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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 27:30 mean?

Explanation

Acts 27:30 describes an event during a storm at sea.

The Apostle Paul is aboard a ship with other passengers and crew, sailing towards Rome.

The ship encounters a tempestuous wind named Euroclydon, leaving the ship's crew in a state of despair and struggle for survival.

In the verse, the shipmen (sailors) are plotting to abandon the ship by pretending to lower anchors from the front of the ship.

In fact, they were trying to escape by letting down the ship's small lifeboat into the sea.

This reveals their hopelessness and deceit as they planned to leave the passengers to fend for themselves while they secretly attempted to save their own lives.

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Historical Context

Acts 27:30 is a part of the larger narrative of the Book of Acts in the New Testament, which is attributed to Luke.

The context is Paul's journey as a prisoner to Rome to stand trial before Caesar.

This episode is set in the first century AD, during maritime voyages when sea travel was perilous and at the mercy of unpredictable weather.

The historical context highlights the peril of ancient seafaring and the desperate measures sailors would resort to in life-threatening situations.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse can be interpreted in several ways.

One view may see the sailors' action as a lack of faith or trust in God's providence, contrasting with Paul's admonition to them to remain on the ship, as he had been assured by an angel of God's protection.

Another interpretation might find in their behavior a real-world parallel to Jonah's story, where running away leads to further calamity.

It also serves as an illustration of human deceitfulness and self-preservation in times of crisis.

Practical Applications

This verse serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of honesty and the dangers of deceit.

In a practical sense, it can be applied as a reminder to face challenges with integrity rather than resorting to underhanded tactics for personal gain.

It also teaches the value of solidarity during hard times, emphasizing the need to work together and support one another instead of abandoning those who depend on us.

Cross-References

Jonah 1:5 – "Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it of them.

But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep."

Proverbs 12:22 – "Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight."
Acts 27:31 – "Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved."

Language Study

The key phrase in the original Greek text is "ὡς ἐκ τοῦ προρείου μέλλοντες ἀγκύρας ἐκτείνειν" (hōs ek tou proriou mellontes ankyras ekteinein), which can be broken down as follows:

ὡς (hōs): as though, as if; suggesting a deceptive intent.
μέλλοντες (mellontes): about to, intending to; showing the sailors' planning.
ἀγκύρας (ankyras): anchors; here, it refers to the subterfuge of setting anchors as a guise for escape.
ἐκτείνειν (ekteinein): to stretch out, to let down; used for lowering something, possibly a boat.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient times, maritime culture was rife with superstitions and rituals to appease the deities of the sea.

Such a crisis might have led to vows, sacrifices, or desperate measures like the one described.

The distinction in Acts is the presence of a man, Paul, who speaks from the confidence of faith in God, contrasting with the typical pagan reactions.

This contrast serves to highlight the differences between Christian faith and the prevailing religious and cultural practices of the day.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific understanding of maritime safety and procedures contrasts sharply with the practices of ancient seafaring depicted in Acts 27.

Today, we have a better understanding of meteorology, navigation, and the construction of vessels designed to withstand rigorous sea conditions.

However, the psychological phenomena of panic and the will to survive at all costs observed in the sailors can be examined through the lens of evolutionary psychology and survival mechanisms.

Commentaries

Experts and Bible commentators have provided various interpretations of Acts 27:30.

Some highlight the sailors' actions as a typical human response to extreme fear and stress. Others point out Paul's leadership and faith, serving as a counterpoint to the sailors' failure of nerve.

Commentators like John Calvin emphasize the importance of placing one's faith in God's promises even amidst chaos, while Matthew Henry views the attempt at escape as indicative of a broader human tendency to scheme and deceive when faced with dire circumstances.

Acts 27

Acts 27

What does Acts 27:30 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 27:30 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?