Acts 28:16-31

Acts Outline:

• Peter and the Beginnings of the Church in the Holy Land (chs. 1-12)
  • "Throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria" (1:1 -- 9:31; see 9:31 and note)
    • Introduction (1:1-2)
    • Christ's resurrection ministry (1:3-11)
    • The period of waiting for the Holy Spirit (1:12-26)
    • The filling with the Spirit (ch. 2)
    • The healing of the lame man and the resultant arrest of Peter and John (3:1;4:31)
    • The community of goods (4:32;5:11)
    • The arrest of the 12 apostles (5:12-42)
    • The choice of the Seven (6:1-7)
    • Stephen's arrest and martyrdom (6:8;7:60)
    • The scattering of the Jerusalem believers (8:1-4)
    • Philip's ministry (8:5-40)
      • In Samaria (8:5-25)
      • To the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40)
    • Saul's conversion (9:1-31)
  • "As far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch" (9:32;12:25;11:19;)
    • Peter's ministry on the Mediterranean coast (9:32;11:18)
      • To Aeneas and Dorcas (9:32-43)
      • To Cornelius (10:1;11:18)
    • The new Gentile church in Antioch (11:19-30)
    • Herod's persecution of the church and his subsequent death (ch. 12)
• Paul and the Expansion of the Church from Antioch to Rome (chs. 13-28)
  • "Throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia" (13:1 -- 15:35; see 16:6 and note)
    • Paul's first missionary journey (chs. 13-14)
    • The Jerusalem conference (15:1-35)
  • "Over to Macedonia" (15:36;21:16;16:9;)
    • Paul's second missionary journey (15:36;18:22)
    • Paul's third missionary journey (18:23;21:16)
  • "To Rome" (21:17;28:31;28:14;)
    • Paul's imprisonment in Jerusalem (21:17;23:35)
      • Arrest (21:17;22:29)
      • Trial before the Sanhedrin (22:30;23:11)
      • Transfer to Caesarea (23:12-35)
    • Paul's imprisonment in Caesarea (chs. 24-26)
      • Trial before Felix (ch. 24)
      • Trial before Festus (25:1-12)
      • Hearing before Festus and Agrippa (25:13;26:32)
    • Voyage to Rome (27:1;28:15)
    • Two years under house arrest in Rome (28:16-31)

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From the NIV Study Bible, Introductions to the Books of the Bible, Acts
Copyright 2002 © Zondervan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Acts 28

16 We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. 

17 Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind. 

18 The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. 

19 The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. 

20 The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone. 

21 No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. 

22 But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. 

23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 

24 and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ 

25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. 

26 But we will be shipwrecked on an island.” 

27 About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria, the sailors sensed land was near. 

28 They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was 120 feet deep. But a little later they measured again and found it was only 90 feet deep. 

29 At this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore, so they threw out four anchors from the back of the ship and prayed for daylight. 

30 Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship. 

31 But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, “You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.” 

32 So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away. 

33 Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat. “You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said. 

34“Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.” 

35 Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. 

36 Then everyone was encouraged and began to eat— 

37 all 276 of us who were on board. 

38 After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing the cargo of wheat overboard. 

39When morning dawned, they didn’t recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. 

40 So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore. 

41 But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart. 

42 The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape. 

43 But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. 

44The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.