Paul’s Mediterranean Cruise Nightmare

Passage: Acts 27:13-26

Acts 27 recounts in much detail one of the most famous shipwrecks in ancient history, and certainly one of the most spiritually profitable, as it is given to us by

We are about two weeks into Paul’s cruise from Israel to Italy.  Ever since leaving the second port of Sidon the winds have been against them, it has been slow going up and along the coast of Asia Minor (Turkey).  At the port of Myra they transferred to another grain freighter from Alexandria in Egypt bound for Italy.

The Nile River valley of Egypt was called the breadbasket of Italy in ancient times.  Every year some 1700 ships bearing wheat and corn would sail from Egypt to Italy.  These ships were from 140 to 180 feet long and from 35 to 50 feet wide.  The hold was 40 feet deep and capable of carrying 1,000 tons.  They were single masted sailing vessels.  Having only one mast and one sail they were not easily maneuverable in contrary winds.

We are told later there were 276 passengers made up of at least three classes of people, the ship’s crew of sailors, the Roman centurion and a number of soldiers or guards, and prisoners including Paul.  We know that Dr. Luke and a Thessalonian convert, Aristarchus were with him.