Today's Daily Bread

PAUL SHEPHERDS HIS CAPTORS (I)

Date : Saturday, December 06, 2025
Passage : Acts 27:1~12
Keyverse : 10  
1
When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.
2
We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
3
The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.
4
From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.
5
When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.
6
There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board.
7
We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.
8
We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
9
Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement. So Paul warned them,
10
"Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also."
11
But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.
12
Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.
Paul was entrusted to Julius, a noble centurion from the Imperial Regiment. They would be sailing to Rome, and Paul had friends with him: Aristarchus, his frequent traveling companion (20:4; Col 4:10; Phm 24) as well as the author Luke (note the use of “we”). How valuable it is to have godly friends in our times of travel and trial! Their companionship was a blessing and provided for his needs. Who are you thankful to God for on this journey of discipleship?

The journey was plagued with difficulties from the beginning, resulting in lost time. Paul was not self-absorbed, but he paid attention to what was happening around him. His shepherd heart was beating with concern for his fellow travelers, even though he was their prisoner. This was why he gave such a dire warning: “I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous” (10). Julius chose to heed the advice of the sailors instead, a fateful decision.

Prayer: Father, thank you for companions on the journey, which double our joy and halve our sorrow. Please help me overcome self-centeredness and have the courage to be attentive to others with a word of warning, encouragement, or correction.
One Word: A prisoner, yet always a shepherd