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| 1 And when our sailing to Italy was determined, they were delivering up both Paul and certain others, prisoners, to a centurion, by name Julius, of the band of Sebastus, |
Sail into Italy – In company with other prisoners and under a strong guard. R3204:2, 1568:6, 1569:2
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| 2 and having embarked in a ship of Adramyttium, we, being about to sail by the coasts of Asia, did set sail, there being with us Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, |
We – Paul's company seems to have consisted of Luke, the writer of this account, who uses the pronoun we; Trophimus ( Acts 21:29); Aristarchus. R2222:1, 4505:3
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| 3 on the next [day] also we touched at Sidon, and Julius, courteously treating Paul, did permit [him], having gone on unto friends, to receive [their] care. |
Courteously entreated – Paul found favor in the eyes of the captain of the guard. R1569:2
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| 4 And thence, having set sail, we sailed under Cyprus, because of the winds being contrary, |
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| 5 and having sailed over the sea over-against Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myria of Lycia, |
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| 6 and there the centurion having found a ship of Alexandria, sailing to Italy, did put us into it, |
He put us therein – They were transferred to an Egyptian vessel laden with a cargo of wheat and passengers enroute to Rome. R4505:3
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| 7 and having sailed slowly many days, and with difficulty coming over-against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over-against Salmone, |
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| 8 and hardly passing it, we came to a certain place called 'Fair Havens,' nigh to which was the city [of] Lasaea. |
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| 9 And much time being spent, and the sailing being now dangerous because of the fast also being already past Paul was admonishing, |
Paul admonished them – Possibly the result of his own judgment of the weather and his experience as a sail maker. R3204:3
Much time was spent – They tarried at the port of Fair Havens for better weather. Thus they were delayed until about October 1st, the Jewish New Year's Day. R4505:3
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| 10 saying to them, 'Men, I perceive that with hurt, and much damage, not only of the lading and of the ship, but also of our lives the voyage is about to be;' |
Also of our lives – Greek, psuche; souls, beings. E338
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| 11 but the centurion to the pilot and to the shipowner gave credence more than to the things spoken by Paul; |
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| 12 and the haven being incommodious to winter in, the more part gave counsel to sail thence also, if by any means they might be able, having attained to Phenice, [there] to winter, [which is] a haven of Crete, looking to the south-west and north-west, |
The more part – Those in authority. R4505:3
A conference was held respecting the wisdom of wintering there or going on. R3204:2
Phenice – A larger port. R4505:3
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| 13 and a south wind blowing softly, having thought they had obtained [their] purpose, having lifted anchor, they sailed close by Crete, |
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| 14 and not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, that is called Euroclydon, |
Tempestuous wind – A northeast wind (typhonic) struck the vessel suddenly. R4505:3
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| 15 and the ship being caught, and not being able to bear up against the wind, having given [her] up, we were borne on, |
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| 16 and having run under a certain little isle, called Clauda, we were hardly able to become masters of the boat, |
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| 17 which having taken up, they were using helps, undergirding the ship, and fearing lest they may fall on the quicksand, having let down the mast so were borne on. |
Undergirding the ship – By placing chains and ropes under her keel. R4505:6
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| 18 And we, being exceedingly tempest-tossed, the succeeding [day] they were making a clearing, |
Lightened the ship – By casting overboard her heavier furniture, tackle, etc. R4505:6
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| 19 and on the third [day] with our own hands the tackling of the ship we cast out, |
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| 20 and neither sun nor stars appearing for more days, and not a little tempest lying upon us, thenceforth all hope was taken away of our being saved. |
Neither sun nor stars – The Captain could not tell his whereabouts, for the compass had not yet been invented. R4505:6
No small tempest – "The voyage of life" frequently resembles the one of this study. R4506:1
"Jesus Savior, pilot me over life's tempestuous sea." (hymn) R4506:1
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| 21 And there having been long fasting, then Paul having stood in the midst of them, said, 'It behoved [you], indeed, O men having hearkened to me not to set sail from Crete, and to save this hurt and damage; |
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| 22 and now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of life among you but of the ship; |
Now I exhort you – After receiving the assurances of safety, the Apostle made the matter known to the ship's company. R3204:6
Whatever we know that is good or comforting or refreshing to ourselves, we should dispense to others. R3205:1
We should be prompt to tell others the best tidings we have. R3205:1
Be of good cheer – Throughout the storm all had lost courage and hope but him. R4506:3
Of any man's life – Greek, psuche; soul, being. E338
But of the ship – Divine providence alone can effect the ultimate salvation, through the wrecking of the earthen vessel. R4506:2
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| 23 for there stood by me this night a messenger of God whose I am, and whom I serve |
There stood my me – It was not for any wrongdoing that Paul was permitted to suffer as a prisoner. In the very midst of his trouble, the Lord showed him favor. F227; R1526:5,6
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| 24 saying, Be not afraid Paul; before Caesar it behoveth thee to stand; and, lo, God hath granted to thee all those sailing with thee; |
Fear not, Paul – The Lord manifested his favor and encouraged him. The Apostle must have felt strengthened by this vision, and assurance of divine care. R3190:1
