What does Acts 27:32 mean?

Because the ship's owner, pilot, and Julius the centurion ignored Paul's warning (Acts 27:9–10), they have spent the last fourteen days in a furious winter storm in the middle of the Mediterranean. They had no way to determine where they are and no way to control their movement. Finally, it appears they are near land. But what kind of land? An island? Rocks that jut out from the water? Reefs that hide just beneath the surface? The crew has laid anchor so the ship—hopefully—can't go any closer to the shore, but now Paul warns the centurion that the sailors are trying to escape in the lifeboat; if they do, the passengers will not survive.

Julius has ignored Paul's warnings long enough. He orders his soldiers to cut away the lifeboat so the crew can't escape into the dark night. The text doesn't say why they thought it best to cut away the boat instead of hauling it back up, but they've gone without food and likely good sleep for fourteen days; guarding it would take a lot of energy.

Now that the crew and passengers are united again, Paul encourages them to eat. Everyone is exhausted with fear. He knows they still need to get to shore, and it won't be easy. He takes bread, thanks God for it, and passes it around. Everyone feels slightly better and tosses the rest of the cargo overboard in hopes they can get closer to land (Acts 27:33–38).

When morning comes, the sailors see a beach and steer toward it. Unfortunately, the deep draft of the ship hits a reef and holds fast. The crew swims for it. The soldiers are hesitant—it's their heads if they lose a prisoner and it would be easier to kill them now. Julius values Paul too much. He orders his soldiers to stand down, and the passengers make it to shore floating on the bits of the broken-up ship that still float (Acts 27:39–44).