New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Acts 27
1
It was decided that we would sail for Italy. Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a Roman commander named Julius. He belonged to the Imperial Guard.
Reference
People
2
We boarded a ship from Adramyttium. It was about to sail for ports along the coast of Asia Minor. We headed out to sea. Aristarchus was with us. He was a Macedonian from Thessalonica.
Reference
📍 Adramyttium
Parallel theme
Acts 19:29
3
The next day we landed at Sidon. There Julius was kind to Paul. He let Paul visit his friends so they could give him what he needed.
Reference
4
From there we headed out to sea again. We passed the calmer side of Cyprus because the winds were against us.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 4:36
5
We sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia. Then we landed at Myra in Lycia.
Reference
📍 Locations
6
There the commander found a ship from Alexandria sailing for Italy. He put us on board.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 28:11
7
We moved along slowly for many days. We had trouble getting to Cnidus. The wind did not let us stay on course. So we passed the calmer side of Crete, opposite Salmone.
Reference
📍 Locations
8
It was not easy to sail along the coast. Then we came to a place called Fair Havens. It was near the town of Lasea.
📍 Locations
9
A lot of time had passed. Sailing had already become dangerous. By now it was after the Day of Atonement, a day of fasting. So Paul gave them a warning.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 29:7
10
"Men," he said, "I can see that our trip is going to be dangerous. The ship and everything in it will be lost. Our own lives will be in danger also."
Reference
11
But the commander didn't listen to what Paul said. Instead, he followed the advice of the pilot and the ship's owner.
Reference
Faith
Hebrews 11:7
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 33:4
Proverbs 27:12
Revelation 18:17
2 Kings 6:10
References Paul
Acts 27:21
12
The harbor wasn't a good place for ships to stay during winter. So most of the people decided we should sail on. They hoped we would reach Phoenix. They wanted to spend the winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete. It faced both southwest and northwest.
📍 Locations
13
A gentle south wind began to blow. They thought that this was what they had been waiting for. So they pulled up the anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.
📍 Crete
14
Before very long, a wind blew down from the island. It had the force of a hurricane. It was called a "northeaster."
Reference
Parallel theme
Mark 4:37
15
The ship was caught by the storm. We could not keep it sailing into the wind. So we gave up and were driven along.
16
We passed the calmer side of a small island called Cauda. We almost lost the lifeboat.
📍 Cauda
17
So the men lifted it on board. Then they tied ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. They were afraid it would get stuck on the sandbars of Syrtis. They lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along.
Reference
📍 Syrtis
18
We took a very bad beating from the storm. The next day the crew began to throw the ship's contents overboard.
Reference
19
On the third day, they even threw the ship's gear overboard with their own hands.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 2:4
20
The sun and stars didn't appear for many days. The storm was terrible. So we gave up all hope of being saved.
Reference
21
The men had not eaten for a long time. Paul stood up in front of them. "Men," he said, "you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have avoided this harm and loss.
Reference
📍 Crete
Parallel theme
Genesis 42:22
23
I belong to God and serve him. Last night his angel stood beside me.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 23:11
Hebrews 1:14
Acts 5:19
2 Timothy 4:17
Isaiah 44:21
Acts 18:9
Acts 8:26
References God
Romans 1:9
Daniel 6:16
Daniel 6:22
24
The angel said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must go on trial in front of Caesar. God has shown his grace by sparing the lives of all those sailing with you.'
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 10:28
Acts 9:15
James 5:16
Revelation 1:17
Acts 27:37
Genesis 12:2
Genesis 15:1
2 Kings 6:16
References God
Genesis 19:29
References Paul
Acts 23:11
27
On the 14th night we were still being driven across the Sea of Adria. About midnight the sailors had a feeling that they were approaching land.
📍 Adriatic Sea
28
They measured how deep the water was. They found that it was 120 feet deep. A short time later they measured the water again. This time it was 90 feet deep.
29
They were afraid we would crash against the rocks. So they dropped four anchors from the back of the ship. They prayed that daylight would come.
Reference
30
The sailors wanted to escape from the ship. So they let the lifeboat down into the sea. They pretended they were going to lower some anchors from the front of the ship.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 27:16
31
But Paul spoke to the commander and the soldiers. "These men must stay with the ship," he said. "If they don't, you can't be saved."
32
So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat. They let it drift away.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 16:8
33
Just before dawn Paul tried to get them all to eat. "For the last 14 days," he said, "you have wondered what would happen. You have gone without food. You haven't eaten anything.
34
Now I am asking you to eat some food. You need it to live. Not one of you will lose a single hair from your head."
Reference
35
After Paul said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God. He did this where they all could see him. Then he broke it and began to eat.
Reference
38
They ate as much as they wanted. They needed to make the ship lighter. So they threw the rest of the grain into the sea.
