Bible ReadingActs 27:1-44 [14:07]And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius. And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for. And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.
Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the ship's boat. After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along. Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. And on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.”
When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship's boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it go.
As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. 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. The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.
Observation questions- In Acts 27, what reasons did the crew have for continuing the voyage, and whose voices did the centurion choose to trust over Paul’s? [16:22]
- What specific things happened during the storm that showed how serious the danger really was—both to the ship and to the people on board?
- What did Paul say after the angel appeared to him, and what three details stand out in his words about God, his calling, and the safety of the others? [18:20]
- What are some of the ways Paul brought courage and stability to the ship before everyone reached shore? [21:30]
Interpretation questions- Paul’s promise from God did not prevent the storm, the hunger, or the shipwreck. What does that suggest about the relationship between God’s calling and hard circumstances? [24:13]
- God granted safety not only to Paul but also to everyone sailing with him. How might one person’s obedience to God become a source of blessing, protection, or hope for many others nearby? [20:07]
- Paul gave thanks for bread while the ship was still breaking apart. What does that reveal about the kind of faith that trusts God in the middle of chaos rather than after everything settles down? [21:46]
- Malta became a place of ministry even though it was not Paul’s final destination. What does that reveal about the way God uses delays, detours, and interruptions? [29:33]
Application questions- Where does life currently feel stormy or uncertain for you? In that place, what would it look like to hold on to what God has said instead of letting fear make the decisions? [38:26]
- The kingdom of God is a participation sport. Where have you been tempted to stay on the sidelines spiritually—at home, at work, in your neighborhood, or in the church—and what might one small step of active obedience look like this week? [04:13]
- Paul belonged to God and served God, so he could stand in the middle of a storm with a steady heart. What helps you remember who you belong to when circumstances try to define you? [18:32]
- Some people are in a hard season that feels more like breaking than building. Is there a Goliath, prison, crisis, or wilderness in your life right now? How might God be using that very place to strengthen you instead of stop you? [35:41]
- Paul’s calling affected everyone on the ship. Who around you right now may be helped by your faithfulness—family members, friends, coworkers, or neighbors—and what might change if you saw your obedience as something that blesses them too? [23:36]
- God used Malta, not just Rome. What unexpected place in your life right now might actually be a ministry assignment—a waiting room, workplace, family burden, recovery season, or closed door that turned into a different path? [30:05]
- The Holy Spirit gives power for the next place of destiny. Where do you most need fresh strength, courage, or guidance right now, and how would you know if you were trying to move forward in your own strength instead of the Spirit’s power? [43:19]
