Paul Experiences Shipwreck in a Storm

This chapter is based on Acts 27; 28:1-10. 

Paul was finally on his way to Rome. “They delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment. So,” Luke writes, “entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea.” 4TC 225.2

In the first century, traveling by sea was dangerous. Sailors navigated mostly by the sun and stars. When a storm seemed to be coming, the ship owners were afraid of the open sea. During part of the year, safe navigation was almost impossible. 4TC 225.3

The apostle would now suffer the trying experiences of a prisoner in chains during the long voyage to Italy. Aristarchus shared Paul’s captivity by choice, so that he could care for him in his hardships (see Colossians 4:10). 4TC 225.4

The voyage began well. The following day they dropped anchor in the harbor of Sidon. Here Julius “treated Paul kindly” and “gave him liberty to go to his [Christian] friends and receive care.” The apostle, who was in frail health, appreciated this. 4TC 226.1

Leaving Sidon, the ship faced contrary winds. At Myra the centurion found a large Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and he transferred his prisoners to it. But the winds were still contrary. Luke writes: “When we had sailed slowly many days, ... passing ... with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens.” 4TC 226.2

They remained there for some time, waiting for better winds. Winter was coming quickly, and “sailing was now dangerous.” The question now was whether to stay in Fair Havens or try to reach a better place to stay for the winter. 4TC 226.3

Paul’s Inspired Advice Rejected

The centurion finally asked Paul, who had won the respect of sailors and soldiers, for his opinion. Without hesitation the apostle advised remaining where they were. “I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also of our lives.” But “the owner of the ship” and the majority of passengers and crew were unwilling to accept this counsel. They “advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix ... and winter there.” 4TC 226.4

The centurion decided to follow the judgment of the majority. “When the south wind blew softly, ... putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after, a tempestuous headwind arose. ... The ship was caught, and could not head into the wind.” 4TC 226.5

Driven by the storm, the ship neared the small island of Clauda, and the sailors prepared for the worst. The lifeboat, their only means of escape, was in tow and in danger of being smashed in pieces at any moment. Their first work was to hoist this boat on board. They took every possible precaution to prepare the ship to ride out the storm. The slight protection that the little island pro vided did not last long, and soon they were exposed to the full violence of the storm again. 4TC 226.6

All night the storm raged, and the ship leaked. Night came again, but the wind did not die down. The storm-beaten ship, with shattered mast and torn sails, was tossed this way and that. It seemed that the groaning timbers must surely break as the ship quivered under the shock of the storm. The leak increased rapidly, and passengers and crew worked continually at the pumps. Writes Luke, “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.” 4TC 227.1

For fourteen days they drifted. Though the apostle was suffering physically, he had words of hope for the darkest hour and a helping hand in every emergency. By faith he grasped the arm of Infinite Power. He knew that God would preserve him to witness at Rome for the truth of Christ, but his heart longed for the poor souls around him, sinful and unprepared to die. He pleaded earnestly with God to spare their lives, and God granted his request. 4TC 227.2

Disaster to the Ship

Taking advantage of a lull in the storm, Paul stood on deck and said: “Now I urge you to take heart; for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island.” 4TC 227.3

When they heard these words, the passengers and crew began to revive from their hopelessness. They must put forth every effort within their power to avoid destruction. 4TC 227.4

On the fourteenth night of tossing on the huge waves, about midnight the sailors heard the sound of breakers. “Then,” Luke writes, “fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come.” 4TC 227.5

At daybreak the outlines of the stormy coast were dimly visible, but the outlook was so gloomy that the heathen sailors lost all courage and “were seeking to escape from the ship.” “Under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow,” they had let down the lifeboat, when Paul saw what they were planning to do. He said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” The soldiers immediately “cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off” into the sea. 4TC 228.1

The most critical time was still ahead of them. The apostle again spoke words of encouragement and urged both sailors and passengers to eat something. “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” 4TC 228.2

“When he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.” Then that weary and discouraged company of 275 people, who would have become desperate were it not for Paul, joined the apostle in eating some food. “So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.” 4TC 228.3

Daylight had now come. “They observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosening the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.” 4TC 228.4

The Prisoners About to Be Killed

The prisoners now faced a threat more terrible than shipwreck. The soldiers saw that to reach land they would have all they could do to save themselves. Yet if any prisoners were missing, the Roman authorities would execute those who were responsible for them. For this reason the soldiers wanted to put all the prisoners to death. Roman law allowed this cruel policy. But Julius knew that Paul had helped to save the lives of all on board, and, convinced that the Lord was with him, he was afraid to do him harm. So he “commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.” When they checked the prisoner list, not one was missing. 4TC 228.5

The heathen people of Malta “kindled a fire,” Luke writes, “and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.” Having gathered “a bundle of sticks,” Paul “laid them on the fire,” and a poisonous snake came out “because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.” Seeing by his chain that Paul was a prisoner, the bystanders said, “‘No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.’ ... But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.” 4TC 229.1

During the three months that they stayed on Malta, Paul found many opportunities to preach the gospel. The Lord worked through him. For his sake the entire shipwrecked group was treated with kindness. And when they left Malta they were provided with everything they needed for their voyage. Luke says: 4TC 229.2

“Publius ... entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.” 4TC 229.3