Reference
39
When daylight came, they saw a bay with a sandy beach. They didn't recognize the place. But they decided to run the ship onto the beach if they could.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 28:1
40
So they cut the anchors loose and left them in the sea. At the same time, they untied the ropes that held the rudders. They lifted the sail at the front of the ship to the wind. Then they headed for the beach.
41
But the ship hit a sandbar. So the front of it got stuck and wouldn't move. The back of the ship was broken to pieces by the pounding of the waves.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 27:26
42
The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners. They wanted to keep them from swimming away and escaping.
43
But the commander wanted to save Paul's life. So he kept the soldiers from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and swim to land.
Reference
Summary of Acts 27
Acts 27 tells the dramatic story of Paul's journey to Rome by sea, during which he and 275 other people survive a violent Mediterranean storm and shipwreck.
Paul is placed under the authority of a Roman centurion named Julius and begins the journey from Caesarea toward Italy, accompanied by Luke and Aristarchus.
The journey is difficult from the beginning because the winds are unfavorable, forcing the ship to move slowly and seek protection along the coast and near islands.
At Myra, the travelers transfer to a larger ship from Alexandria that is heading toward Italy, probably one of the many Egyptian grain ships that carried food toward Rome.
As they continue, the weather becomes increasingly dangerous, and eventually they reach Fair Havens on Crete.
Paul warns the sailors that continuing the journey is dangerous because the sailing season is already late and a severe storm could destroy the ship and endanger everyone's lives.
However, the captain, shipowner, and most of the people on board decide that Fair Havens is not a good place to spend the winter, so they choose to continue toward Phoenix, a more suitable harbor.
At first, a gentle southern wind makes their decision appear successful, but the calm weather quickly changes when a violent northeasterly storm strikes the ship.
The sailors lose control of the vessel and eventually allow the wind to drive it across the sea.
They strengthen the ship with ropes, throw cargo and equipment overboard, and struggle to keep the vessel from breaking apart.
For many days the storm continues, and because the sun and stars cannot be seen, the sailors lose their ability to navigate properly.
The people on board become so discouraged that they stop eating and begin to believe that they will not survive.
Paul then stands among them and gives them a message of hope.
He reminds them that he had warned them about the journey, but instead of focusing on who was responsible for the mistake, he tells them that an angel from God has assured him that everyone will survive, although the ship itself will be destroyed.
Paul explains that he must still appear before Caesar, connecting the promise of survival with the earlier promise that he would eventually reach Rome.
After fourteen nights of being driven across the sea, the sailors begin to realize that they are approaching land.
They measure the depth of the water and discover that it is becoming shallower, so they throw out four anchors and wait for daylight.
Some sailors then attempt to escape in the lifeboat, but Paul recognizes their plan and warns the centurion that everyone needs to remain on the ship if they are going to survive.
The soldiers cut the ropes and prevent the sailors from escaping.
Before daylight, Paul encourages everyone to eat because they have gone many days without proper food.
He takes bread, gives thanks to God, breaks it, and begins eating in front of everyone.
His calm actions encourage the others, and all 276 people on the ship eat before preparing for the final stage of the journey.
When daylight arrives, the sailors see a bay with a beach and decide to run the ship onto the shore.
The ship hits a dangerous shallow area where two currents meet, causing the front of the ship to become stuck while the back begins breaking apart.
The soldiers then consider killing the prisoners because Roman soldiers could face serious punishment if prisoners escaped.
However, Julius stops them because he wants to save Paul, ordering those who can swim to reach the shore first.
Everyone else follows by holding onto pieces of the broken ship.
In the end, all 276 people reach land safely, exactly as Paul had said.
The central message of Acts 27 is that God can protect His people through situations that appear completely hopeless, while also using them to bring hope and courage to others.
Paul does not control the storm, the ship, or the decisions of the sailors, but he remains calm because he trusts God's promise.
His faith does not make him passive; instead, he combines faith with practical wisdom by warning the crew, stopping the sailors from escaping, encouraging everyone to eat, and helping the group prepare for survival.
The chapter also shows how Paul's presence begins to influence people who do not share his faith.
The Roman centurion Julius treats Paul with unusual kindness, listens to him at important moments, and eventually protects his life when the soldiers want to kill the prisoners.
Paul becomes a leader during the crisis even though he is technically only a prisoner.
Historically, the chapter provides an unusually detailed picture of ancient Mediterranean sea travel, including the use of coastal routes, anchors, ropes, lifeboats, navigation by the sun and stars, measuring water depth, and throwing cargo overboard to make a ship lighter.
The mention of the Day of Atonement helps place the journey in the late sailing season, probably around September or October, when Mediterranean storms made long-distance travel much more dangerous.
The ship is eventually wrecked on an island that Acts 28 identifies as Malta.
The journey is significant because Paul had already been told that he would testify in Rome, and even though the storm threatens to end his life, God's promise remains in control.
