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Acts 27:1–3. When it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they gave Paul and some other prisoners to the centurion of the Augustan regiment, named Julius. We boarded the Adramite ship and set off, intending to sail near the Asian places. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us. The next day we landed at Sidon. Julius, acting kindly towards Paul, allowed him to go to his friends and take advantage of their zeal. Aristarchus is usefully present and accompanies Paul, since he must announce in Macedonia everything that happened to Paul. "Julius, dealing kindly with Paul." And it was natural to lead and support Paul, oppressed by bonds and fear. Look how the writer does not hide the fact that Paul needed care for himself. Acts 27:4–8. Departing from there, we sailed to Cyprus, due to contrary winds, and, having crossed the sea against Cilicia and Pamphylia, we arrived at Myra Lycia. There the centurion found the Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy and put us on it. After sailing slowly for many days and barely reaching Cnidus due to the wind being unfavorable to us, we sailed to Crete at Salmon. Having made their way past it with difficulty, they arrived at a place called Good Marinas, near which was the city of Lasea. The ship, it says, is “Alexandrian, sailing to Italy.” They probably also went to Asia Minor to report what happened to Paul, just as Aristarchus did to Macedonia. Acts 27:9–10. But when quite some time had passed, and the voyage was already dangerous, because the fast had already passed, Paul advised, saying to them: men! I see that the voyage will be difficult and with great harm not only to the cargo and the ship, but also to our lives. I think Paul is talking here about the Jewish fast, since he set out long after Pentecost, so that he arrived in Crete almost before winter. But to show that he does not prophesy, but speaks by guess, he expresses himself like this: “I see,” because they would not immediately believe him even if he said this as a prophet. Acts 27:11–13. But the centurion trusted the helmsman and the captain of the ship more than the words of Paul. And since the pier was not suitable for wintering, many gave advice to leave from there, in order, if possible, to reach Finik, the Cretan pier, lying against the south-west and north-west wind, and spend the winter there. The south wind blew, and they, thinking that they had already received what they wanted, set off and sailed near Crete. The evangelist says that “the centurion trusted the helmsman and the captain of the ship more.” He did this on the assumption that it would be better to listen to people experienced in sailing than to a passenger inexperienced in this matter. Thus, it was a mistake of his mind, not of fate. Acts 27:14–33. But soon a stormy wind called Euroclydon arose against him. The ship was grabbed so that it could not resist the wind, and we rushed around, surrendering to the waves. And, having run onto one island called Klavda, we could hardly hold the boat. Having picked it up, they began to use the benefits and tie the ship; fearing not to run aground, they lowered the sail and thus rushed about. The next day, due to a strong storm, they began to throw out the cargo, and on the third we threw things from the ship with our own hands. But as neither the sun nor the stars were visible for many days and a considerable storm continued, then finally all hope of our salvation disappeared. And when they had not eaten for a long time, Paul stood in the midst of them and said: Men! you had to listen to me and not leave Crete, which would have avoided these difficulties and harm. Now I urge you to take heart, because not a single soul of you will perish, but only the ship. For the Angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, appeared to me that night and said: “Do not be afraid, Paul! you must appear before Caesar, and behold, God has given you all those who sail with you.” Therefore, be of good cheer, men, for I trust God that it will be as I have been told. We should be marooned on some island. On the fourteenth night, as we were floating in the Adriatic Sea, around midnight, the shipmen began to realize that they were approaching some land. And, having measured the depth, they found twenty fathoms; then, at a short distance, measuring again, they found fifteen fathoms. Fearing that they would not fall into rocky places, they dropped four anchors from the stern and waited for the day. When the shipmen wanted to escape from the ship and lowered the boat to the sea, pretending that they wanted to throw anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers: if they do not stay on the ship, then you cannot escape. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and it fell. Before the day came, Paul persuaded everyone to take food, saying: today is the fourteenth day that you, waiting, have been left without food, eating nothing. After such a long storm, he does not turn to them reproachfully, but wants them to believe him in the future, and presents what happened as evidence of the truth of what was said to him. Then he predicts two things, namely: that the ship will perish, and those on it will be saved, and that they will be thrown onto the island. “Behold, God has given you all those who sail with you.” Now, if it were not for Paul, then everyone in the ship would have died. So what Homer said is false: But, as I remember, not a single earth-born escaped fate, The husband is neither brave nor timid, no matter how soon he is born. Homer says that it is impossible to avoid mortal fate, together with birth, which determines the hour of human death. But behold: if everyone was destined to perish, then, judging by the usual, Paul should have perished, having spent so many days at sea without food! Yes, the false mind said: “Neither the brave (that is, valiant) nor the timid man escapes fate”... The Scripture says something completely different, namely: “The righteous is saved from trouble, but the wicked falls into it instead” (Proverbs 11:8). So, God gave souls to Paul, and the ship with everything on it perished. Thus, the wicked are saved this time for the sake of the righteous. It also happens when the wicked perishes prematurely from his wickedness, as Ecclesiastes says: “Do not indulge in sin, and do not be foolish: why should you die at the wrong time?” (7, 18). “Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat.” God arranged it so that at first they would not believe Paul, but they would believe him after testing his words with experience; which is what happened. Look: the centurion believes Paul so much that he allows the boat to be destroyed; The shipbuilders did not believe it yet, but they believed it later, since these people were poorly developed. Acts 27:34–39. Therefore, I ask you to take food: this will serve to preserve your life; for none of you will lose a hair from his head. Having said this and taking the bread, he thanked God in front of everyone and, breaking it, began to eat. Then everyone took heart and also took food. There were two hundred and seventy-six souls of all of us on the ship. Having had their fill of food, they began to lighten the ship, throwing the wheat into the sea. When the day came, they did not recognize the land, but saw only a certain bay with a sloping shore, to which they decided, if possible, to land with the ship. What Paul began to eat was so that he would not die of hunger. “Taking the bread, he thanked God” for what had happened. The rite of the Eucharist teaches us to say the same thing: “We thank You, O God, for You have honored us...” Acts 27:40–44. And, having raised the anchors, they set out across the sea and, untying the rudders and raising a small sail to the wind, steered towards the shore. They hit a spit and the ship ran aground. The bow got stuck and remained motionless, while the stern was broken by the force of the waves. The soldiers agreed to kill the prisoners so that someone who would swim out would not escape. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from this intention, and ordered those who knew how to swim to rush first and go to land, while the rest should be saved, some on boards, and some on something from the ship; and thus everyone was saved to earth. They loosened their leashes when the day came; During the day, the ship is also taken down, so that those on it do not die from fear and so that they see the fulfillment of the prophecy. It should be noted that someone is killed voluntarily and fate cannot prevent the murder from being committed. So, the warriors voluntarily decide to take on the task of killing and begin it; however, having obeyed the centurion, they again and also voluntarily abandon their intention. They could not have listened to the centurion, since there were many of them and there was strength on their side, but will and free desire do what they want and do not do what they do not want. You might be interested in: