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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
16.
And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
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.
18.
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
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.
GOOD CHEER IN THE STORM
‘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.’
Acts 27:22
Festus delivered his prisoner into the hands of Julius, a centurion of the Augustan band. The Apostle was accompanied by two friends—the beloved Luke and Aristarchus, an old Thessalonian friend and disciple ( Acts 19:29). There does not appear to have been any ship in the harbour of Cæsarea going direct to Italy. So they went on board a merchant vessel which was in the harbour, bound for Adramyttium, a seaport of Mysia, where they hoped to find another vessel bound for Italy. And on the voyage the ship was wrecked. Yet it was St. Paul, the prisoner, who gave the word of cheer in the storm as accounted in the text.
What do these words suggest?
I. A trying situation.—How so?
( a) Well-nigh hopeless. ‘When neither sun nor stars,’ etc. ( Acts 27:20).
( b) Brought about by no fault of his. St. Paul was in the right path. Greatest trials often when we are in path of duty.
( c) Seemed against fulfilment of God’s decree. It had been divinely ordained that St. Paul should preach at Rome ( Acts 23:11). Was this purpose to be defeated?
II. A timely messenger.—There stood by St. Paul ‘the Angel of God.’
( a) God ever watchful of His own (Psalms 121).
( b) God ever ready to interpose in their straits. ‘Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.’
( c) Only His own He thus favours—those who, like St. Paul, can say, ‘Whose I am.’
III. A tender message.—‘Fear not, Paul.’
( a) Fear not for thyself. ‘Thou must be brought before Cæsar.’ God will bring through present danger.
( b) Fear not for those with thee in the ship. The wicked spared often because of the righteous.
Illustration
‘The description of the storm in this chapter is admitted by those who know what a storm is to be one of the best ever written. It is stated that Lord Nelson read this chapter on the morning of the Battle of Copenhagen, and that the ships at that battle, as well as others in which Nelson had the command, were anchored by the stern (an unusual thing), as was the ship in which St. Paul sailed.’
23.
For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
A GOOD COMPANION
‘Whose I am, and whom I serve.’
Acts 27:23
I. Christian manliness.—Like a true man, St. Paul came to the front in the hour of danger. The ship is drifting to her ruin; the sailors are absolutely hopeless; but it is as if, through a rift in the clouds which covered the heavens, a message of mercy had dropped at their feet, as they gather round this Jewish prisoner, and listen to his word of calm assurance, while he speaks to them in the name of his God, Who rules the earth and sea, and promises that not one of them shall perish.
II. A good confession.—It was not easy for St. Paul, a prisoner, and almost the only Christian on board that great vessel, to confess Christ and speak of Him to the heathen. It was especially difficult, when the storm came on. Those heathen sailors were terribly superstitious, and, as the case of Jonah reminds us, they might have easily taken up the idea that it was against St. Paul the anger of their gods was roused, and that their only safety would be to cast him overboard. And yet he was not ashamed to own his Master. It was a great thing for St. Paul to promise, that not a hair would fall from the head of any one on board. Suppose that, just as he was speaking, the waves had washed some one of the sailors overboard, what attention would have been paid to him or his words thereafter? He had no fear; he knew God and trusted Him. God had certainly spoken to him. It was a great promise He had made; but St. Paul knew it was like his God to promise great things and do them.
III. Ownership and service.—‘Whose I am.’ He expresses it more fully in some of his epistles, when he calls himself ‘the slave of Jesus Christ.’ A Roman slave was the absolute property of his master: he was to have no will of his own; he had to do, say, and suffer whatever his master chose without a thought of appeal or resistance. And this is the word St. Paul uses, once and again, to express his relation to the Lord Jesus. The words which follow present the other side of St. Paul’s relation to Christ: ‘Whom I serve.’ This word ‘serve’ seems to be always used of the service of God, and it seems to indicate joyful, willing service.
Illustrations
(1) ‘Bishop Moule, in his little book on Christian Sanctity, says many beautiful things on this subject. Christ is my despotic Master, he thinks the words mean; He has a right to order me about: let Him do it. Every moment I will remember that I am at His disposal. In the little things of life, I will stand and wait close beside Him. Let others know where to find me, ever at my Master’s side. No corner of my spirit is to be shut against Him; I am bound to think as He thinks, and my piques and my prejudices and my sensitiveness are to be laid at His feet and to lie there all day long.’
(2) ‘It is impossible to estimate the national and civic value of a good man. He is the salt that preserves society from total corruption. If all the good men and women were taken out of the world, then Dante’s Inferno would not be a thing of fancy but of fact. The religious element in English society is its best safeguard.’
24.
Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
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;
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.
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.
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:
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.