Paul is Shipwrecked

Paul is Shipwrecked
Acts 27

After Paul stood before King Agrippa, he and some other prisoners entered a ship, because they were being sent to Italy, and there was a soldier named Julius with them. The next day when they got to a place called Sidon, Julius kindly let Paul go to see his friends. And after that they sailed under the island of Cyprus, because the winds were against them. And after that they came to a city called Myra, and there the soldier put Paul and the other prisoners on a ship that was going to Italy.

And they sailed slowly for many days, because the wind would not let them go faster. And after that they came to a place called The Fair Havens. Now sailing was dangerous, because it was getting later in the year, and so Paul said to them "Sirs, I see that this voyage will be very hurtful and very damaging, not only for what the ship is carrying, but for the ship itself, and also for our lives." But the soldier believed the master and owner of the ship more than he believed the things that Paul told him.

And because The Fair Havens was not a place that they could spend the winter in, they decided to go to a place called Phenecia, which was on the island of Crete, to spend the winter there. And when the south wind blew softly they thought that they had done the right thing, and said close by Crete.

But not long after there came up a very strong and troublesome wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught and could not stand up against the wind, they let it go with the wind and were very frightened that the ship would fall into the quicksand. And they were greatly tossed around by the wind, and the next day they started throwing things off the ship.

And the storm went on for many days, when neither sun nor stars appeared, and everyone lost all hope that they would be saved. But after a long time of being silent, Paul stood in the midst of them and said "Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have left Crete. And now I urge you not to worry, for there shall not be loss of any man's life, but the ship will be lost. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, and he said 'fear not Paul, you must be brought before Caesar, and God has given you all those that sail with you.' Therefore sirs, be happy: for I believe God, that it shall be exactly as it was told to me. But we must be cast onto a certain island."

But after the 14th night had come the ship was driven up and down, and at midnight the shipmen thought that they were near a country, and so they tested the depth, and found that the water was getting shallower. But they were afraid they would fall on the rocks, so they threw four anchors out of the back of the boat and wished it were daytime. And just as the shipmen were about to leave the ship, when they had let down the little boat into the sea, Paul said to the soldier "Except these stay in the ship, you cannot be saved." Then the soldiers cut off the rope of the boat, and let it fall. And Paul told them all to eat, and encouraged them that none of them would be harmed. And he took bread, and gave thanks to God in their presence, and he began to eat, so they all had something to eat.

And there were 276 people on the boat, and after they ate they threw more things off the ship. And when it was daytime they didn't know where they were but they saw a little creek and thought it might be possible to take the ship in there. And so they took up the anchors and loosened the rudder, and hoisted up the mainsail and aimed for the shore, but they ran the ship aground, and the front was stuck but the back of the ship was broken by the waves. And the soldiers thought that they should kill the prisoners because some might swim away and escape. But one of the soldiers wanted to save Paul and said that those who could swim should throw themselves into the sea and get to land, and that the rest of them, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship should do the same. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.

Memory Verse: Acts 27:25 "...be of good cheer, for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me."

Questions:
1. Why were Paul and the other prisoners on the ship?
2. What was the name of the very strong wind that came up?
3. What did Paul tell the soldiers when everyone thought they would die?
4. Why were they going to kill the prisoners?
5. How did everyone make it safely to shore?

Answers:
1. Because they were being sent to Italy
2. Euroclydon
3. That Paul would be brought before Caesar, and God had given him everyone that was on the ship.. then he told the soldiers that unless they all stayed on the ship, they could not be saved.
4. Because they thought that some might swim away and escape.
5. After the ship broke up, some swam, some held on to boards, some held on to broken pieces of the ship, and they all were saved.

Vicki C. Gross/updated July'04

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