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.

Verse 1
Augustus' band; a body of the Roman army,--this name being a title of distinction.

2.

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.

Verse 2
Adramyttium; probably in Africa.--Asia; Asia Minor.--Aristarchus; a companion of Paul, who had come to Jerusalem with him. (Acts 19:29,Acts 20:4.) He is alluded to afterwards, (Philemon 1:24,) as Paul's fellow-laborer at Rome; and also, on another occasion, (Colossians 4:10,) as his fellow-prisoner.

3.

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.

4.

And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

Verse 4
Under Cyprus; near its shore, so as to be under its shelter.

5.

And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

6.

And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

Verse 6
Alexandria; in Egypt. There was an extensive commercial intercourse, in those days, between Egypt and Rome, as a great deal of grain from the valley of the Nile, was consumed in Rome. (See Acts 27:38.)

7.

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;

8.

And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

9.

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

Verse 9
Much time was spent; their progress having been impeded by the contrary winds before alluded to.

10.

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.

Verse 10
I perceive; I am convinced.--Of our lives; that is, that it will endanger our lives.

11.

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

12.

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.

Verse 12
Toward the south-west and north-west. This expression is obscure. The words south-west and north-west are, in the original, names of winds not noted for violence. The general meaning of the phrase must be, that the opening of the harbor was towards those quarters of the heavens from which violent storms were not to be apprehended.

13.

And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

14.

But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15.

And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

Verse 15
In modern times, the position of greatest safety for a ship in a storm of moderate violence, is for it to lie nearly head to the gale, presenting, so to speak, its shoulder to the winds and waves. By a peculiar action of the wind upon a sail placed in a particular position, the ship is retained in this posture by the very force of the storm which it is resisting. When, however, the fury of the tempest passes beyond a certain point, this position of comparative safety must be abandoned. The mariner then allows the ship to be carried round by the wind, and she flies away before the tempest, entirely at its mercy. The language here used seems exactly adapted to describe these effects.

16.

And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

Verse 16
Clauda; a small island south of Crete. Euroclydon was an easterly wind, so that they were driven westward.

17.

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.

Verse 17
Undergirding; some measure adopted, in those days, to strengthen the ship, in order to enable her better to resist the straining produced by the sea.

18.

And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

Verse 18
They lightened the ship,--by throwing overboard a part of the cargo.

19.

And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

20.

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.

21.

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.

22.

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.

23.

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24.

Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Verse 24
Hath given thee, &c. that is, for his sake all the others were to be saved.

25.

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

26.

Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

27.

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;

Verse 27
Adria; the Adriatic Sea.--Deemed that they drew near, &c.; by certain signs, familiar to seamen, such as the appearing of birds, or of floating plants, or a change in the color of the water.

28.

And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

29.

Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

30.

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,

31.

Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

32.

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

33.

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.

Verse 33
Meat; food.--Having taken nothing; almost nothing,--nothing at all adequate to the demands of nature.

34.

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.

35.

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.

36.

Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

37.

And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

38.

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

39.

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.

Verse 39
They knew not the land. They ascertained afterwards that it was the island now called Malta.

40.

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.

41.

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.

42.

And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

43.

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:

Verse 43
And commanded. It appears, from this and several former expressions, that Julius, and not the master of the ship, was the commanding officer during the voyage.

44.

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.