Acts 27:1 ¶ 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.
Acts 27:2 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.
Acts 27:3 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.
Acts 27:4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
Acts 27:5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
Finally, the time came for Paul to be sent to Rome. Notice that Luke is still with him—“we” should set sail. Julius, a Roman centurion of the Emperor’s Regiment, was given charge of this expedition. Paul was just one of several prisoners being transported to Italy. The ship in which they traveled was from Adramyttium (a port on the NE coast of the Aegean Sea), and the itinerary included stops along the coast of Asia. Luke also notes that one of the passengers was Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, another one of the men that had traveled to Palestine with Paul.
Acts 20:4 “And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.”
On the second day of the voyage they stopped at Sidon, and Julius allowed Paul to visit with his friends for refreshment. After leaving Sidon, they sailed “close to the sheltered side of Cyprus because the winds were against us” (CJB). They continued on to Cilicia and Pamphylia until reaching Myra, a city of Lycia.
Acts 27:6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
Acts 27:7 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;
Acts 27:8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
At Myra the centurion moved the whole company to a ship from Alexandria that was headed to Italy. David Guzik describes this ship as a grain freighter that could not sail into the wind because of its design.
Going was slow for several days, but they finally arrived off Cnidus. The CJB is a bit easier to understand.
Acts 27:7–8 “For a number of days we made little headway, and we arrived off Cnidus only with difficulty. The wind would not let us continue any farther along the direct route; so we ran down along the sheltered side of Crete from Cape Salmone; and, continuing to struggle on, hugging the coast, we reached a place called Pleasant Harbor, near the town of Lasea.”
The NIV Commentary makes note that “Cnidus was the last port of call before sailing west across the Aegean for the Greek mainland.” It also explains, “Navigation in this part of the Mediterranean was always dangerous after Sept. 14 and was considered impossible after Nov. 11.”
Acts 27:9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
Acts 27:10 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.
Acts 27:11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
As they continued traveling quite slowly, conditions for sailing were becoming more dangerous. Since the Day of Atonement had already passed, Paul was evidently aware that they were entering the time of year that was more hazardous for sailing (as noted above).
Paul warned those in charge that if they continued, he could foresee disaster in their future, resulting in loss of both cargo and lives. The captain and owner of the ship, however, convinced the centurion to keep going.
Acts 27:12 ¶ 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.
Acts 27:13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
Acts 27:14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
Acts 27:15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
Since they were not in a harbor that was conducive to docking for the winter, the decision was made to head for Phenice, a harbor of Crete better situated for that purpose. When a gentle south wind began to provide a favorable breeze, they decided to set sail and maintain a course close to Crete. Shortly after departing, a stormy wind called Euroclydon (what we would call a nor’easter) set in. The ship could not sail into the wind (as noted earlier), so they had to let her drift.
Acts 27:16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
Acts 27:17 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.
Again, the CJB is more clearly understood.
Acts 27:16–17 “As we passed into the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with strenuous effort to get control of the lifeboat. They hoisted it aboard, then fastened cables tightly around the ship itself to reinforce it. Fearing they might run aground on the Syrtis sandbars, they lowered the masts and sails and thus continued drifting.”
David Guzik provides the following information: “The Syrtis Sands were an infamous “graveyard” of ships off the coast of North Africa, feared like a ‘Bermuda Triangle.’”
Acts 27:18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
Acts 27:19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
Acts 27:20 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.
The storm became so violent that they began throwing cargo off the ship. On the third day they even resorted to throwing off the tackling (ropes, pulley blocks, etc.). Luke notes that they didn’t see the sun or stars for so many days throughout a continuously violent storm that they lost all hope of surviving.
Acts 27:21 ¶ 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.
Acts 27:22 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.
Acts 27:23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Acts 27:24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Acts 27:25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Acts 27:26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
Finally, Paul spoke up basically saying, “I told you so,” but imparting hope. He told them that they should have listened to him and stayed in Crete; if they had, they would not have suffered such loss. However, he also gave a message of hope. He declared that though the ship would be lost, all lives would be saved. He then revealed that an angel of God, the God he served, had appeared to him in the night and told him not to be afraid. The angel assured Paul that he would live to appear before Caesar and that the lives of everyone sailing with him would be spared.
Paul went on to encourage the crew that he knew that what the angel told him was from God and was true. He did reveal, however, that they would find themselves stranded on an island for a while.
Acts 27:27 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;
Acts 27:28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
Acts 27:29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
After enduring this storm in the Adriatic Sea for two weeks, the crew sensed that they were getting near land. They began taking measurements of the depth of the water. The first measurement showed twenty fathoms; the second showed fifteen.
