1) Paul advises the ship's crew that the voyage will be dangerous and result in damage to the ship and loss of life, but the centurion ignores Paul's warning. 2) A powerful storm called Euroclydon arises and drives the ship off course, battling to survive for 14 days. 3) After being blown over 475 miles, they near land at the island of Malta, where all 276 passengers safely reach shore though the ship is destroyed.

1. Preparing for The Final
Preparing for
The Final
2Tim 4:7
Acts 27
2Tim 4:7
7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I
have kept the faith:
His course was one test after another and each
with a review of the previous.
His course was also his earthly voyage. Not often
does God lead a man
from point A to B without a detour.
Two years before our text in Act 27 Paul gives an account
of his pilgrimage.
2Cor 11:25

2. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the
deep;
2Cor 13:4-5
4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he
liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him,
but we shall live with him by the power of God toward
you.
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove
your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that
Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2Cor 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort,
be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and
peace shall be with you.
Acts 27:1
Acts 27:1

3. 1And when it was determined that we should sail into
Italy,
Julius, a
centurion of
Augustus'
band
Acts 27:1
…they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one
named
Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band
This “band” or “battalion” probably consisted
of Samaritan soldiers belonging to the city of Caesarea.
He was a slave of the Julian family whom they released.
He took their name in order to thank them for his
freedom.
Acts 22:26-28

4. 26When the centurion heard that, he went and told the
chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this
man is a Roman.
27Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell
me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28And the chief captain answered, With a great sum
obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free
born.
A Centurion was a soldier of only moderate rank; he
wasn’t a general or a great commander.
But still, to command a hundred men is not a small
responsibility in any man’s army.
In that light, listen to this statement out of “Easton’s
Bible Dictionary:”
“The centurions mentioned in the New Testament are
uniformly spoken of in terms of praise, whether in the
Gospels or in the Acts.
It is interesting to compare this with the statement of
Polybius that the centurions were chosen by merit, and so
were men remarkable not so much for their daring
courage as for their deliberation, constancy, and strength
of mind.”
In other words, unlike some military positions, the rank of
Centurion was earned and not a political appointment.
Undoubtedly some men became Centurions on the
battlefield when their own leader fell.

5. But apparently others reached that rank because of good
character.
the Centurion of Capernaum in Luke 7
the Centurion of Calvary
Cornelius the Centurion in Acts 10
Acts 27:2 “Adramyttium”
Acts 27:2
And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched,
meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia…

6. “Thessalonica”
Acts 27:2
…[one] Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being
with us.
Acts 27:3
Caesarea to Sidon
Acts 27:3
And the next [day] we touched at Sidon.

7. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave [him]
liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
Acts 27:4
Acts 27:4
And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under
Cyprus,
because the winds were contrary.
Acts 27:5
“the sea
of Cilicia”

8. Acts 27:5
And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia
Acts 27:5
…and
Pamphylia
Acts 27:5
…and Pamphylia…
Acts 27:5
…we came
to Myra, [a
city] of
Lycia.
Acts 27:5

9. …we came to Myra, [a city] of Lycia.
Acts 27:6
And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing
into Italy; and he put us therein.
Acts 27:7
Acts 27:7
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce
were come over against Cnidus,
the wind not suffering us…

10. Acts 27:7
Acts 27:7
…we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;
Acts 27:8
Acts 27:8
And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called
The fair havens;
nigh whereunto was the city [of] Lasea.

11. An unplanned stop in a safe harbor. There was a better
harbor just 40 miles west that should give more protection
from these winds.
Paul advised; trouble lay in their perceived plan for
protection.
Acts 27:9-12
Acts 27:9-12
9Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was
now dangerous, because the fast was now already past,
Paul admonished them,
10And 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.
11Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the
owner of the ship, more than those things which were
spoken by Paul.
12And because the haven was not commodious to winter
in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any

12. 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.
The journey now seemed to have finally turned to their
favor.
A soft gentle breeze from the south made the 276
passengers forget
about Paul, the prisoner’s prophecy of doom.
Acts 27:13-16
Acts 27:13-16
13And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that
they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they
sailed close by Crete.
14But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous
wind, called Euroclydon.

13. 15And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up
into the wind, we let her drive.
16And running under a certain island which is called
Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
Suddenly the soothing south winds were swallowed up by
“Euroclydon”, the mariners most feared enemy from the
sea.
This was a hurricane, typhoon and tsunami all rolled into
one; And it had one goal in mind, the destruction of this
one harmless ship.
They avoided a collision with the island of Clauda.
The shipmaster was helpless to resist the force of
Euroclydon’s furry “and they let her drive”.
Already 25 miles off course, they pass a little island, called
Cauda.
The shelter of the land mass gives them enough time to
perform some emergency measures, namely,
passing ropes under the ship itself, literally, trying to hold
it together.
But the storm does not abate, and on the second day they
start to dump their cargo.
The following day they throw out their personal items.
Neither sun nor stars shine for many days, while the storm
keeps raging.

14. Finally, with morale at an all-time low they give up all
hope of being saved.
They haven't been eating and people are weary
Then Paul takes charge.
He urges them to keep up their courage.
He has had another vision that the ship would be lost, but
no one will die.
Adrift at Sea
Acts 27:17
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.
The storm continues raging for 14 days.
They are blown clear over to the island of Malta. (475
miles from Crete)

15. Some of the sailors begin to hear the waves breaking on
land,
but they don't have a clue where they are.
Since it's still night they drop anchor hoping to last until
daylight.
A band of selfish sailors let down the lifeboat in an
attempt to escape.
If they succeed, Paul and the prisoners will be left to fend
for themselves.
Paul, however, perceives their intentions and alerts the
centurion.
The ropes holding the lifeboat are cut, and they fall away.
Paul again reassures the people that not one life (of the
276 on board) will be lost while the storm continues to
rage.
The soldiers are afraid that the prisoners might escape, so
they decide to kill them.
But Julius puts a stop to this and orders the prisoners off
the boat.
Those who could swim should do so.
Others could use planks or pieces of the ship.
All make it safely to shore.
Acts 27:41

16. 41And 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.
Acts 28:1
1And when they were escaped, then they knew that the
island was called Melita.
Ps 107:28
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and
he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Dan 6:16
Then the king commanded, and they brought
Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the
king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom
thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
Amos 9:9
For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of
Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a
sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the
earth.
2Cor 1:10
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth
deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver
us;

17. 1Cor 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is
common to man: but God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;
but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that ye may be able to bear it.