Acts 27 therefore connects God's promise, human responsibility, courage, leadership, and survival.
Paul's faith does not prevent the storm, but it gives him the confidence to face it and encourage everyone around him.
The ship is lost, the journey becomes chaotic, and everyone experiences fear, yet not one person dies, demonstrating that the disaster becomes another stage in Paul's journey toward Rome and another opportunity for his faith to influence the people around him.
Paul is placed under the authority of a Roman centurion named Julius and begins the journey from Caesarea toward Italy, accompanied by Luke and Aristarchus.
The journey is difficult from the beginning because the winds are unfavorable, forcing the ship to move slowly and seek protection along the coast and near islands.
At Myra, the travelers transfer to a larger ship from Alexandria that is heading toward Italy, probably one of the many Egyptian grain ships that carried food toward Rome.
As they continue, the weather becomes increasingly dangerous, and eventually they reach Fair Havens on Crete.
Paul warns the sailors that continuing the journey is dangerous because the sailing season is already late and a severe storm could destroy the ship and endanger everyone's lives.
However, the captain, shipowner, and most of the people on board decide that Fair Havens is not a good place to spend the winter, so they choose to continue toward Phoenix, a more suitable harbor.
At first, a gentle southern wind makes their decision appear successful, but the calm weather quickly changes when a violent northeasterly storm strikes the ship.
The sailors lose control of the vessel and eventually allow the wind to drive it across the sea.
They strengthen the ship with ropes, throw cargo and equipment overboard, and struggle to keep the vessel from breaking apart.
For many days the storm continues, and because the sun and stars cannot be seen, the sailors lose their ability to navigate properly.
The people on board become so discouraged that they stop eating and begin to believe that they will not survive.
Paul then stands among them and gives them a message of hope.
He reminds them that he had warned them about the journey, but instead of focusing on who was responsible for the mistake, he tells them that an angel from God has assured him that everyone will survive, although the ship itself will be destroyed.
Paul explains that he must still appear before Caesar, connecting the promise of survival with the earlier promise that he would eventually reach Rome.
After fourteen nights of being driven across the sea, the sailors begin to realize that they are approaching land.
They measure the depth of the water and discover that it is becoming shallower, so they throw out four anchors and wait for daylight.
Some sailors then attempt to escape in the lifeboat, but Paul recognizes their plan and warns the centurion that everyone needs to remain on the ship if they are going to survive.
The soldiers cut the ropes and prevent the sailors from escaping.
Before daylight, Paul encourages everyone to eat because they have gone many days without proper food.
He takes bread, gives thanks to God, breaks it, and begins eating in front of everyone.
His calm actions encourage the others, and all 276 people on the ship eat before preparing for the final stage of the journey.
When daylight arrives, the sailors see a bay with a beach and decide to run the ship onto the shore.
The ship hits a dangerous shallow area where two currents meet, causing the front of the ship to become stuck while the back begins breaking apart.
The soldiers then consider killing the prisoners because Roman soldiers could face serious punishment if prisoners escaped.
However, Julius stops them because he wants to save Paul, ordering those who can swim to reach the shore first.
Everyone else follows by holding onto pieces of the broken ship.
In the end, all 276 people reach land safely, exactly as Paul had said.
The central message of Acts 27 is that God can protect His people through situations that appear completely hopeless, while also using them to bring hope and courage to others.
Paul does not control the storm, the ship, or the decisions of the sailors, but he remains calm because he trusts God's promise.
His faith does not make him passive; instead, he combines faith with practical wisdom by warning the crew, stopping the sailors from escaping, encouraging everyone to eat, and helping the group prepare for survival.
The chapter also shows how Paul's presence begins to influence people who do not share his faith.
The Roman centurion Julius treats Paul with unusual kindness, listens to him at important moments, and eventually protects his life when the soldiers want to kill the prisoners.
Paul becomes a leader during the crisis even though he is technically only a prisoner.
Historically, the chapter provides an unusually detailed picture of ancient Mediterranean sea travel, including the use of coastal routes, anchors, ropes, lifeboats, navigation by the sun and stars, measuring water depth, and throwing cargo overboard to make a ship lighter.
The mention of the Day of Atonement helps place the journey in the late sailing season, probably around September or October, when Mediterranean storms made long-distance travel much more dangerous.
The ship is eventually wrecked on an island that Acts 28 identifies as Malta.
The journey is significant because Paul had already been told that he would testify in Rome, and even though the storm threatens to end his life, God's promise remains in control.
Acts 27 therefore connects God's promise, human responsibility, courage, leadership, and survival.
Paul's faith does not prevent the storm, but it gives him the confidence to face it and encourage everyone around him.
The ship is lost, the journey becomes chaotic, and everyone experiences fear, yet not one person dies, demonstrating that the disaster becomes another stage in Paul's journey toward Rome and another opportunity for his faith to influence the people around him.