9 And as a long time had gone by, and the journey was now full of danger, because it was late in the year, Paul put the position before them,
10 Saying, Friends, I see that this journey will be one of great damage and loss, not only to the goods and the ship, but to ourselves.
11 But the captain gave more attention to the master and the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.
12 And as the harbour was not a good one in which to be for the winter, the greater number of them were for going out to sea, in order, if possible, to put in for the winter at Phoenix, a harbour of Crete, looking to the north-east and south-east.
13 And when the south wind came softly, being of the opinion that their purpose might be effected, they let the ship go and went sailing down the side of Crete, very near to the land.
14 But after a little time, a very violent wind, named Euraquilo, came down from it with great force.
15 And when the ship got into the grip of it, and was not able to make headway into the wind, we gave way, and went before it.
16 And, sailing near the side of a small island named Cauda, we were able, though it was hard work, to make the ship's boat safe:
17 And having got it up, they put cords under and round the ship; but fearing that they might be pushed on to the Syrtis, they let down the sails and so went running before the wind.
18 And, still fighting the storm with all our strength, the day after they made a start at getting the goods out of the ship;
19 And on the third day, they let all the sailing apparatus go over the side.
20 And as we had not seen the sun or stars for a long time, and a great storm was on us, all hope of salvation was gone.
21 And when they had been without food for a long time, Paul got up among them and said, Friends, it would have been better if you had given attention to me and not gone sailing out from Crete, to undergo this damage and loss.
22 But now, I say to you, be of good heart, for there will be no loss of life, but only of the ship.
23 For this night there came to my side an angel of the God who is my Master and whose servant I am,
24 Saying, Have no fear, Paul, for you will come before Caesar, and God has given to you all those who are sailing with you.
25 And so, O men, be of good heart, for I have faith in God that it will be as he said to me.
26 But we will be sent on to a certain island.
27 But when the fourteenth day came, while we were going here and there in the Adriatic sea, about the middle of the night the sailors had an idea that they were getting near land;
28 And they let down the lead, and saw that the sea was a hundred and twenty feet deep; and after a little time they did it again and it was ninety feet.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 27
Commentary on Acts 27 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 27
This whole chapter is taken up with an account of Paul's voyage towards Rome, when he was sent thither a prisoner by Festus the governor, upon his appeal to Caesar.
Act 27:1-11
It does not appear how long it was after Paul's conference with Agrippa that he was sent away for Rome, pursuant to his appeal to Caesar; but it is likely they took the first convenience they could hear of to do it; in the mean time Paul is in the midst of his friends at Caesarea-they comforts to him, and he a blessing to them. But here we are told,
Act 27:12-20
In these verses we have,
Act 27:21-44
We have here the issue of the distress of Paul and his fellow-travellers; they escaped with their lives and that was all, and that was for Paul's sake. We are here told (v. 37) what number there were on board-mariners, merchants, soldiers, prisoners, and other passengers, in all two hundred and seventy-six souls; this is taken notice of to make us the more concerned for them in reading the story, that they were such a considerable number, whose lives were now in the utmost jeopardy, and one Paul among them worth more than all the rest. We left them in despair, giving up themselves for gone. Whether they called every man on his God, as Jonah's mariners did, we are not told; it is well if this laudable practice in a storm was not gone out of fashion and made a jest of. However, Paul among these seamen was not, like Jonah among his, the cause of the storm, but the comforter in the storm, and as much a credit to the profession of an apostle as Jonah was a blemish to the character of a prophet. Now here we have,