Atos 27

ARC · Chapter 27/28

1E, como se determinou que haviamos de navegar para a Italia, entregaram Paulo, e alguns outros presos, a um centurião por nome Julio, da cohorte augusta.

2E, embarcando nós em um navio adramytino, partimos navegando pelos logares da Asia, estando comnosco Aristarcho, macedonio, de Thessalonica.

3E chegámos no dia seguinte a Sidon, e Julio, tratando Paulo humanamente, lhe permittiu ir ver os amigos, para que cuidassem d'elle.

4E, partindo d'ali, fomos navegando abaixo de Chypre, porquanto os ventos eram contrarios.

5E, tendo atravessado o mar, ao longo da Cilicia e Pamphylia, chegámos a Myrra, na Lycia.

6E, achando ali o centurião um navio de Alexandria, que navegava para a Italia, nos fez embarcar n'elle.

7E, indo já por muitos dias navegando vagarosamente, e havendo chegado apenas defronte de Cnido, não nos permittindo o vento ir mais adiante, navegámos abaixo de Creta, junto de Salmone.

8E, costeando-a difficilmente, chegámos a um certo logar chamado Bons Portos, perto do qual estava a cidade de Lasca.

9E, passado muito tempo, e sendo já perigosa a navegação, porquanto já tambem o jejum tinha passado, Paulo os admoestava,

10Dizendo-lhes: Varões, vejo que a navegação ha de ser incommoda, e com muito damno, não só para o navio e carga, mas tambem para as nossas vidas.

11Porém o centurião cria mais no piloto e no mestre, do que no que dizia Paulo.

12E, não sendo aquelle porto commodo para invernar, os mais d'elles foram de parecer que se partisse d'ali para ver se podiam chegar a Phenix, que é um ponto de Creta que olha para a banda do vento da Africa e do Coro, e invernar ali.

13E, soprando o sul brandamente, lhes pareceu terem já o que desejavam, e, fazendo-se de vela, foram de muito perto costeando Creta.

14Porém não muito depois deu n'ella um pé de vento, chamado euro-aquilão.

15E, sendo o navio arrebatado por elle, e não podendo navegar contra o vento, dando de mão a tudo, nos deixámos ir á tôa

16E, correndo abaixo de uma pequena ilha chamada Clauda, apenas podémos ganhar o batel,

17Levado para cima o qual, usaram de todos os remedios, cingindo o navio; e, temendo darem á costa na Syrte, amainadas as vélas, assim foram á tôa.

18E, andando nós agitados por uma vehemente tempestade, no dia seguinte alliviaram o navio.

19E ao terceiro dia nós mesmos, com as nossas proprias mãos, lançámos ao mar a armação do navio

20E, não apparecendo, havia já muitos dias, nem sol nem estrellas, e opprimindo-nos uma não pequena tempestade, fugiu-nos toda a esperança de nos salvarmos.

21E, havendo já muito que se não comia, então Paulo, pondo-se em pé no meio d'elles, disse: Fôra na verdade razoavel, ó varões, ter-me ouvido a mim e não partir de Creta, e evitar assim este incommodo e esta perdição.

22Porém agora vos admoesto a que tenhaes bom animo, porque não se perderá a vida de nenhum de vós, mas sómente o navio.

23Porque esta mesma noite o anjo de Deus, de quem eu sou, e a quem sirvo, esteve comigo,

24Dizendo: Paulo, não temas: importa que sejas apresentado a Cesar, e eis que Deus te deu todos quantos navegam comtigo.

25Portanto, ó varões, tende bom animo; porque creio em Deus, que ha de acontecer assim como a mim me foi dito.

26Porém é necessario irmos dar n'uma ilha.

27E, quando chegou a decima quarta noite, sendo impellidos de uma e outra banda no mar Adriatico, lá pela meia noite suspeitaram os marinheiros de que estavam proximos d'alguma terra.

28E, lançando o prumo, acharam vinte braças; e, passando um pouco mais adiante, tornando a lançar o prumo, acharam quinze braças.

29E, temendo ir dar em alguns rochedos, lançaram da pôpa quatro ancoras, desejando que viesse o dia.

30Procurando, porém, os marinheiros fugir do navio, e deitando o batel ao mar, como que querendo lançar as ancoras pela prôa,

31Disse Paulo ao centurião e aos soldados: Se estes não ficarem no navio, não podereis salvar-vos.

32Então os soldados cortaram os cabos do batel, e o deixaram cair.

33E entretanto que o dia vinha, Paulo exhortava a todos a que comessem alguma coisa, dizendo: É já hoje o decimo quarto dia que esperaes, e permaneceis sem comer, não havendo provado nada.