Note: According to Webster, a fathom is “A measure of length, containing six feet; the space to which a man can extend his arms….”
Since they feared that the ship was going to run aground, they dropped four anchors from the stern (the rear or back part of the ship) while they waited for morning.
Another good note from the NIV Commentary: The Adriatic Sea is “the name used in ancient times for all parts of the Mediterranean between Greece, Italy, and Africa.”
Acts 27:30 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,
Acts 27:31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
Acts 27:32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
Acts 27:33 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.
Acts 27:34 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.
It seems that some of the crewmen determined to escape and lowered a lifeboat into the sea while pretending to be casting anchors from the front of the ship. Paul saw what was happening and told the centurion and his soldiers that if these men left the ship, he and his men would not survive. These men had been around Paul long enough to take what he said seriously. The soldiers immediately cut the ropes to the boat and let it fall into the sea.
As they waited for the dawn, Paul encouraged them all to eat since they had basically been fasting for fourteen days. He reminded them that their bodies needed the nourishment and that they no longer needed to worry about losing even a hair on their head.
Acts 27:35 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.
Acts 27:36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
Acts 27:37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
Acts 27:38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
Paul then proceeded to set the example; he took bread and gave thanks to God publicly and began to eat. All on board took courage and joined Paul in eating. Luke notes that there were 276 people on board the ship. After everyone had eaten enough, they dumped the rest of the wheat (the Greek also allows for corn) into the sea to lighten the ship even further.
Acts 27:39 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.
Acts 27:40 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.
Acts 27:41 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.
As morning dawned and they look around, they could not identify their location. They saw an inlet leading to a shoreline into which they hoped to guide the ship. The wording in the KJV is confusing; I liked the ESV translation.
“So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf.”
Again, Guzik provides further information: “They did not know it at first, but they came to an island called Malta. The place where the ship came aground is now called St. Paul’s Bay.”
Acts 27:42 And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
Acts 27:43 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:
Acts 27:44 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.
The soldiers knew they would be accountable for the prisoners, so they planned to kill them all rather than take the chance of any escaping. The centurion was determined to save Paul and prevented this from happening. He gave the order for all who could swim to jump in and get to the land. All the rest took hold of boards and pieces of the ship, and everyone made it to the shore alive.
Acts 28:1 ¶ And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.
Acts 28:2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
The narrative continues…
After escaping the danger from the storm, they realized that they were on the island of Melita, today known as Malta. It is a small island about 18 miles long and 8 miles wide. The natives there were very kind, beginning with building a fire to warm the travelers from the rain and cold.
Acts 28:3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
Acts 28:4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
Acts 28:5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
Acts 28:6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
Paul had gathered some sticks to help keep the fire going. Suddenly, a poisonous snake trying to escape the fire bit Paul on the hand and wouldn’t let go. When the natives saw this, they decided that Paul must be a murderer since he had escaped such an awful storm only to be bitten by such a snake. They thought he was receiving due justice for his actions. Paul finally shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects from the bite. The natives couldn’t believe it; they thought he should have swollen or fallen down dead. After observing him for a while and seeing that nothing bad happened to him, they changed their minds and decided that he must be a god.
JFB notes that these islanders “believed in a Supreme, Resistless, Avenging Eye and Hand, however vague their notions of where it resided.”
Acts 28:7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.
Acts 28:8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
Acts 28:9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:
Acts 28:10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
Publius, the chief ruler of the island nation, lived in the area nearby and generously offered lodging to “us” for three days. I would assume the “us” to be referencing Paul and his companions, but I guess it could have included all the stranded passengers. During that time, they became aware that the father of Publius was sick with fever and dysentery (from the Greek for “bloody flux”). Paul went in to lay hands on him and pray for him, and the man was healed. Once this became known, others on the island suffering from diseases came to Paul and were healed. The natives honored the missionaries liberally; and when they departed, they supplied them with all the things they needed.
Acts 28:11 ¶ And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.
Acts 28:12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
Acts 28:13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:
Acts 28:14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.
After three months, the traveling entourage under the supervision of Commander Julius departed Malta in a ship from Alexandria that had wintered in Malta. The ship’s figurehead was of “Castor and Pollux,” the twin gods. The NIV Commentary explains that these gods were “considered by sailors a sign of good fortune in a storm.”
The first stop on this part of the journey was at Syracuse (the ancient capital of Sicily) where they stayed for three days. The next stop was at Rhegium; one day later they came to Puteoli (on the bay of Naples) with the help of a south wind.
At Puteoli they found some fellow believers who invited them to stay for the week with them. We do not know whether Julius had a reason for staying in this city for a week or just wanted to grant Paul favor in light of all he had done. Finally, they headed toward Rome. McGarvey notes that the rest of the journey was over land.
