These small group Bible studies of Acts 27 contain commentary, discussion questions, and practical application. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Acts 27 Bible Study Guide – From Prisoner to Mission Leader
Outline
I. Paul’s voyage to Rome (1-12)
II. An unlikely leader in a storm (13-38)
III. Shipwreck and safety (39-44)
I. Paul’s voyage to Rome (1-12)
Discussion Questions
• Where was Paul going and why? How would he get there?
• What does the use of the word “we” show about who was with him at the time?
• Why would a friend of Paul choose to go with him in his imprisonment?
• What can we learn about friendship and fellowship from this?
• Is there someone in your life who is going through a hard time and needs a friend? How can you encourage that person?
• What is the Fast mentioned in verse 9? What time of year was this?
• How can it be that a prisoner is giving advice?
• Where does his boldness to speak up come from?
• Why did Paul initially warn of loss of life, yet later confidently declare everyone would survive?
Cross-References
Proverbs 15:22-23 – Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
Philippians 1:12-14 – I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Paul’s journey –
Paul was taken on an Adramyttium ship commanded by a Roman centurion from Caesarea to Italy. There were some soldiers aboard this ship, but also sailors and goods. A number of prisoners were being transported as well. In all, it was a large ship with 276 passengers.
The total distance they traveled was around 2100-2200 miles (3350-3500 KM).
Generally, this trip would have been expected to take around 4-8 weeks under normal sailing conditions. However, they left late in the season. The text refers to the Fast in verse 9. That is a reference to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and takes place in late September to early October. Mediterranean sailing was dangerous after mid-September and was generally avoided in November and through the winter. That explains why Paul was concerned and advised them not to set off from Crete.
It was a very different time then and far less convenient. My longest trip was from China to an Amazon rainforest village in Brazil. It took one hour by metro, forty hours by plane, three hours by bus, and thirty-eight hours by boat. It seemed a long time to me, but it was only three days, a tiny fraction of this one voyage Paul went on. The conditions I traveled in were far more comfortable.
This puts the difficulties we face in perspective compared to what Paul routinely faced on the mission field.
Application – Be more grateful for the modern conveniences we have and complain less!
2. Friendship –
Paul was not alone. Aristarchus accompanied him. Luke also uses the word “we” repeatedly, which indicates that he himself went with Paul. Neither Luke nor Aristarchus seems to be prisoners. Therefore, we can conclude that they went of their own free will.
These two men, and perhaps others, chose to accompany Paul to the lair of the beast, Rome. Paul was a marked man and his companions would also be marked. It was dangerous to associate with Paul. Because of that, many people chose not to.
2 Timothy 1:8 – Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.
2 Timothy 1:15-16 – You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.
It was safer to keep a distance from Paul. In addition, a sea voyage at that time of year was well-known to be dangerous.
Yet Luke and Aristarchus voluntarily go with Paul.
Reflect – How did their presence likely encourage Paul during this dark time?
These are good friends. They took a great risk upon themselves to give Paul support and encouragement during his trial. Luke was a physician and likely attended to Paul physically as well.
God did not create us to be alone. He established the church so that we would have other believers to walk life with. At times, we will need help and at times, we can help others.
Application – Consider whether someone in your life is going through a hard time and needs a friend. How can you support that person and be the friend they need?
3. Paul was not shy to share counsel –
Acts 27:9-10 – Paul advised them, saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.
From the beginning of the voyage, Paul boldly shared his opinion. His role on the boat hardly seems that of a prisoner. It is more like a respected statesman and chief counselor.
The cream rises to the top. Wherever Paul went, he drew the respect of those both above and under him. He was able to do this because he walked with Christ and showed compassion and respect to others.
Paul’s status was a political prisoner. Yet, he was much more than that. Those who were around him saw his logic, love, and reason. More than that, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. That gave Paul a gravity that commanded respect. High-ranking officials listened to him.
On this journey, the influence of his voice increases throughout. Good leaders lead. They rise to the occasion. That is what we see here.
God is not interested in a person’s social ranking. He cares far more about our character. If Jesus focused on status, He would not have chosen fishermen and uneducated people as the first disciples.