34Portanto, exhorto-vos a que comaes alguma coisa, pois importa para a vossa saude; porque nem um cabello da cabeça de qualquer de vós cairá.

35E, havendo dito isto, tomando o pão, deu graças a Deus na presença de todos; e, partindo-o, começou a comer.

36E, tendo já todos bom animo, pozeram-se tambem a comer.

37E eramos por todos no navio duzentas e setenta e seis almas.

38E, refeitos já da comida, alliviaram o navio, lançando o trigo ao mar.

39E, sendo já dia, não conheceram a terra; porém enxergaram uma enseada que tinha praia, e consultaram-se sobre se deveriam encalhar n'ella o navio.

40E, levantando as ancoras, deixaram-n'o ir ao mar, largando tambem as amarras do leme; e, alçando a véla maior ao vento, dirigiram-se para a praia.

41Dando, porém, em logar de dois mares, encalharam ali o navio; e, fixa a prôa, ficou immovel, porém a pôpa abria-se com a força das ondas.

42Então o conselho dos soldados foi que matassem os presos para que nenhum fugisse, escapando a nado.

43Porém o centurião, querendo salvar a Paulo, lhes estorvou este intento; e mandou que os que podessem nadar se lançassem primeiro ao mar, e se salvassem em terra;

44E os demais, uns em taboas e outros em coisas do navio. E assim aconteceu que todos se salvaram em terra.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Paul sets sail for Rome as a prisoner. A violent storm threatens to sink the ship for days, but an angel assures Paul that everyone will survive. After fourteen days adrift, everyone reaches land safely.

Explanation

This is one of the most detailed sea-voyage accounts in ancient literature, with technical nautical terms that confirm real knowledge of Mediterranean shipping routes. Even as a prisoner, Paul becomes the voice of calm and practical leadership during the crisis, showing a faith that translates into concrete action (eating to keep up strength, making sure no one escapes). The angel's promise — that no one would die, but the ship would be lost — is fulfilled with precision, reinforcing that God's plans for Paul (to testify in Rome) would hold firm despite adverse circumstances.

