WeekLy BooK oF Acts 27 25-44

  a paraphrased study

         Perils At Sea

1 - “So take heart, men! For I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I’ve been told,” said Paul, 26 “but we are going to have to run aground on some island.”

     27 And on the fourteenth night, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, at about midnight, the sailors thought we might be nearing land. 28 So they took a sounding and found we were at twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29 Then fearing we might run onto the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern, and then prayed for day. 30 Some of the sailors were thinking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the lifeboat into the sea under the pretense of letting down anchors from the bow, 31 when Paul said to the centurion and soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it go.

     33 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 eating. (Hebrew days start at sunset rather than at midnight.) 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, it will give you strength. Not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you!” 35 And when he had said these things, he took bread, gave thanks to God, broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all were encouraged and also ate. 37 We were in all, 276 persons in the ship. 38 And when we had eaten, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

     39 When it was day, no one recognized the land, but there was a bay with a beach, and they planned, if possible, to run the ship ashore. 40 So they cast off the anchors, leaving them in the sea, and they loosened the ropes that were tied to the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind, we made for the beach, 41 but we struck a reef and ran aground. The bow was stuck and immovable, and the stern was being battered and broken up by the surf. 42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan and ordered those who could swim to go overboard first and make for land. 44 And told the rest to go to shore on planks or pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.

 🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights, facts, cross references, etc.

      (  ) - thots