Application – Do not dismiss counsel just because it comes from a person with a low status or worldly reputation. Great truths can come out of the mouths of children. Some of the greatest statements declared about Jesus during His life were made by the man born blind who was scorned by the religious leaders (John 9).
II. An unlikely leader in a storm (13-38)
Discussion Questions
• What observations do you note about the serious nature of the storm?
• What steps were taken to survive the storm?
• Have you experienced something scary or dangerous like that?
• How did you react and how did God sustain you in the middle of it?
• What do you observe about Paul’s character during this voyage?
• What lessons can we learn about leadership?
• What can we learn about giving and receiving counsel?
• What do you think about Paul’s “I told you so” moment in verse 21?
• What motivates him to speak out again?
• How might his message give comfort and strength to the men on the ship?
• What does the message Paul received show us about God’s sovereignty?
• How can God’s sovereignty encourage you when you face trials and dangers?
• Did God’s sovereignty exclude them from personal responsibility? What was their task?
• How do God’s sovereignty and our responsibility go together?
• How was this storm an opportunity for sharing the gospel?
• Has a trial ever brought you an opportunity to share the gospel? How?
• What opinion do you think the other people in the boat would have had of Paul and the gospel based on their observations of him during the voyage?
• Knowing that people are watching you and your actions, how should you live?
Cross-References
Matthew 5:14 – You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Ezekiel 34:2-4 – Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. A dangerous storm –
A northeaster blew in and drove the ship. More and more extreme actions were taken to prevent capsizing. The cargo, which represented some of their livelihood, was tossed. Next, even much of the ship’s gear was thrown overboard to lighten the ship. Eventually, they even jettisoned food (38).
The situation deteriorated to the point that people despaired of living to see the end of the storm (20).
However, it is in the darkness that the light shines the brightest.
2. A light in the dark –
Most of the people despaired. Paul did not. He set His hope on a God who was far greater than any storm. The Lord had revealed to him that everyone would live.
Acts 27:23-25 – For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.
When Paul first warned that lives would be lost, it seems to be his own wisdom rather than divine revelation. He was correct that it would be perilous. But this time, He had a divine revelation.
No one asked Paul to stand up and give a speech. He had no official function or obligation. These were soldiers and sailors who were part of a system that wrongfully denied him justice for the sake of political favors. Yet Paul is not bitter. He doesn’t blame them. He doesn’t rejoice in their fear.
His compassion for their souls and desire to witness to them of God stand out. Simply put, this storm was an open door for the gospel. Paul did not miss it.
Disasters, danger, and death generally serve to make people more willing to discuss spiritual issues. Walls of resistance are removed. The pride that says, “I believe in myself,” and “I am a master of my own fate,” and “I make my own luck,” is stripped away. Our weaknesses and vulnerabilities are exposed and we are left contemplating our mortality. The soil of raw emotion and forced humility is often ready to receive the seed of the Word of God.
One of the most common questions is, “Why does God allow suffering?”
The answer to this question is long. But one part of it is that suffering often prepares people’s hearts to receive the gospel. Suffering now is a reminder that this world does not last forever. Our lives do not last forever. We had better prepare for eternity.
Reflect – How have you seen suffering or trials create an opening for the gospel in you or others?
The fact is, more people come to God when they are down in life than after a great success. The prodigal son returned to his father after hitting rock bottom. Without suffering the bottom, he might not have returned.
Application – When suffering strikes around you, look for opportunities to shine the light of Jesus into that situation. Maybe it is happening, at least partly, for that very purpose. If it happens to you, prayerfully set your hope on God, knowing that He is sovereign.
3. God’s reassurance and sovereignty –
God sent an angel to reassure Paul that he would indeed come to Rome safely and witness before Caesar. The angel told Paul not to be afraid, which indicates that Paul may have been.
Paul was not a robot, but a person like you and me. He had feelings. Worry would be natural. God had told Paul before that he would go to Rome. But the truth of that might be hard to hold onto in the midst of raging winds, driving rain, and massive waves. Every moment, Paul and the passengers would have been rocked about by the waves. Many of them were likely very seasick. Paul himself may have been wretching.
