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Acts 27

And 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.

And 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.

And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.

And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

And 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;

And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

And 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.

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

And 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.

And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

Which 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.

And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

And 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.

But 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.

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.

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

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

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

Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

But 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;

And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

And 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,

Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

And 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.

Wherefore 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.

And 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.

Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

And 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.

And 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.

And 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.

And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

But 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:

And 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.

What does Acts 27:17 mean?

Explanation

Acts 27:17 refers to a precarious moment during the apostle Paul's voyage to Rome, as a prisoner, to stand trial before Caesar. The ship he was on encountered a violent storm, named Euroclydon, making the journey extremely perilous.

In this verse, the sailors are taking emergency measures to stabilize the ship and prevent it from being wrecked.

They used "helps," which refers to supportive cables or ropes to cinch around the hull of the ship, a process known as "frapping" or undergirding.

This was done in ancient times to help hold the wooden planks of the ship together in the face of severe storms.

The mention of "fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands" refers to the sailors' fear of running aground on the Syrtis sands, a notorious sandbank in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of North Africa.

To avoid this, they "strake sail," which means they lowered their sails to minimize speed and drift, and thereby have more control over the direction they were driven by the wind and waves.

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Historical Context

Acts 27:17 is set against the backdrop of ancient maritime practices in the first century, during the time of Roman domination.

Paul's journey occurs sometime between AD 59 and 62.

Maritime travel in those days was fraught with danger due to the lack of sophisticated navigational equipment and the vulnerability of wooden ships to the elements.

The "quicksands" refers to the Syrtis Major, which was a known hazard to shipping in the central Mediterranean Sea.

The passage gives a vivid account of ancient seafaring techniques, showing the lengths to which mariners would go to protect their vessels.

Theological Insights

This verse captures the dramatic nature of Paul's life as a missionary and serves as a testament to divine providence in Christian theology.

Despite the danger, Paul remains calm throughout the storm, which points to a theological insight regarding faith in God's protection and sovereignty even in the midst of trials.

Moreover, the storm can serve as a metaphor for spiritual or life challenges, highlighting the belief in relying on God during turbulent times.

Some theologians might see this event as part of God's plan to ensure Paul's arrival in Rome, where he would continue to preach the Gospel.

Practical Applications

The action taken by the sailors in Acts 27:17 can be applied to a practical approach in life where one must sometimes use available resources ("helps") to secure and protect what is valuable during times of distress and uncertainty ("undergirding the ship").

The verse can inspire individuals to take precautionary measures and to wisely manage life's difficulties ("strake sail") instead of pressing forward without regard for potential dangers.

Cross-References

2 Corinthians 11:25: "Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;"
Acts 27:29: "Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day."
Acts 27:31: "Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved."

Language Study

In Acts 27:17, the original Greek language provides nuances that are critical to understanding the text:

"Helps" (Greek: "boetheiais"), assistance or relief.
"undergirding" (Greek: "hypozonnumi"), to undergird or secure the hull with supports.
"lest they should fall" (Greek: "me ekpesoi"), indicating prevention of some feared outcome.
"into the quicksands" (Greek: "eis ton Syrtin"), specifically, the Syrtis, which was a known maritime hazard.
"strake sail" (Greek: "chaliontes"), to lower or take down the sail.

Understanding these terms in their original Greek context clarifies the specific actions taken by the crew.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient cultures, such as those of the Greeks and the Romans, mythology often provided explanations for the dangers of the sea. Poseidon (Greek) or Neptune (Roman) was the god of the sea and was responsible for storms and tempests according to their myths.

In contrast, the biblical narrative attributes natural phenomena, including storms, to the power of the Almighty God rather than to capricious deities.

Scientific Perspectives

The scientific perspective provides an understanding of quicksands (or "shifting sands") as being large underwater sandbanks that can indeed cause ships to run aground or be destroyed.

This scientific knowledge confirms the historicity of the sailors' fears in Acts 27:17.

Modern maritime practices include accurate mapping of the seafloor and GPS navigation, which helps prevent such dangers, pointing to how technology has vastly improved safety at sea compared to the first century.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Acts 27:17 reflect on the reality of ancient maritime travel and the providential care of God for Paul and his companions.

Matthew Henry's commentary emphasizes God's protection in guiding them through the storm.

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary notes that the measures taken to secure the ship were customary for ancient seafarers in desperate circumstances.

They collectively highlight the historical and spiritual lessons gained from examining the actions of the sailors, the guidance of God, and the faith of Paul during this perilous journey.

Acts 27

Acts 27

What does Acts 27:17 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 27:17 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?