v.1-8
Paul Sails for Rome
v.9-12
Paul brings a warning but is ignored
v.13-20
A Storm nearly sinks them
v.21-26
Paul warns them and shares of an angelic encounter
v.27-32
Ongoing struggles with the storm
v.33-38
Paul encourages them
v.39-44
They beach the ship
v.1-8
Paul Sails for Rome
v.1
When
it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other
prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged
to the Imperial Regiment.
v.2
We
boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along
the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus,
a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
v.3
The
next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness
to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide
for his needs.
v.4
From
there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus
because the winds were against us.
v.5
When
we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and
Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.
v.6
There
the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and
put us on board.
v.7
We
made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off
Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we
sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.
v.8
We
moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called
Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
[Passage
Synopsis: His captors
had decided that, having appealed to Caesar, Paul should be sent
to Rome and so under the charge of a centurion they set out from
Caesarea, stop off at Sidon briefly and then sail round to the
mainland at Myra to pick up a boat bound for Rome (a bit like
changing buses!). With the wind against them they sail south of
Crete to Fair Havens.]
v.9-12
Paul brings a warning but is ignored
v.9
Much
time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because
by now it was after the Day of Atonement. So Paul warned them,
v.10
“Men,
I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring
great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.”
v.11
But
the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed
the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.
v.12
Since
the harbour was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided
that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there.
This was a harbour in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.
[Passage
Synopsis: Paul has
the sense of impending disaster but the centurion goes along with
the pilot and master of the ship and so they continue.]
v.13-20
A Storm nearly sinks them
v.13
When
a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity;
so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.
v.14
Before
very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster,
swept down from the island.
v.15
The
ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind;
so we gave way to it and were driven along.
v.16,17
As
we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly
able to make the lifeboat secure, so the men hoisted it aboard.
Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together.
Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars
of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven
along.
v.18
We
took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day
they began to throw the cargo overboard.
v.19
On
the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their
own hands.
v.20
When
neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued
raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
[Passage
Synopsis: A vicious
storm arises that keeps going for several days to such intensity
that they give up hope of surviving.
v.21-26
Paul warns them and shares of an angelic encounter
v.21
After
they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them
and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from
Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.
v.
22 But
now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you
will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.
v.23,24
Last
night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood
beside me and said,‘Do
not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God
has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.'
v.25
So
keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will
happen just as he told me.
v.26
Nevertheless,
we must run aground on some island.”
[Passage
Synopsis: Paul reassures
them that he had had an angelic visitation the night before who
assured him he would get to Rome and the lives of all on the ship
would be spared.]
v.27-32
Ongoing struggles with the storm
v.27
On
the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic
[In ancient times the name referred
to an area extending well south of Italy.] Sea,
when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.
v.28
They
took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty
feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found
it was ninety feet deep.
v.29
Fearing
that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors
from the stern and prayed for daylight.
v.30
In
an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat
down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors
from the bow.
v.31
Then
Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men
stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”
v.32
So
the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift
away.
[Passage
Synopsis: Their
plight worsens and some sailors try to sneak off the ship with
a lifeboat but are stopped.]
v.33-38
Paul encourages them
v.33
Just
before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen
days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone
without food—you haven't eaten anything.
v.34
Now
I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one
of you will lose a single hair from his head.”
v.35
After
he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front
of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.
v.36
They
were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.
v.37
Altogether
there were 276 of us on board.
v.38
When
they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship
by throwing the grain into the sea.
[Passage
Synopsis: Paul continues
to encourage them all and gets them to take food.]
v.39-44
They beach the ship
v.39
When
daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a
bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground
if they could.
v.40
Cutting
loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time
untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the
foresail to the wind and made for the beach.
v.41
But
the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast
and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the
pounding of the surf.
v.42
The
soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them
from swimming away and escaping.
v.43
But
the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying
out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard
first and get to land.
v.44
The
rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship.
In this way everyone reached land safely.
[Passage
Synopsis: They decide
to beach the ship but it gets caught on a sandbar and starts to
break up, so they have to swim to the shore.]