Acts 27 · The Lantern

When it was cocluded that we shuld sayle into Italy they delivered Paul and certayne other presoners vnto one named Iulius an vnder captayne of Cesars soudiars.

But after Paul, in consequence of his appeal to Caesar, had been sent to Rome by Festus, the Jews, being frustrated in their hope of entrapping him by the snares that they had laid for him, turned against James, the brother of the Lord, to whom the episcopal seat at Jerusalem had been entrusted by the apostles. The following daring measures were undertaken by them against him.

See how far Aristarchus also accompanies Paul. To good and useful purpose is Aristarchus present, as he would take back the report of all to Macedonia.

When it was decided that he should sail to Italy, Paul, along with the rest of the prisoners, was handed over to a centurion. More accurately read in Greek: "When it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion."

And we entred into a ship of Adramicium and lowsed from lond apoynted to sayle by the costes of Asia one Aristarcus out of Macedonia of the contre of Thessalia beinge with vs.

And the nexte daye we came to Sidon. And Iulius courteously entreated Paul and gave him liberte to goo vnto his frendes and to refresshe him selfe.

And from thence lanched we and sayled harde by Cypers because the wyndes were contrarye.

Then sayled we over the see of Cilicia and Pamphylia and came to Myra a cite in Lycia.

And there ye vnder captayne founde a shippe of Alexander redy to sayle into Italy and put vs therin.

And when we had sayled slowly many dayes and scace were come over agaynst Gnydon (because the wynde with stode vs) we sayled harde by the costes of Candy over agaynste Salmo

and with moche worke sayled beyonde yt and came vnto a place called good porte. Nye whervnto was a citie called Lasea.

When moche tyme was spent and saylinge was now ieoperdeous because also that we had overlonge fasted Paul put them in remembraunce

By "the fast" here, I suppose he means that of the Jews. For they departed thence a long time after the Pentecost, so that it was much about midwinter that they arrived at the coasts of Crete. And this too was no slight miracle, that they also should be saved on his account.

"because the fast was now over." Here the fast means that of the Jews. For after Pentecost he departed from there after a long time, as if to come to the parts of Crete almost in the winter itself. Behold, Paul now prophesies again, telling them that they would be shipwrecked. [AMMONIUS]

I think Paul is speaking here of the Jewish fast, since he had departed a long time after Pentecost, so that he arrived at the borders of Crete almost by winter.

and sayde vnto them Syrs I perceave that this vyage wilbe with hurte and moche domage not of the ladynge and ship only: but also of oure lyves.

See [Paul's] modesty: in order that he may not appear to prophesy but to speak as if from supposition, he says "I see." They would have not received his words if he had pronounced them at once. In the first place he prophesies and says, "God, whom I worship," thus leading them. How would have it happened without a loss of lives?

Even if the shipwreck did not occur to them with loss of lives according to his word. For this would have happened as far as the nature of the thing was concerned, if God had not preserved them. For through him he also caused those men to be saved. The shipwreck that took place, then, occurred because the season was bad, since the storm was great.

But to show that he is not prophesying, but speaking by conjecture, he expresses himself thus: "I perceive," – because they would not have immediately believed him even if he had said this as a prophet.

Neverthelather the vndercaptayne beleved the governer and the master better then tho thinges which were spoken of Paul.

And because the haven was not comodius to wynter in many toke counsell to departe thence yf by eny meanes they myght attayne to Phenices and there to wynter which is an haven of Candy and servith to the southwest and northwest wynde.

When the south wynde blewe they supposynge to obtayne their purpose lowsed vnto Asson and sayled paste all Candy.

But anone after ther arose agaynste their purpose a flawe of wynde out of the northeeste.

And when the ship was caught and coulde not resist the wynde we let her goo and drave with the wether.

And we came vnto an yle named Clauda and had moche worke to come by abote

which they toke vp and vsed helpe vndergerdynge the shippe fearynge lest we shuld have fallen into Syrtes and we let doune a vessell and so were caryed.

The nexte daye when we were tossed wt an exceadynge tempest they lyghtened ye ship

and the thyrde daye we cast out with oure awne hondes the tacklynge of the shippe.

When at the last nether sunne nor starre in many dayes appered and no small tempest laye apon vs all hope that we shuld be saved was then taken awaye.

Then after longe abstinence Paul stode forth in the myddes of them and sayde: Syrs ye shulde have harkened to me and not have lowsed from Candy nether to have brought vnto vs this harme and losse.

And nowe I exhorte you to be of good chere. For ther shalbe no losse of eny mas lyfe amonge you save of the ship only.

For ther stode by me this nyght the angell of God whose I am and whom I serve

Both good and bad angels are among people. Not by chance or without reason was that angel, for example, allotted to be the guardian of Peter or that other one for Paul or those of the children of the church, those that always "behold the face of their Father, who is in heaven." Concerning these things there can be no doubt that, by the judgment of God, who clearly sees their ra…

"For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo God hath given thee all them that sail with thee." So that righteous men, though they may be in a tempest, or on the sea, or in the deep, suffer nothing dreadful, but even save others together with themselves.