The Lord may lead in mysterious ways regarding our temporal matters and our service for him and his cause; but meantime he may permit trials and difficulties of various kinds to come as storms upon us. R3204:3
It was in obedience to his convictions of duty that he braved all those predicted adversities. F227; R1526:5
Thou must be brought – That is, on his account all the passengers and crew should escape with their lives from the wreck. R1569:2
That sail with thee – The Lord constantly witnessed with him to the truth of the gospel, by miracles and signs which mightily convinced the people. R1558:5
The divine care which accompanies the saints often proves a great blessing to their companions, even though, as in this case, they are worldly and unregenerate. R3204:5
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| 25 wherefore be of good cheer, men! for I believe God, that so it shall be, even as it hath been spoken to me, |
Be of good cheer – The true Christian in proper relationship with the Lord has at all times "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding." (Phil. 4:7) R4506:1
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| 26 and on a certain island it behoveth us to be cast.' |
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| 27 And when the fourteenth night came we being borne up and down in the Adria toward the middle of the night the sailors were supposing that some country drew nigh to them; |
Near to some country – The trained ears of the seamen in the night caught the sounds of the surf. R4506:3
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| 28 and having sounded they found twenty fathoms, and having gone a little farther, and again having sounded, they found fifteen fathoms, |
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| 29 and fearing lest on rough places we may fall, out of the stern having cast four anchors, they were wishing day to come. |
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| 30 And the sailors seeking to flee out of the ship, and having let down the boat to the sea, in pretence as [if] out of the foreship they are about to cast anchors, |
And as the shipmen – Illustrating their selfish character, which explains why the Apostle did not preach the Gospel to them. R3205:2
About to flee – The sailors were selfishly intent upon using the only small boat available for their escape, and premeditated leaving the soldiers and the prisoners on the vessel. R3205:2, 1569:5
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| 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, 'If these do not remain in the ship ye are not able to be saved;' |
Paul said – When he discerned the evident intention of the sailors to escape in the small boat, leaving the passengers, unable to guide the vessel, at the mercy of the sea. R3205:4
Ye cannot be saved – That the deliverance would not be forced upon them, nor would it be granted to them without their cooperation. R1569:5
We have something to do in realizing the gracious promises of God to us. R3205:4
While praying and trusting, let us not slack our hands as respects the proper use of earthly means. R4506:6
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| 32 then the soldiers did cut off the ropes of the boat, and suffered it to fall off. |
Cut off the ropes – The soldiers took immediate measures to frustrate the selfish scheme of the shipmen by cutting the ropes and letting the life-boat drift away, so the crew would use their efforts for the salvation of all. R1569:6
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| 33 And till the day was about to be, Paul was calling upon all to partake of nourishment, saying, 'Fourteen days to-day, waiting, ye continue fasting, having taken nothing, |
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| 34 wherefore I call upon you to take nourishment, for this is for your safety, for of not one of you shall a hair from the head fall;' |
Take some meat – He urged them to take food that they might be strengthened for the strenuous exertions of the coming day. R4506:3
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| 35 and having said these things, and having taken bread, he gave thanks to God before all, and having broken [it], he began to eat; |
He took bread – An ordinary repast for the satisfying of hunger and not as a memorial or symbol of our Lord's death. R1382:5
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| 36 and all having become of good cheer, themselves also took food, |
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| 37 (and we were all the souls in the ship two hundred, seventy and six), |
276 souls – Beings. R205:2
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| 38 and having eaten sufficient nourishment, they were lightening the ship, casting forth the wheat into the sea. |
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| 39 And when the day came, they were not discerning the land, but a certain creek were perceiving having a beach, into which they took counsel, if possible, to thrust forward the ship, |
With a shore – Now known as St. Paul's Bay in the island of Malta. R4506:5
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| 40 and the anchors having taken up, they were committing [it] to the sea, at the same time having loosed the bands of the rudders, and having hoisted up the mainsail to the wind they were making for the shore, |
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| 41 and having fallen into a place of two seas, they ran the ship aground, and the fore-part, indeed, having stuck fast, did remain immoveable, but the hinder-part was broken by the violence of the waves. |
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| 42 And the soldiers' counsel was that they should kill the prisoners, lest any one having swam out should escape, |
And the soldiers – Whose unworthiness to hear the Gospel message was thus shown. R3205:2
Kill the prisoners – Perceiving that the vessel would go to pieces, and that thus some prisoners might escape, they counselled their destruction. R3205:2, 1569:6
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| 43 but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, hindered them from the counsel, and did command those able to swim, having cast themselves out first to get unto the land, |
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| 44 and the rest, some indeed upon boards, and some upon certain things of the ship; and thus it came to pass that all came safe unto the land. |
Some on boards – Some by swimming and others by floating on wreckage, reached the land. R3205:5
They escaped – Thus on Paul's account, all the passengers and crew escaped with their lives from the wreck. R1569:2, 1569:6
Through the favor of the centurion. R1569:6
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