Worship With Us Sunday School10 AM Sunday Morning11 AM Sunday Evening4 PM Thursday Night7 PM
1377 S 20th St, Louisville, KY 40210 Contact
True Words Baptist Church — Revelation 21:5
BOOK 44 OF 66 · HISTORY · KING JAMES BIBLE

Acts 27

Acts book home•Chapter 27 of 28•44 verses
Search Acts
Aa  Reading settings
Text size
Reading width
Track chapter:
Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study
REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Acts 27 Overview

Paul sails for Italy under a centurion with other prisoners. After difficult travel he warns against continuing, but the ship departs and is caught in a violent Euroclydon storm. With hope disappearing, Paul reports an angelic message that he must stand before Caesar and that God has granted him all who sail with him. Paul urges everyone to take food, prevents sailors from abandoning ship, and says all 276 lives will be saved. The vessel wrecks on Malta, but everyone reaches land safely.

ActsBook
27Chapter
44Verses
HistoryDivision

Before you read Acts 27

Coming from

Before Agrippa, Paul says his hope is the promise made to Israel’s fathers and asks why resurrection should seem incredible. He recounts persecuting believers, the risen Jesus confronting him, and Christ commissioning him as a witness to Jews and Gentiles. Paul says he preached that people should turn to God and do works meet for repentance, yet insists his message is exactly what Moses and the prophets said: Christ would suffer, rise first from the dead, and bring light. Agrippa is pressed personally, and the rulers conclude Paul could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.

In this chapter

Acts 26 ended with rulers acknowledging Paul had done nothing worthy of death, yet his appeal sends him toward Caesar. Acts 27 puts that promised journey through severe danger.

Leads into

Acts 28 brings Paul safely through Malta to Rome, where he ministers under house arrest and the book ends with the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ being preached openly and unhindered.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Paul’s assurance rests on a specific divine promise, not general positive thinking. He says, ‘I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.’

God’s promise of survival does not make human action irrelevant. Sailors must remain aboard, people must eat, and the centurion must prevent soldiers from killing prisoners. Providence includes means.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Faith trusts what God actually said

Paul’s confidence is anchored in revelation, not denial of the storm.

God’s purpose can survive catastrophic circumstances

The ship is lost, but Paul’s mission to Caesar and the lives aboard are preserved.

Promised outcomes still involve responsible action

Paul gives practical instructions throughout the crisis.

A faithful prisoner can become the moral leader of a crisis

Paul’s credibility grows as his warnings and assurances prove true.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Acts 23:11

The Lord had promised Paul would testify at Rome; the storm cannot cancel that word.

Psalm 107:23–30

The psalm vividly describes sailors in a storm crying to the LORD and experiencing deliverance.

2 Corinthians 11:25

Paul mentions earlier shipwreck experiences, showing maritime danger was not new to his ministry.

Romans 8:35–39

Paul’s confidence that hardship cannot separate believers from God’s love fits the mature trust seen here, though Romans makes a broader theological point.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not use Paul’s shipwreck assurance as a universal promise that faithful Christians will survive every disaster

He has a specific revelation tied to his mission.

Do not contrast faith with practical preparation

Paul combines confidence in God with food, ropes, anchors, sailors, and sound decisions.

Do not assume leadership requires official rank

Paul is a prisoner yet becomes the most reliable voice aboard.

Do not overlook the complete fulfillment of the promise

The ship is destroyed, but every person survives.

Read Acts 27 watching for…

Paul’s early warning versus the decision to sail.

The progressive hopelessness of the crew.

The angelic message and Rome promise.

The phrase ‘I believe God.’

Paul’s practical instructions alongside divine assurance.

The exact fulfillment: ship lost, every life preserved.

TWBC REVIEW STANDARD

Plain language. Scripture first. Fact distinguished from inference. No filler. No fake certainty. Designed to help you read the Bible itself.

Chapter outline4 sections
1-12Paul sails toward Rome and warns that the voyage will be dangerous13-26A violent storm strikes, and Paul assures everyone that God will preserve their lives27-38The sailors approach land, and Paul urges everyone to eat and take courage39-44The ship breaks apart, but all reach shore safely
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.

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.

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.

4

And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

5

And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

6

And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

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;

8

And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

9

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

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.

11

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

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.

13

And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

14

But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15

And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

16

And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

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.

18

And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

19

And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

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.

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.

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.

23

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24

Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

26

Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

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;

28

And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

29

Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

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,

31

Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

32

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

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.

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.

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.

36

Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

37

And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

38

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

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.

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.

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.

42

And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

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:

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.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Acts 27:24

Back to verse ↑

Cross References

Cross-reference storage is active. This passage does not yet have curated references loaded.

Related TWBC Resources

The Scripture resource graph is active. Sermons, Bible Overviews, courses, questions, and studies can attach here without changing the Bible text.

My Note

Sign in to keep private notes and personal verse tags.

Sign in →