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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 27:38 mean?

Explanation

Acts 27:38 describes a moment during Paul's voyage to Rome when those on board take drastic action to help ensure their survival.

Having faced severe weather conditions, the ship's crew and passengers had been on limited rations.

When they had eaten enough to regain some strength, they decided to jettison the remaining cargo of wheat into the sea.

This act of throwing their valuable cargo overboard was a last-ditch effort to lighten the ship and improve its buoyancy, thereby reducing the risk of running aground on the sandbars of Syrtis or being wrecked by the storm.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The Book of Acts is the fifth book of the New Testament and it continues the narrative that Luke began in his Gospel.

Acts 27 details the perilous journey of the Apostle Paul, who is being taken to Rome as a prisoner to stand trial before Caesar.

The event depicted in verse 38 occurs during a particularly violent storm in the Mediterranean Sea.

In the ancient world, sea travel was fraught with danger, especially during the stormy seasons.

The decision to cast cargo overboard was a recognized maritime emergency measure.

Shipping wheat was common as it was a staple food and a tradable commodity.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse may be seen as an illustration of the concept of sacrifice for the greater good.

Paul's journey to Rome is seen by many Christians as a part of God's plan for the spread of the Gospel.

The actions taken by the crew reflect a physical manifestation of a spiritual principle found elsewhere in biblical texts - the idea of laying aside every weight to focus on what is most important (Hebrews 12:1).

Practical Applications

The practical application of Acts 27:38 can be seen in the principle of prioritizing and sacrificing lesser things for the sake of something more valuable.

In everyday life, individuals often face decisions where they must let go of something in order to safeguard what is essential, be it letting go of possessions, unhealthy relationships, or old habits to improve one's life or to focus on spiritual growth.

Cross-References

Matthew 6:19-21: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth..."
Philippians 3:7-8: "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ."
Hebrews 12:1: "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us..."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek text of Acts 27:38 include:

'Autarkeo' (αὐτάρκης): often translated as "enough" or "sufficient".

It implies that the crew and passengers had reached a state of contentment or enough sustenance to act.

'Kouphizo' (κουφίζω): meaning "to lighten" or "make light".

This directly describes the action of lightening the ship's load.

'Siton' (σῖτος): the word for wheat, which was a common cargo at the time and essential for sustenance.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultures, sea travel and the forces of nature were often attributed to the will of the gods.

For instance, in Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god of the sea and could cause storms that would imperil ships.

The casting overboard of cargo might have also been seen as a sacrifice or offering to appease such deities.

In the Christian context of Acts, however, no such offering is suggested; rather, the action is a practical response to dire circumstances.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern maritime practice still acknowledges the procedure carried out by Paul and the ship's crew as a legitimate emergency measure.

In heavy seas, the principle of buoyancy and the ship's stability is critical.

With cargo aboard, the ship sits lower in the water and might be less able to navigate through waves, making it more susceptible to capsizing or running aground.

Commentaries

Various Bible commentators have noted the significance of Acts 27:38.

John Gill comments on the providence of God in allowing the crew to find sustenance before facing the task of discarding their valuable cargo.

Matthew Henry views the chapter as a broader lesson on God's deliverance and human preparedness to face trials.

These expert views often highlight the balance between divine guidance and human responsibility that is a recurrent theme in the Book of Acts.

Acts 27

Acts 27

What does Acts 27:38 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 27:38 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?