Acts 27:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you."

NIV: Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head."

NASB: Therefore, I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your survival, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.'

CSB: So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head."

NLT: Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.'

KJV: Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

NKJV: Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.”

Paul is a prisoner on a ship under the custody of Julius, a centurion. He is on the way to face Caesar's court in Rome. For two weeks a fierce winter storm has buffeted the ship, but God has promised Paul no one onboard will die, even as the ship and its cargo will be lost (Acts 27:22–24). The ship has finally reached an island and as the crew searches for a good place to land, they look out for hidden rocks and reefs. God has promised everyone will live—but not that He'll miraculously deliver them; people still need to act.

Paul made the first move when the crew lowered the lifeboat and attempted to abandon the passengers. He told the centurion he and the soldiers would not survive if the crew left. The soldiers cut the boat free, and the crew had to stay (Acts 27:30–32).

Now, Paul encourages everyone to eat. Most likely, the ship is carrying grain from Alexandria, Egypt, to Rome. Grain ships are large, with a deep draft: the distance below the water's surface which the boat's hull rides. Undoubtedly, this massive vessel will run aground before it reaches land. As expected, the ship strikes a reef, forcing everyone to swim or paddle on the flotsam from the wreck. They haven't eaten in two weeks and need energy (Acts 27:41).

When the ship runs aground, the centurion will have to act. If any prisoners escape, the soldiers could be executed. They'd prefer to execute the prisoners onboard. The centurion steps in and stops their plans. Paul has already done so much for them; the centurion will make sure he gets to safety (Acts 27:42–44).

The way Paul feeds the 276 passengers and crew is reminiscent of how Jesus fed thousands, though there's no sign of supernatural multiplication. He simply takes bread, praises God for it, and breaks it—in this context, likely meaning he distributed it to others. For the first time in two weeks, they have hope.

Acts 27:33–38 places Paul at the center of the action once again. His ship has been storm-tossed and lost for two weeks. The 276 total passengers have finally reached land, but don't know what rocks or reefs are between them and safety. The centurion has prevented the crew's escape attempt (Acts 27:27–32). Now, Paul brings everyone together to do something they haven't been able to in fourteen days: eat. They share bread and jettison the remaining cargo. Once dawn breaks, the crew sails the ship closer to land, but the ship gets hung up on a reef. Eventually, however, everyone makes it to shore (Acts 27:39–44).

Acts 27 is an account of a famous sea voyage. Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus travel from Caesarea Maritima on their way to Rome. False charges and two years of imprisonment in Caesarea led Paul to appeal his case to a higher Roman court, and he is now on his way to that court. The chapter can be divided into seven paragraphs, alternating between descriptions of the sea voyage and Paul trying to keep everyone alive during a horrific storm. Eventually, they shipwreck on Malta. The ship and cargo are a complete loss, but no one dies.

Twice the Sanhedrin brought unfounded charges against Paul. In both cases, the ruling governor knew Paul was innocent but refused to let him go. Finally, Paul appealed his case to Caesar (Acts 24:22–27; 25:1–12). He, Luke, Aristarchus, and 273 others sail for Rome. But they shipwreck on a reef off the island of Malta. When they finally reach Rome, Paul will meet with Jewish leaders and tell them how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. Some will believe and some won't. This leads Paul to resolve, once again, to focus his efforts on the Gentiles (Acts 28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.