What does Acts 27:22 mean?
Several days before, the ship Paul is on left Myra on the southern coast of modern-day Turkey. It headed west toward Rome. By the island Cnidus, however, it was caught in a strong wind from the north that pushed it south to the eastern coast of Crete. The men on board sailed halfway along the southern coast to Fair Havens. In Fair Havens, Paul warned the ship's owner and pilot. Winter is coming; if they leave, they will lose their ship, their cargo, and the lives onboard. The owner and pilot knew Fair Havens wasn't a good place to spend the winter; they decided to go farther west to Phoenix which has two well-sheltered harbors. But as soon as they left the protection of the mountain ranges, the same wind sent them toward the Libyan sandbars and a typhoon-grade storm (Acts 27:6–17).The text doesn't say exactly why Paul thought everyone would die. This was probably because of his experience as a traveler, including three shipwrecks (2 Corinthians 11:25). Since they left Fair Havens, he has apparently been praying for the lives of the 276 crew members and passengers, and God has answered his prayer. An angel arrived and reiterated the promise that Paul would testify to Jesus' offer of salvation in Rome (Acts 23:11). In addition, God promised all lives onboard would be spared (Acts 27:23–24).
God fulfills His promise. A wind comes from the southeast and blows them to the island of Malta, just south of Sicily. They throw all the cargo overboard and the ship hits a reef and breaks apart. But everyone lives (Acts 27:39–44).
