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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 27:6 mean?

Explanation

Acts 27:6 describes a moment during the Apostle Paul's journey to Rome, where he is being sent as a prisoner to stand trial before Caesar.

In this verse, the centurion in charge of Paul's transport finds an Alexandrian ship headed to Italy and decides to transfer Paul and his companions onto it.

The ship from Alexandria indicates that it was a large grain ship, as Alexandria was a key center for shipping grain to Rome.

This transfer to a larger, presumably more seaworthy ship, would have been seen as a move to ensure a safer and more efficient passage to Italy.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

During the first century, when Acts was written by Luke, the Mediterranean Sea was dotted with ships carrying goods and passengers between various ports of the Roman Empire.

Egypt, and specifically Alexandria, was the breadbasket of Rome, and ships from there traveled regularly to Italy with grain.

Paul's journey occurred during the reign of the Emperor Nero.

He had appealed to Caesar, as was his right as a Roman citizen, to have his case heard.

The centurion responsible for him was tasked with his safe delivery to Rome.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse illustrates God's sovereignty in Paul's circumstances. Despite being a prisoner, Paul is moved progressively closer to Rome, where he will fulfill his calling to testify for Christ.

Some Christian thinkers view this as part of the divine plan, where even the decisions of those outside the faith are used to achieve God's purposes.

Additionally, the presence of a centurion reflects the theme of authority and governance, and how God's message and His servants navigate within these structures.

Practical Applications

The practical application of Acts 27:6 can be in trusting God's providence in all situations, especially when one's direction in life seems to be under the control of others.

Just as Paul was placed on the right ship that would eventually lead him to his destiny, individuals can reflect on how they might be in the right place at the right time according to a bigger plan.

This can encourage believers to have faith during transitions or seemingly random occurrences in life.

Cross-References

Acts 27:1 - "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."
Acts 28:16 - "And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him."
Acts 23:11 - "And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome."

Language Study

"Centurion": From the Latin 'centurio,' a Roman army officer in charge of a century, which is a unit of around 100 soldiers.
"Ship of Alexandria": This denotes the origin of the ship, Alexandria being a major port city in Egypt for the trade of goods, especially grain, to Rome.
"Sailing into Italy": Indicates the destination of the ship, reinforcing the fact that Paul's direction towards his destiny is being systematically aligned.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the broader cultural context of the Roman Empire, transportation by sea was common for trade, military pursuits, and the movement of prisoners.

Unlike some ancient myths where sea voyages often have supernatural elements or direct interventions of gods, in Acts, God's providence is understood as working through natural events and human decisions.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, sea travel at the time relied on manual navigation techniques, understanding of winds, and stars for direction.

The verse does not detail these elements, but underlying it is the Roman Empire's advanced knowledge of shipbuilding and navigation which made such regular voyages possible, reflecting the scientific achievements of the time.

commentaries

Different Bible commentators reflect on Acts 27:6 with various emphases:

John Gill remarked on the providence of finding a ship headed directly to Italy, avoiding unnecessary stops and transfers.
Matthew Henry's commentary takes note of God's invisible hand guiding Paul's journey, ensuring that even in custody, he was progressing towards the fulfillment of his apostolic mission.
The Expositor's Greek Testament discusses the size and sturdiness of Alexandrian grain ships, inferring the prudence of the centurion in choosing the vessel considering the time of year and potential weather challenges.

Acts 27

Acts 27

What does Acts 27:6 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 27:6 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?