Acts 28:15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
Acts 28:16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.
Word had evidently gotten around about Paul’s arrival during their stay in Puteoli, and believers came as far as the Appian Market (about 41 miles from Rome) and The Three Taverns (about 30 miles from Rome) to meet them. This really encouraged Paul, and he thanked God for their support and encouragement.
The NIV Commentary again added some insight: “Paul and company took the Via Domitiana from Puteoli to Neapolis, turning northwest to travel to Rome on the Via Appia—that oldest, straightest, and most perfectly made of all the Roman roads.”
When they finally arrived in the city of Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard. JFB notes that this man was known as the Praetorian Prefect and was the highest military authority in the city.
As in Caesarea, Paul was allowed to stay by himself under guard. Verse 30 tells us that he stayed in a house he personally rented.
David Guzik provides some interesting information about Rome: “When Paul came to Rome, the city had existed for almost 800 years. The famous Coliseum was not yet built; but the prominent buildings were the temple of Jupiter, the palaces of Caesar, and a temple to Mars (the god of war). At the time, Rome had a population of about two million - a million slaves, and a million free. Society was divided into roughly three classes: A small upper class, a large class of the poor, and slaves.”
Acts 28:17 ¶ And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
Acts 28:18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
Acts 28:19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.
Acts 28:20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
Three days after arriving in Rome, Paul called a meeting of the Jewish leaders in the city. He explained to them that though he was a prisoner in Rome, he had done nothing to deserve being imprisoned. He had done nothing to harm anyone nor had he done anything against the customs of the Jewish people. Still, the religious leaders in Jerusalem had pressed charges against him; and he had ended up in the prison there. He further related that the Roman governing authorities that had examined him would have let him go because they too found him not guilty of any of the charges made against him. However, because the Jewish religious leaders refused to accept their decision, he feared for his life and felt his only recourse was to appeal to Caesar. He had no desire to make accusations against the Jewish people in general; he only wanted to save his life. Paul wanted them to know that it was for his love of Israel that he was bound with a prison chain. It was his desire for them to recognize Jesus as their Messiah, but they wanted none of that.
Acts 28:21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.
Acts 28:22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
The Jewish leaders replied that they had received no news from Judea about Paul, neither had any travelers from there reported anything bad about him. They acknowledged that they would like to hear more about “this sect” with which Paul identified. They had only heard negative things about it.
Acts 28:23 ¶ And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
Acts 28:24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
Evidently realizing that there were many more who would be interested in Paul’s testimony, they made an appointment to meet at another time at his house. Paul took a whole day (from morning till evening) to teach from the law of Moses and from the prophets about the kingdom of God and how these prophecies pointed to Jesus as the Messiah. Some believed him, and some did not.
Acts 28:25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
Acts 28:26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
Acts 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Acts 28:28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Acts 28:29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
At the end of the day, the people departed in obvious disagreement with one another. Before they left, however, Paul had one last thing to say; and he quoted from the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah 6:9–10 “And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.”
He was obviously making an application to those to whom he had just spoken as well as those who had turned on him in Israel. It is because the Jews rejected Jesus that “the salvation of God was being given to the Gentiles” to spread throughout the world. God knew that many of the Gentiles would hear His word and believe it; while in comparison, most Jews would reject it. Paul explained this sad truth in his letter to the Romans.
Romans 11:25 “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”
After this, the Jews departed still arguing among themselves.
Acts 28:30 ¶ And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
Acts 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
Luke closed his letter by telling Theophilus that Paul lived for two whole years in his rented home and shared the gospel of the kingdom of God with all who came to see him. During that time, he was allowed to freely and boldly preach and teach the truth about the LORD Jesus Christ and His coming kingdom.
David Guzik offers the following thought: “Probably, Luke did not record Paul’s appearance before Caesar because the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts were written to give the Roman court the background and facts of Paul’s case in his trial before Caesar.”
Obviously, Paul’s story didn’t end here. We know that during this time Paul wrote the epistles known as Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon.
According to JFB, “the appeal which brought him to Rome issued in his liberation, that he was at large for some years thereafter and took some wide missionary circuits, and that he was again arrested, carried to Rome, and then executed — was the undisputed belief of the early Church, as expressed by CHRYSOSTOM, JEROME, and EUSEBIUS, in the fourth century, up to CLEMENT OF ROME, the “fellow laborer” of the apostle himself (Philippians 4:3), in the first century.”
Courson: “Released by Caesar because there was no legal case against him, the Book of Romans and the writings of Eusebius tell us Paul preached the gospel to Spain and Europe before he was brought back to Rome under arrest once more. This time, however, it was no longer house arrest. He was thrown into a dungeon.”