New American Standard Bible 2020

Acts 27:14-44

14But before very long a violent wind, called 1Euraquilo, 2rushed down from 3the land; 15and when the ship was caught in it and could not head up into the wind, we gave up and let ourselves be driven by the wind. 16Running under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, we were able to get the ship’s 4boat under control only with difficulty. 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 let themselves be driven along in this way. 18The next day as we were being violently tossed by the storm, 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 slowly abandoned.

21 10When many had lost their appetites, Paul then stood among them and said, “11 12Men, you should have followed my advice and not have set sail from 13Crete, and thereby spared yourselves this 14damage and loss. 22And yet now I urge you to 15keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23For this very night 16an angel of the God to whom I belong, 17whom I also serve, 18came to me, 24saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; 19you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has graciously granted you 20all those who are sailing with you.’ 25Therefore, 21keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that 22it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26But we must 23run aground on a certain 24island.”

27But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to suspect that 25they were approaching some land. 28And they 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 26run aground somewhere on the 27rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and 28prayed for daybreak. 30But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down 29the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow, 31Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain on the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” 32Then the soldiers cut away the 30ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.

33Until the day was about to dawn, Paul kept 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 in nothing. 34Therefore, I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your survival, for 31not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35Having said this, he took bread and 32gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36All 33of them 34were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37We were 276 35 36people on the ship in all. 38When they had eaten enough, they began lightening the ship by 37throwing the wheat out into the sea.

39Now when day came, 38they 39could not recognize the land; but they did notice a bay with a beach, and they resolved to run the ship onto it if they could. 40And casting off 40the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and they hoisted the foresail to the wind and were heading for the beach. 41But they struck a 41reef where two seas met and ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck firmly and remained immovable, while the stern started to break up due to the force of the waves. 42The soldiers’ plan was to 42kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43but the centurion, 43wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from accomplishing their intention, and commanded that those who could swim were to 44jump overboard first and get to land, 44and the rest were to follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that 45they all were brought safely to land.

Read all of Acts 27

Notes

1. Acts 27:14 I.e., a northeaster ↩
2. Acts 27:14 Mark 4:37 ↩
3. Acts 27:14 Lit it ↩
4. Acts 27:16 Or skiff: a small boat in tow for emergencies, transportation to and from shore, etc. ↩
5. Acts 27:17 Lit helps ↩
6. Acts 27:17 Acts 27:26, 29 ↩
7. Acts 27:17 Lit implement, an object designed to stabilize a boat from the stern against the wind. ↩
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 lack of appetite ↩
11. Acts 27:21 Lit O men ↩
12. Acts 27:21 Acts 27:10 ↩
13. Acts 27:21 Acts 27:7 ↩
14. Acts 27:21 Acts 27:10 ↩
15. Acts 27:22 Acts 27:25, 36 ↩
16. Acts 27:23 Acts 5:19 ↩
17. Acts 27:23 Rom 1:9 ↩
18. Acts 27:23 Acts 18:9; 23:11; 2 Tim 4:17 ↩
19. Acts 27:24 Acts 23:11 ↩
20. Acts 27:24 Acts 27:31, 42, 44 ↩
21. Acts 27:25 Acts 27:22, 36 ↩
22. Acts 27:25 Lit it will be ↩
23. Acts 27:26 Acts 27:17, 29 ↩
24. Acts 27:26 Acts 28:1 ↩
25. Acts 27:27 Lit some land was approaching them ↩
26. Acts 27:29 Acts 27:17, 26 ↩
27. Acts 27:29 Lit rough places ↩
28. Acts 27:29 Or wished for ↩
29. Acts 27:30 Acts 27:16 ↩
30. Acts 27:32 John 2:15 ↩
31. Acts 27:34 Matt 10:30 ↩
32. Acts 27:35 Matt 14:19 ↩
33. Acts 27:36 Acts 27:22, 25 ↩
34. Acts 27:36 Lit became cheerful ↩
35. Acts 27:37 Lit souls ↩
36. Acts 27:37 Acts 2:41 ↩
37. Acts 27:38 Jon 1:5; Acts 27:18 ↩
38. Acts 27:39 Acts 28:1 ↩
39. Acts 27:39 Lit were not recognizing ↩
40. Acts 27:40 Acts 27:29 ↩
41. Acts 27:41 Lit place ↩
42. Acts 27:42 Acts 12:19 ↩
43. Acts 27:43 Acts 27:3 ↩
44. Acts 27:43 Lit throw themselves ↩
45. Acts 27:44 Acts 27:22, 31 ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Acts 27