Acts 27:43
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
This verse belongs to Paul's voyage to Rome as a prisoner under a centurion's guard, ending in shipwreck. It took place in the first century of the Christian era, when traveling by sea was attended with peculiar hardship and peril. Mariners directed their course largely by the position of the sun and stars, and when these did not appear and there were indications of storm, owners of vessels were fearful of venturing into the open sea, while during a portion of the year safe navigation was almost impossible. It occurred after the ship ran aground, as those aboard were trying to reach land. The soldiers wanted to kill all the prisoners because they could not keep them in charge while every man needed all his strength to save himself, and under Roman law the guards would forfeit their own lives if any prisoner escaped, a cruel policy sanctioned by law.
Julius the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept the soldiers from their purpose. He did so to save Paul because all alike were under deep obligation to Paul for saving the lives of all on board, because he was convinced that the Lord was with Paul, and because he feared to do him harm. He commanded those who could swim to cast themselves first into the sea and get to land, while the rest followed on boards and broken pieces of the ship, so that all escaped safe to land with not one missing when the roll was called. The rescue shows Paul as self-possessed and helpful to his fellow travelers in helping to save the people aboard. Paul's sea journey served God's purpose in that the ship's crew witnessed God's power through Paul and Gentiles heard about Jesus, and many were converted through his teaching and miracles.