Fun facts

  • Modern scholars and sailors who have retraced the route described in this chapter confirm that the technical details (winds, depths, islands) are precise enough to correspond exactly to the central Mediterranean between Crete and Malta.
  • The 'Euroclydon,' the violent wind mentioned in the text, was a Greco-Latin term for a northeasterly wind characteristic of the Mediterranean in autumn and winter, still recognized by sailors of the region today.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Atos 27:1Julius was the Roman officer responsible for escorting Paul and the other prisoners to Rome. The Augustan cohort was another Roman military unit, whose name also appears in other historical records of the period.
  2. Atos 27:2The group boards a ship from Adramyttium, a city in Asia Minor, which would make stops along the coast; Aristarchus, the Macedonian companion already mentioned in Ephesus, travels along with Paul.
  3. Atos 27:3Already on the first day of the voyage they reach Sidon, and the centurion Julius treats Paul kindly, allowing him to visit local friends who could look after him — unusual treatment for an ordinary prisoner.
  4. Atos 27:4Contrary winds force the ship to sail sheltered along the coast of Cyprus instead of taking the more direct route — a technical detail of sailing navigation.
  5. Atos 27:5After crossing open sea along Cilicia and Pamphylia, regions Paul had already visited on earlier journeys, they arrive at Myra, in Lycia.
  6. Atos 27:6In Myra, the centurion switches ships, finding an Alexandrian vessel headed straight for Italy, likely larger and better suited for the final crossing.
  7. Atos 27:7The voyage becomes slow and difficult, with winds preventing steady progress, forcing the ship to sail sheltered by the island of Crete near Salmone.
  8. Atos 27:8With difficulty, they make their way along the coast to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea — a harbor that later proves unsuitable for wintering.
  9. Atos 27:9A reference to the Jewish Day of Atonement, used here as a seasonal marker around October, indicating that sailing was already entering the dangerous storm season in the Mediterranean, when traveling by sea was risky.
  10. Atos 27:10Paul, already showing some practical judgment about sailing, warns that continuing the voyage would bring great damage not only to the cargo and the ship, but to the lives on board.
  11. Atos 27:11Despite Paul’s warning, the centurion gives more weight to the technical opinion of the pilot and the ship’s owner — a decision the narrative will go on to show was mistaken.
  12. Atos 27:12Since the harbor was not good for wintering, most decide to risk continuing on to Phoenix, another harbor in Crete considered safer for that season.
  13. Atos 27:13A gentle south wind gives the false impression that the crossing would be smooth, and the ship confidently sets out, hugging the coast of Crete closely.
  14. Atos 27:14Shortly after, however, a sudden violent wind called Euroclydon (a fierce northeaster) strikes the ship from the land, changing everything drastically.
  15. Atos 27:15The ship is overpowered by the wind and can no longer sail against it; the crew gives up trying to control the course and lets the vessel drift.
  16. Atos 27:16Passing under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, they manage, with difficulty, to haul in the lifeboat that had been towed behind the ship.
  17. Atos 27:17The “Syrtis” was a region of treacherous sandbanks off the coast of North Africa, known and feared by ancient sailors for causing shipwrecks. The crew’s fear shows it was a real and well-known danger of sailing at the time.
  18. Atos 27:18With the violent storm continuing, the next day the crew begins throwing cargo overboard to try to lighten the ship.
  19. Atos 27:19On the third day, the situation worsens so much that they throw even the ship’s own tackle overboard, with the crew and passengers doing it with their own hands.
  20. Atos 27:20Unable to see the sun or stars for many days — essential references for ancient navigation — and under constant storm, everyone on board gives up hope of survival.
  21. Atos 27:21After days without eating, Paul stands up and makes a point of reminding them that he had warned against leaving Crete, but without any tone of vindication, immediately following it with a word of encouragement.
  22. Atos 27:22Despite the desperate situation, Paul assures them that no one on board will die, only the ship will be lost — a firm promise in the midst of chaos.
  23. Atos 27:23Paul reveals the source of this confidence: an angel of God appeared to him during the night, confirming the message he was about to deliver.
  24. Atos 27:24The angel had told Paul not to be afraid, because he had to appear before Caesar in Rome, and that God had granted him the lives of everyone sailing with him because of this.
  25. Atos 27:25Paul asks everyone to take heart, basing his confidence on the certainty that God would do exactly what He had revealed to him.
  26. Atos 27:26Paul already anticipates part of what will happen: the ship would have to run aground on some island, information soon confirmed by the shipwreck in Malta.
  27. Atos 27:27On the fourteenth night of drifting across the Adriatic Sea (a name then used for a larger area of the central Mediterranean), the sailors sense signs of land nearby toward dawn.
  28. Atos 27:28Using a sounding lead, a technique for measuring water depth, they find twenty fathoms, and shortly after, a little further on, only fifteen — a clear sign they were nearing the coast.
  29. Atos 27:29Fearing they would strike rocks in the dark, they cast four anchors from the stern and anxiously wait for daylight to see the situation more clearly.
  30. Atos 27:30Some sailors try to sneak away, lowering the lifeboat under the false pretense of going to lay out anchors from the bow.
  31. Atos 27:31Paul notices the escape attempt and warns the centurion and the soldiers that, without the full crew on board, no one would have the technical skill to bring the ship safely through for everyone.
  32. Atos 27:32To prevent the escape, the soldiers cut the ropes of the lifeboat and let it fall into the sea, making sure the sailors stayed on board.
  33. Atos 27:33Near daybreak, Paul urges everyone to eat something, reminding them that it had been fourteen days since anyone had eaten properly because of the strain of the storm.
  34. Atos 27:34Paul argues that eating was necessary for physical survival, reinforcing once again the promise that no one there would lose so much as a hair from their head.
  35. Atos 27:35Before eating, Paul makes a public gesture of gratitude to God, breaking bread in front of everyone — a scene reminiscent of Christian rituals, even with many Gentiles on board.
  36. Atos 27:36Paul’s gesture encourages the whole group, who finally agree to eat as well, regaining some physical and emotional strength.
  37. Atos 27:37The large number of people on board, including crew, soldiers, and prisoners, gives an idea of the considerable size of the Roman grain ships used to transport cargo across the Mediterranean.
  38. Atos 27:38After eating enough, they lighten the ship further by throwing the remaining wheat cargo into the sea.
  39. Atos 27:39At daybreak, they do not recognize the land in sight, but they notice a bay with a beach and discuss the possibility of deliberately running the ship aground there.
  40. Atos 27:40They cut away the anchors, release the lashed rudders, hoist the mainsail, and deliberately steer the ship toward the beach they had spotted.
  41. Atos 27:41The expression describes a sandbar formed where two currents met, causing the ship to run aground with the bow stuck fast and the stern breaking apart under the pounding of the waves. It is a technical detail of ancient navigation.
  42. Atos 27:42Fearing that the prisoners would take advantage of the chaos to escape by swimming, the soldiers even plan to kill them on the spot, a common practice since a soldier responsible for a fugitive could be punished with his own death.
  43. Atos 27:43The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure none escaped by swimming, a common practice since a soldier who let a prisoner escape could be punished with his own death. The centurion Julius stops this out of regard for Paul.
  44. Atos 27:44The rest of the passengers save themselves by improvising with planks and pieces of the wrecked ship, and the final result is that absolutely everyone reaches land alive.

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