For an angel of God stood by me this night. He was not boasting of himself by saying this but was provoking them to faith. For the sea was allowed to be stormy so that by what was heard and by what was not heard, the spiritual grace in Paul might be revealed.

sayinge: feare not Paul for thou must be brought before Cesar. And lo God hath geven vnto the all that sayle with ye.

"God has granted safety to all," so that what Homer says appears to be false: "I say that no one can avoid his fate, neither good man nor bad, even though he be noble." And this means that it is impossible to escape the death that Fate establishes at the moment of birth.

You cannot deny that the prisoner and the jailers were of unequal merit. And what were the circumstances of that shipwreck involving the apostle and the soldiers? The apostle Paul described a vision afterwards and said that those who were on the ship had been given to him by the Lord.

"Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you." Behold, if it were not for Paul, all who were in the ship would have had to perish. Thus, what was said by Homer is false: Homer says that it is impossible to escape the mortal fate that determines the hour of a person's death together with their birth.

Wherfore Syrs be of good chere: for I beleve God that so it shalbe even as it was tolde me.

How be it we must be cast into a certayne ylonde.

But when ye fourtethe nyght was come as we were caryed in Adria about mydnyght the shipmen demed that ther appered some countre vnto the:

and sounded and founde it.xx. feddoms. And when they had gone a lytell further they sounded agayne and founde.xv. feddoms.

Then fearinge lest they shuld have fallen on some Rocke they cast.iiii. ancres out of the sterne and wysshed for ye daye.

As the shipmen were about to fle out of the ship and had let doune the bote into the see vnder a coloure as though they wolde have cast ancres out of the forshippe:

Paul sayd vnto ye vnder captayne and the soudiers: excepte these abyde in the ship ye cannot be safe.

Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved": so saying, not on this account, but that he might restrain them, and the prophecy might not fall to the ground. Accordingly observe how the centurion does as he bids him, insomuch that he even let the boat go, and destroyed it.

But when he said, "Unless these stay in the ship, you cannot be saved," Paul spoke wisely, so as to hold them and not let the prophecy fail. Therefore when they saw that their lack of resolve had put them in danger, then they began to obey him.

"Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved," etc. Because in the danger of shipwreck, the knowledge of sailors who were experienced in the sea was more beneficial than the weapons of soldiers, they were therefore more likely to control the boat than to let the sailors be cast away.

Then the soudiers cut of the rope of the bote and let it fall awaye.

And in ye meane tyme betwixt that and daye Paul besought them all to take meate sayinge: this is ye fourtenthe daye that ye have taried and continued fastynge receavinge nothinge at all.

And how, say you, did they go without food, having taken nothing? How did they bear it? Their fear possessed them, and did not let them fall into a desire of food, being, as they were, at the point of extreme jeopardy; but they had no care for food. Moreover, the place is a trying one, for it was in the Adriatic, and then their long abstinence. They were in the midst of death.

"And when it began to be light, Paul besought," etc. After fourteen days of storm, Paul besought them to take food, since it was clear that, of two hundred seventy-six men, not even a hair of their heads had been lost. To encourage others by his own example, he broke bread and himself began to eat.

And as the day was about to dawn, Paul urged everyone to take some food. In this passage, the most beautiful sense of allegory is laid open, as Paul urged those he promised would be saved from the wreck to take food.

Wherfore I praye you to take meate: for this no dout is for youre helth: for ther shall not an heere fall fro the heed of eny of you.

And when he had thus spoke he toke breed and gave thankes to God in presence of the all and brake it and begane to eate.

But how" in every place," since we are prohibited (from praying) in public? In every place, he means, which opportunity or even necessity, may have rendered suitable: for that which was done by the apostles (who, in gaol, in the audience of the prisoners, "began praying and singing to God") is not considered to have been done contrary to the precept; nor yet that which was done…

And he exhorts them again to take some meat, and they do as he bids them, and he takes some first, to persuade them not by word, but also by act, that the storm did them no harm, but rather was a benefit to their souls. Observe, his giving thanks after all that had happened strengthened them. For this showed an assured mind that they would be saved.

That Paul began to eat was so that he would not die of hunger. "Having taken bread, he gave thanks to God" for what had happened. The order of the Eucharist also teaches us to say the same thing: "We thank Thee, O God, that Thou hast vouchsafed us…"

Then were they all of good cheare and they also toke meate.

We were all together in ye ship two hundred thre score and sixtene soules.

And whe they had eate ynough they lightened ye ship and cast out the wheate into the see.

Whe yt was daye they knew not ye lande but they spied a certayne haven with a banke into ye which they were mynded (yf yt were possible) to thrust in the ship.

And when they had taken vp the ancres they comytted them selves vnto the see and lowsed the rudder bondes and hoysed vp ye mayne sayle to the wynde and drue to londe.

But they chaunsed on a place which had the see on bothe the sydes and thrust in the ship. And the foore parte stucke fast and moved not but ye hynder brake with the violence of the waves.

The soudears counsell was to kyll ye presoners lest eny of them when he had swome out shulde fle awaye.

But the vndercaptayne willinge to save Paul kept the from their purpose and commaunded that they yt could swyme shulde cast the selves first in to ye see and scape to londe.

And the other he comaunded to goo some on bordes and some on broken peces of the ship. And so it came to passe that they came all safe to londe.

Acts27