The story in Acts 27-28
Paul had appealed to Caesar and was sent to Rome as a prisoner (Acts 25:11-12). Acts 27 describes the voyage in unusual detail, written in the first person plural (“we”), which suggests the author, traditionally understood to be Luke, was on board.
In outline: the ship sailed from Caesarea, changed vessels at Myra, and made slow progress along the coast of Crete to a harbor called Fair Havens. Paul advised against sailing on. The ship’s owner and pilot, and most others, wanted to continue. A violent storm took them far off course for many days. Paul reported an angel’s message that no one would be lost although the ship would be. After fourteen nights, the ship ran aground, broke up, and all 276 people on board reached land on the island of Malta (Acts 27:37, 44). Acts 28 tells of kindness from the islanders, a viper that did not harm Paul, and healings on the island, before the journey to Rome continued.
What Acts 27:11 says
Acts 27:11 says that “the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul” (KJV). In other words, the officer in charge listened to the ship’s professionals rather than to Paul’s warning, which Paul had given in verse 10: that the voyage would bring damage and much loss, not only to the cargo and ship but to their lives.
The verse is a turning point. Paul was a prisoner, not a navigator, and the decision-makers had practical reasons to prefer a better harbor for winter (27:12). Some readers see here a lesson about listening to cautious advice. Others note that Paul’s later authority grows because events prove him right, and leaders then take his words seriously.
Julius the centurion
Acts 27:1 introduces Julius, a Roman centurion of the “Augustan band” (or cohort) who was responsible for Paul and other prisoners. He treated Paul kindly at Sidon, allowing him to visit friends (27:3). When the sailors tried to escape in the lifeboat, Paul told Julius, and the soldiers cut the ropes (27:30-32). When the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to prevent their escaping, Julius stopped them, “willing to save Paul” (27:42-43, KJV). Julius is a good example of a figure outside Israel who acted with decency toward Paul, and humanly speaking, was the reason everyone survived.
The storm and the angel’s message
A northeaster, which the KJV calls “Euroclydon,” struck the ship (27:14). The crew used ropes to undergird the ship, lowered the gear, and threw cargo and tackle overboard. For many days neither sun nor stars appeared, and “all hope that we should be saved was then taken away” (27:20, KJV).
In this setting, Paul stood up and said that an angel of the God he belonged to and served had stood by him and said, “Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar” and that God had granted him the lives of all aboard (27:23-24). He urged them to take heart and said, “I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (27:25, KJV). Later he encouraged them to eat, and he gave thanks to God in front of everyone (27:33-36).
The wreck on Malta
The sailors sensed land and anchored. When some tried to leave by the lifeboat, Paul warned that unless they stayed, the others could not be saved. The ship ran aground on a shoal, and the stern broke up. Some swam and others floated on planks and pieces of the ship, and all reached land safely.
On the island, the people showed unusual kindness, lighting a fire in the rain and cold. A viper fastened on Paul’s hand, and the islanders at first thought he must be a murderer, then reversed their opinion when he suffered no harm (28:1-6). Publius, the chief man on the island, hosted them, and Paul prayed for his father, who was sick, and he recovered (28:7-9). After three months they sailed on to Rome.
The three earlier shipwrecks
In 2 Corinthians 11:25, Paul lists his sufferings: “thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep” (KJV). This letter was written before the voyage in Acts 27, so those three shipwrecks are different events that Acts does not describe. The shipwreck on Malta would be a fourth, though the Bible does not say so directly. We do not know when or where the earlier ones took place, and it is best not to guess the details.
Why was Paul forbidden to go to Asia?
This question comes from a different passage. In Acts 16:6 Paul and his companions were “forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia” (KJV), meaning the Roman province in western Asia Minor. They were then redirected, and Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia asking for help (16:9-10). The Bible does not say how the Spirit forbade it. Later Paul did spend a long time in Ephesus in Asia (Acts 19). Many readers take it as a lesson in timing and guidance.
Lessons
- God can be with us in the storm without removing it. Paul does not escape the ordeal but is preserved through it.
- Hope can speak when others despair. Paul speaks calmly and practically, urging people to eat and trusting what God said.
- Practical wisdom matters. Paul’s warning was ignored, and he nonetheless worked with the crew, acting practically as well as spiritually.
- A faithful person can bless those around them. All 276 were saved in part for Paul’s sake.
- Plans can fall apart while God’s purposes continue. Paul would still reach Rome. For more on Scripture’s picture of going and sending, see our missionary Bible verses.
- Kindness is shown by strangers. The islanders’ hospitality is a reminder of the good that outsiders do.
If you are going through your own storm, whether illness, loss or fear, this story can be a comfort but it does not promise that hard times will be avoided. Consider speaking with a pastor or counselor for support.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the centurion listened to the pilot and owner instead of Paul?
- How would you feel on that ship on the fourteenth night?
- What do you notice about how Paul combines faith and practical action?
- How does Julius’s treatment of Paul affect the story?
- What does this story show about trusting God when the outcome is uncertain? (Our Bible verses about trusting God may help your discussion.)
- For another biblical example of a leader being tested, see the study of Gideon.