Episodes

Monday, 3 June 2024 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. Acts 28:3 The Greek more closely reads, “And Paul, having bundled a multitude of kindling, and having laid upon the pyre, a viper – having come from the heat – seized his hand” (CG). In the previous verse, the people on the island made a fire for the shipwrecked people because of the rain and cold. Now, Luke begins a short description of ...

Sunday, 2 June 2024 And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. Acts 28:2 A more literal translation, even if a tad clunky, is, “And the barbarians offered not the ordinary philanthropy to us. For having kindled a pyre, they received all of us through the rain that had come and through the cold.” (CG). The previous verse, which began the chapter, noted that those shipwrecked discover...

Saturday, 1 June 2024 Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. Acts 28:1 A literal rendering of the Greek would be, “And, having been saved, then they knew that the island is called Malta.” (CG). The last verse of the previous chapter noted that all had come to shore safely. With that, Chapter 28 begins with, “And, having been saved.” The same word that was used to end Chapter 27 is again used here, diasózó. In that verse, it was an aorist verb, now it...

Friday, 31 May 2024 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. Acts 27:44 A literal rendering of the Greek would be, “and the rest, indeed, some upon boards, and some upon anything from the ship. And thus it was all were saved upon the land” (CG). In the previous verse, the centurion commanded that those who could swim should jump in and swim to land. Now, and still coming as a command from Julius, it says, “and the rest, in...

Thursday, 30 May 2024 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, Acts 27:43 More literally, “And the centurion, desiring to save Paul, prevented their intent. And he commanded those being able to swim, having jumped away first, to depart to the land” (CG). In the previous verse, Luke noted that it was the soldiers’ intent to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away. However, h...

Wednesday, 29 May 2024 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. Acts 27:42 A literal reading is much sparser in content, “And the soldiers’ plan was that they should kill the prisoners, lest someone, having swam out, should escape” (CG). In the previous verse, the ship ran aground with the prow stuck fast. With the beating of the waves, the stern loosened from the main hull. Thus, the ship could no longer be a place of safety. All would n...

Tuesday, 28 May 2024 But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves. Acts 27:41 A more literal rendering is, “And having fallen into a place – two seas – they urged on the vessel, and, indeed, the prow having stuck fast remained immovable, and the stern was loosed under the force of the waves.” (CG). In the previous verse, the anchors were abandoned to the sea an...

Monday, 27 May 2024 And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. Acts 27:40 A more precise and literal rendering would be, “And the anchors, having detached, they left in the sea, simultaneously, having relaxed the ropes of the rudders. And having hoisted the foresail to the blowing, they held fast for the shore” (CG). The last verse noted that they did not recognize the land that was ah...

Sunday, 26 May 2024 When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. Acts 27:39 A more literal rendering would be, “And when day came, they knew not the land. And they noticed a certain bay having a shore, unto which they determined to drive out the ship, if they were able” (CG). In the previous verse, the sailors filled themselves with food and then lightened the ship by throwing out the wheat. It nex...

Saturday, 25 May 2024 So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea. Acts 27:38 The Greek more closely reads, “And having gorged food, they lightened the ship, casting out the wheat into the sea” (CG). Paul’s words and actions encouraged all aboard the ship and so they all took food. Luke then noted that there were two hundred seventy-six on board. Having noted that, he next writes, “And having gorged food.” This is a new and rare word, korennumi...

Friday, 24 May 2024 And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. Acts 27:37 The Greek provides a stress on the people, offsetting them for effect, “And we were, all the souls in the ship, two hundred seventy-six” (CG). In the previous verse, the people were encouraged by Paul’s example and took food. Now, to show the importance of what Paul had done, it next says, “And we were.” Luke is preparing the mind for the next clause, which is offset, thus making it the main th...

Thursday, 23 May 2024 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. Acts 27:36 The Greek is less wordy than the NKJV, “And having been encouraged, they all also took food” (CG). Paul just broke the bread, blessed it, and began to eat. Now, after hearing his words and seeing his confidence, it next says, “And having been encouraged.” The word translated as encouraged, euthumos, is used for the second and last time. The first was in Acts 24:10. It comes from two words signifyin...

