoisted this boat (with "much work," verse 16) up on deck, then gave their attention to the ship. To strengthen the hull, they passed ropes or chains around it and drew them up tight. Strake sail means they lowered the sails for fear the wind in them would force the ship into the quicksands. From now on they let the ship drift as it would with the wind and waves.

Verse 18

8 Act 27:18. Lightened the ship means they threw overboard some of the goods, thereby easing the weight the ship was compelled to carry in the storm.

Verse 19

9 Act 27:19. Tackling means the furniture, apparatuses and all other equipment of the ship. The situation was so grave the disciples assisted in throwing these things out.

Verse 20

0 Act 27:20. The obscurity of sun and stars indicates the storm continued throughout day and night. Not having any compass in those days, mariners had to depend on the heavenly bodies for their direction. This condition continued for so many days that all on board (except Paul) despaired of ever reaching land.

Verse 21

1 Act 27:21. The long abstinence was natural under the terrible strain of the conditions. Paul was very kind and respectful, yet properly chided the group for having rejected the advice he offered them while at Crete.

Verse 22

2 Act 27:22. Paul bade them to be of good cheer since the only loss that was to come to them would be regarding the ship; he then explained why he was thus assured.

Verse 23

4 Act 27:23-24. Stood by me . . . angel. (See Heb 1:13-14.) It was God's will for Paul to appear before Caesar; many results were to come from that great event.

Verse 25

6 Act 27:25-26. Paul predicted the wreck of the ship, which was to intervene before the personal rescue of the crowd or his appearance before Caesar.

Verse 27

7 Act 27:27. Two weeks after leaving Crete the mariners thought they saw indications of being near land. They were being driven back and forth in Adria, the Adriatic Sea, which is that part of the Mediterranean between Greece and Italy.

Verse 28

8 Act 27:28. They sounded (measured the depth with a line and weight) and found it twenty fathoms, or about 120 feet. After going only a little further they found it fifteen fathoms, or about 90 feet.

Verse 29

9 Act 27:29. At that rate they feared the water would soon be too shallow for the ship to float. They cast four anchors out of the rear of the boat to hold it from moving, while waiting for daylight to come when they could see better about conditions.

Verse 30

0 Act 27:30. The sailors lowered the lifeboat under color (pretending) that they intended placing some anchors at the forepart of the ship, but in reality for the purpose of abandoning the ship and taking to the lifeboat.

Verse 31

1 Act 27:31. The Lord promised to bring all the persons on board alive through the storm. However, He expected the cooperation of all concerned, especially the ones who were trained in affairs of water travel, hence Paul made this statement to the soldiers.

Verse 32

2 Act 27:32. To prevent the escape of the shipmen, the soldiers cut the ropes and let the lifeboat go. As it was an emergency, the military men acted in this commandeering manner to save the lives of the whole group.

Verse 33

4 Act 27:33-34. While waiting for daylight, Paul advised them to break their fast for their- health. Too long abstinence from food would be injurious, and besides, as their ultimate escape was assured, there was no reason for them to punish themselves more.

Verse 35

7 Act 27:35-37. Paul led the way and began to eat, after giving thanks for the bread. The group of 276 persons then took courage and also partook of the food.

Verse 38

8 Act 27:38. After satisfying their hunger, they decided to ease the strain on the boat further by casting the wheat into the sea.

Verse 39

9 Act 27:39. Knew not the land denotes that they did not recognize it. All creeks of necessity have shores, so we learn that a clearer translation would be that they thought they saw a bay with a beach that would be a desirable place for a "forced landing."

Verse 40

0 Act 27:40. Had taken up all comes from one Greek word which Thayer defines, "to cast loose." The italicized word themselves refers to the anchors which they abandoned in order to relieve the ship of the weight. The rudders were large oars used to steer the ship. While at anchor they would be hoisted out of the water and held by bands or ropes; these were now cut loose. They next raised the mainsail and started toward the "bay" mentioned in the preceding verse.

Verse 41

1 Act 27:41. Where two seas met all comes from DITHALASSOS, which Thayer defines, "an isthmus or tongue of land," and he explains it, "the extremity of which is covered by the waves." Both sides of this projection of land were washed by the sea which formed a sort of whirlpool, into which the forepart of the ship was thrust and stranded. The rear part of the boat was then lashed with the violence of this "whirlpool" and crushed.

Verse 42

2 Act 27:42. When the jailer in chapter 16:27 thought his prisoners had escaped, he intended killing himself rather than be executed (as he thought) by the officers. The soldiers in our verse wanted to kill the prisoners, rather than face their superior officers under the charge of allowing the prisoners to escape. This indicates the harsh rules the Roman government established regarding the responsibility of those having charge of prisoners. It also explains why the Jews felt the necessity of assuring protection for the watchers at the tomb of Jesus. (Mat 28:12-14.)

Verse 43

3 Act 27:43. Paul was one of the prisoners and would have shared the fate of the others, had the soldiers been suffered to carry out their purpose. Whether the centurion cared much for the other prisoners we are not told. But his respect for the apostle Paul moved him to dissuade the soldiers from their evil design. Instead, he gave orders for all to get to land in whatever way they could.

Verse 44

4 Act 27:44. Some of the crowd were able to swim to shore. Others made it to safety by the aid of boards and pieces of the ship that helped them to float.