MPV Commentary

9 Now while Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid it on the fire, there was a violent storm at sea, so that the ship was in danger of being wrecked.

The sailors were trying to save the ship by casting off the cargo, but they couldn't do it quickly enough. The storm was getting worse, and the ship was taking on water fast.

Paul had told them before that they would run aground on an island, but they didn't listen. Now they were in a desperate situation, and Paul's words seemed like a cruel joke.

The sailors were trying to save themselves by grabbing onto some planks of wood that had been thrown into the sea, but it was too late. The ship was going down fast, and they knew it.

Paul stood up and said, "Don't be afraid, men! You will all survive this ordeal." He then ordered them to take some food and eat it, saying, "This is for your health, because you won't lose a single hair from your heads."

The sailors were amazed at Paul's words, but they didn't understand what he meant. They had been eating nothing but bread and water for 14 days, and their bodies were weak.

Paul took some bread, gave thanks to God in front of them all, and broke it into pieces. He then ate some of the bread, showing them that a Christian eats to sustain his body, not just to celebrate a special occasion.

The sailors were amazed at Paul's actions, and they began to eat too. They had never seen anyone act with such confidence and faith in God before.

After they had eaten enough, they made one last effort to save the ship by throwing all of its cargo into the sea. The storm was still raging, but they hoped that this would lighten the load and help them make it to shore.

When daylight came, they saw that they were near a small island called Malta. They tried to navigate the ship into a nearby creek, but it stuck fast on the mud bottom. The fore part of the ship got stuck in the mud, while the hind part was broken apart by the waves.

The soldiers among them wanted to kill the prisoners, fearing that some might escape and cause trouble. But the centurion, who had been won over by Paul's influence, opposed this idea. He suggested instead that they all swim ashore together, with the prisoners tied up behind them.

All of them followed the centurion's plan, and to everyone's surprise, every single person made it safely to shore. It was a miraculous escape, but not one that required any supernatural intervention.