What does Acts 27:19 mean?

Paul, Luke, Aristarchus, and 273 others (Acts 27:37) are facing the prospect of drowning in a typhoon-like storm in the Mediterranean. The wind is driving them toward the coast of Libya. Between them and land is the Gulf of Syrtis, a wide area riddled with shoals and sandbars. The sailors have managed to drag up the lifeboat, reenforce the hull with ropes, and throw some of the cargo overboard. But they need to raise the ship even more or they'll run aground, so they toss the tackle (Acts 27:14–18).

Luke is not specific here as to what the sailors are doing. They have already "lowered the gear" (Acts 27:17) but Luke didn't explain that, either. Some think they lowered the sails and rigging. Other scholars think they threw the rigging into the water to act like a storm anchor to slow them down. They don't throw everything over; later they will raise the foresail (Acts 27:40). "With their own hands" suggests they manually remove the main spar and throw it into the water.

The crew and passengers will face the storm for two weeks. Passengers usually live on the deck and bring their own food, but no one will feel like eating. Everyone loses hope except Paul; he apparently prays. Because of his petition, God lets the storm take the ship and cargo, but every person survives (Acts 27:20, 22–25, 27, 33–34).