New American Standard Bible 1995

Acts 27:14-44

14But before very long there 1rushed down from 2the land a violent wind, called 3Euraquilo; 15and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. 16Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s 4boat under control. 17After they had hoisted it up, they used 5supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might 6run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the 7sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. 18The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, 8they began to 9jettison the cargo; 19and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.

21 10When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “11Men, you ought to have 12followed my advice and not to have set sail from 13Crete and 14incurred this 15damage and loss. 22Yet now I urge you to 16keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23For this very night 17an angel of the God to whom I belong and 18whom I serve 19stood before me, 24saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; 20you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you 21all those who are sailing with you.’ 25Therefore, 22keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that 23it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26But we must 24run aground on a certain 25island.”

27But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that 26they were approaching some land. 28They took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29Fearing that we might 27run aground somewhere on the 28rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and 29wished for daybreak. 30But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down 30the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, 31Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” 32Then the soldiers cut away the 31ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.

33Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. 34Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for 32not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35Having said this, he took bread and 33gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36All 34of them 35were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37All of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six 36 37persons. 38When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by 38throwing out the wheat into the sea.

39When day came, 39they 40could not recognize the land; but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. 40And casting off 41the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach. 41But striking a 42reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. 42The soldiers’ plan was to 43kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43but the centurion, 44wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should 45jump overboard first and get to land, 44and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that 46they all were brought safely to land.

Read all of Acts 27

Notes

1. Acts 27:14 Mark 4:37 ↩
2. Acts 27:14 Lit it ↩
3. Acts 27:14 I.e. a northeaster ↩
4. Acts 27:16 Or skiff: a small boat in tow or carried on board for emergency use, transportation to and from shore, etc. ↩
5. Acts 27:17 Lit helps ↩
6. Acts 27:17 Acts 27:26, 29 ↩
7. Acts 27:17 Or gear ↩
8. Acts 27:18 Lit they were doing a throwing out ↩
9. Acts 27:18 Jon 1:5; Acts 27:38 ↩
10. Acts 27:21 Lit there being much abstinence from food ↩
11. Acts 27:21 Acts 27:10 ↩
12. Acts 27:21 Lit obeyed me ↩
13. Acts 27:21 Acts 27:7 ↩
14. Acts 27:21 Lit gained ↩
15. Acts 27:21 Acts 27:10 ↩
16. Acts 27:22 Acts 27:25, 36 ↩
17. Acts 27:23 Acts 5:19 ↩
18. Acts 27:23 Rom 1:9 ↩
19. Acts 27:23 Acts 18:9; 23:11; 2 Tim 4:17 ↩
20. Acts 27:24 Acts 23:11 ↩
21. Acts 27:24 Acts 27:31, 42, 44 ↩
22. Acts 27:25 Acts 27:22, 36 ↩
23. Acts 27:25 Lit it will be ↩
24. Acts 27:26 Acts 27:17, 29 ↩
25. Acts 27:26 Acts 28:1 ↩
26. Acts 27:27 Lit some land was approaching them ↩
27. Acts 27:29 Acts 27:17, 26 ↩
28. Acts 27:29 Lit rough places ↩
29. Acts 27:29 Lit they were praying for it to become day ↩
30. Acts 27:30 Acts 27:16 ↩
31. Acts 27:32 John 2:15 ↩
32. Acts 27:34 Matt 10:30 ↩
33. Acts 27:35 Matt 14:19 ↩
34. Acts 27:36 Acts 27:22, 25 ↩
35. Acts 27:36 Lit became cheerful ↩
36. Acts 27:37 Lit souls ↩
37. Acts 27:37 Acts 2:41 ↩
38. Acts 27:38 Jon 1:5; Acts 27:18 ↩
39. Acts 27:39 Acts 28:1 ↩
40. Acts 27:39 Lit were not recognizing ↩
41. Acts 27:40 Acts 27:29 ↩
42. Acts 27:41 Lit place ↩
43. Acts 27:42 Acts 12:19 ↩
44. Acts 27:43 Acts 27:3 ↩
45. Acts 27:43 Lit throw themselves ↩
46. Acts 27:44 Acts 27:22, 31 ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Acts 27