Wednesday, 22 May 2024 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. Acts 27:35 A more literal translation is, “And having said these, and having taken bread, he thanked God in sight of all. And having broken, he began to eat” (CG). Paul had once again just urged those with him to take nourishment, reassuring them that they would all come through unscathed. With that stated, Luke next records, “A...

Tuesday, 21 May 2024 “Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” Acts 27:34 I translate this as, “Therefore, I encourage you to take food for this is for your salvation. For not a hair of the head of you will fall.” (CG). Paul just implored those gathered before to take food, noting that it was the fourteenth day that they had gone without nourishment. Because of this, he continues with, “Therefore, I encou...

Monday, 20 May 2024 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Acts 27:33 More literally, it reads, “And until it was about to be day, Paul urged all to take food, saying, ‘Anticipating today, the fourteenth day, you continue undernourished, having taken nothing.’” (CG). The previous verse noted the soldiers cutting away the skiff. At some point later, in the very early ...

Sunday, 19 May 2024 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off. Acts 27:32 In the previous verse, Paul told the centurion and the sailors that if the crew were to get away on the skiff, the ship and those on it were not able to be saved. Therefore, heeding his advice, Luke records, “Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff.” The action here shows that they immediately accepted Paul’s words. The skiff had probably already been completely lowered, but the sai...

Saturday, 18 May 2024 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Acts 27:31 A closer translation to the original is, “Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, If these don’t remain in the ship, you are not able to be saved” (CG). In the previous verse, some of the sailors were putting out the skiff, pretending they were going to lay out anchors from the prow. However, seeing this was just a pretext to get away from the ship, “...

Friday, 17 May 2024 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, Acts 27:30 More exactingly, it reads, “And the sailors, seeking to flee from the ship, and having let down the skiff into the sea, a pretext, as being about to extend anchors from the prow” (CG). In the previous verse, the crew feared they would be dashed on rocks when they came to land, so they dropped four anchors fr...

Thursday, 16 May 2024 Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. Acts 27:29 The Greek more literally reads, “And fearing, lest perhaps we might fall into rough places, having cast four anchors out of the stern they were wishing for day to come” (CG). In the previous verse, soundings had been taken, finding first twenty fathoms and then fifteen. Because of that, the sailors assumed land was not far off. As it was...

Wednesday, 15 May 2024 And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. Acts 27:28 More literally, it reads, “And, having sounded, they found twenty fathoms. And having distanced a little, having sounded again, they found fifteen fathoms” (CG). In the last verse, the sailors sensed that they were approaching land. To confirm this, it next says, “And, having sounded, they found twen...

Tuesday, 14 May 2024 Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. Acts 27:27 A more literal rendering is, “And when the fourteenth night came, we – being carried through in the Adriatic – about the middle of the night, the sailors suspected some land to approach them” (CG). Paul just told those on the ship that they must run aground on a certain island. Now, immediately after...

Monday, 13 May 2024 “However, we must run aground on a certain island.” Acts 27:26 A literal rendering of the Greek is, “But we must fall onto a certain island” (CG). Paul had just provided encouraging words to those gathered on the ship, noting that he was certain that what he was told by the messenger would come to pass. With that good news stated, he prepares them for a challenge ahead, saying, “But we must fall onto a certain island.” His words are given as confirmation that his story ab...

Sunday, 12 May 2024 “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. Acts 27:25 A literal translation is, “Therefore, be cheerful, men. For I believe God, that thus it will be even as it has been told me” (CG). Paul just told those on the ship the good news that he and all on the ship would be spared. With that stated, he now says, “Therefore, be cheerful, men.” Addressing them as men is asking them to act as men should act. But more, after the long days ...

Saturday, 11 May 2024 “saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Acts 27:24 With a few tweaks, the Greek more closely reads, “Saying, ‘Fear not, Paul. It behooves you to stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those sailing with you’” (CG). Paul just told those gathered with him that a messenger of the God stood by him. Now he continues his thought with, “Saying, ‘Fear not, Paul.’” Similar...