Yet in that moment, God assures Him. His promises would stand. His plans would not be thwarted. He is sovereign over the wind and waves.
It is not reasonable to expect believers never to have a moment of worry. David worried. But he wrote this.
Psalms 56:3 – When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
What you do when you are worried is a more important question. Will you put your trust in God?
Psalms 89:9 – You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.
Psalms 148:7-8 – Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!
The most powerful storm you will ever face is under God’s divine hand. If it is not your time to go home to Him, He will not let the waves overcome you.
In this passage, He let the waves scare people and bring them to the brink of despair, yet in the end, He saved their lives. From their perspective, the danger was very real, but God had already determined the outcome. The storm was a powerful lesson that they would never forget and Paul’s message lit the way of salvation if they would respond to it.
Application – Whatever situation you are going through, know that God is sovereign. He allows trials to grow your character (James 1:2-4) and create gospel opportunities. Just as He allotted the sea to its proper boundaries (Jeremiah 5:22), He will not allow a disaster in your life to go beyond its proper boundaries.
4. Being a leader –
We see throughout this passage that one of the group’s prisoners became its de facto leader. It’s truly incredible.
He advised them not to set sail from Crete, but they didn’t listen. That was before they had time to really get to know and respect him. Their respect for him increased throughout the trip.
After that, he encouraged them with the vision the angel gave him and told them to “take heart” and that they would be saved.
Soon he gave critical counsel on the operations of the ship. Under his suggestion, the centurion literally cut away the ship’s lifeboats!
Acts 27:31-32 – Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.
On the fourteenth day of the storm, Paul reminded everyone to eat and strengthen themselves. As they did, he took the opportunity to pray and give thanks to God. They were strengthened physically and encouraged spiritually.
Later, the lives of all the prisoners were spared because of the personal respect and favor the centurion felt for Paul.
Reflect – Which aspect of Paul’s leadership stands out to you? Which interaction on the boat speaks to you?
Here are some aspects of Paul’s leadership that we can observe.
• He gave wise and reasoned counsel.
• He never panicked.
• He set forth clear plans of action.
• He spoke with boldness.
• He had compassion for all.
• He saw what needed to be done and did it.
• He encouraged the weak and fainthearted.
• He inspired people and instilled hope.
• He looked to God even during distressing times and encouraged others to do the same.
• He took time to thank God for food even while a storm raged.
Application – Which aspect of leadership do you need to grow in? What is one practical way you can grow in that trait this week?
III. Shipwreck and safety (39-44)
Discussion Questions
• What actions were taken to survive?
• Why didn’t the soldiers kill the prisoners as would have been common practice?
• What deeper truth does this reveal?
• How is it possible that everyone survived in conditions such as this?
Cross-References
Joshua 21:45 – Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
Romans 8:35, 38-39 – Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Landing at Malta –
Malta is not a large island. It is 17 miles (27 km) long and 9 miles (14.5 km) wide. Ancient navigation was very limited. They had no engines, no GPS, virtually zero visibility, and almost no control over where they went. Malta was not quite a needle in a haystack, but it was very small compared to the Mediterranean. So how did they “happen” to run aground there?
The answer is God’s providence. His providence is the theme running through this entire story. He is sovereign over the wind, waves, and storm just as He is sovereign over nations and current events. In the same way, He is sovereign over the exact trajectory of the ship and ensured that it found its way to this small strip of land in the wide ocean.
Let this truth encourage you. With His hand on the rudder of your life, you are in safe hands.
2. Everyone lives! –
God’s message to Paul proved true. Not one of the 276 people on the ship died. It would have been Roman custom to kill the prisoners (as many of the soldiers wanted to do), but the centurion did not allow it because of his affinity for Paul. It was Paul’s steadying counsel and presence that likely resulted in the centurion’s favor. But looking deeper, it was God’s work in that leader’s heart.
Proverbs 21:1 – The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
He controls the currents of the water and also guides the currents of the heart.
Meet the Author: Jason Dexter has been serving the Lord overseas in the 10/40 Window for more than twenty years, making disciples, teaching the Bible, and equipping believers to understand and apply God’s Word. These Bible studies were written by him, not by AI.
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