JOURNEY TO ROME

MJ4-006

⚓ Shipwreck at Malta

Fourteen nights have passed. The battered ship is still being driven across the sea, but the sailors now sense that land is near.

Before the day is over, the vessel will be destroyed. Yet the promise spoken to Paul will stand: every person aboard will reach land alive.

“And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.” — Acts 27:44, NKJV

FEATURED MUSEUM ARTWORK

The Ship Is Lost — Every Life Is Preserved

Museum reconstruction of Paul's ship breaking apart near Malta while passengers swim and cling to wreckage as they escape safely to land — **Artist's Reconstruction — Acts 27:27–44** This museum artwork presents the final hours of the storm-driven voyage before Malta. The precise appearance of the ship, shoreline, passengers, soldiers, sailors, waves, weather, and wreckage is interpretive, while Acts records the soundings, anchors, attempted escape, Paul's warning, the meal, the 276 persons aboard, the grounding of the ship, the soldiers' plan, the centurion's intervention, and the safe arrival of everyone on land.

Museum Collection: Journey to Rome Exhibit: MJ4-006 Praise Aflame™ Biblical Museum Studio

The Praise Aflame™ Biblical Museum & Resource Centre

Journey to Rome Permanent Collection

Shipwreck at Malta

Acts 27:27–44

ExhibitMJ4-006

VoyageFourteenth night

Persons Aboard276

OutcomeAll escaped safely to land

Biblical Significance: The destruction of the ship demonstrates the exact distinction Paul had announced: the vessel would be lost, but the people would be preserved. The chapter closes with every life reaching shore safely.

THE FOURTEENTH NIGHT

The Sailors Sense Land

As the ship is driven through the Adriatic Sea, the sailors suspect that they are approaching land.

They take soundings: first twenty fathoms, then fifteen. The water is becoming shallower.

“And 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, NKJV

AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE

The Sailors Lower the Skiff

Some of the sailors attempt to abandon the ship, lowering the skiff under the pretense of putting out anchors from the prow.

Paul recognizes what is happening and warns the centurion and the soldiers.

“Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”
Acts 27:31, NKJV

The soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.

BEFORE DAYBREAK

Paul Urges Everyone to Eat

Paul urges everyone aboard to take food, reminding them that they have waited through fourteen anxious days.

“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, NKJV

Paul takes bread, gives thanks to God in the presence of them all, breaks it, and begins to eat. The others are encouraged and also take food.

A REMARKABLE DETAIL

276 Persons Were on the Ship

Luke records the number aboard: two hundred and seventy-six persons.

“And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship.”
Acts 27:37, NKJV

After eating, they lighten the ship further by throwing the wheat into the sea.

DAYLIGHT

A Bay with a Beach

When morning comes, the sailors do not recognize the land, but they see a bay with a beach and decide to try to drive the ship onto it.

They release the anchors, loosen the rudder ropes, raise the mainsail to the wind, and make for shore.

THE SHIP RUNS AGROUND

The Bow Sticks Fast

The vessel strikes a place where two seas meet and runs aground.

The bow becomes immovable, while the violence of the waves begins breaking the stern apart.

“...the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.”
Acts 27:41, NKJV

A DEADLY PLAN

The Soldiers Want to Kill the Prisoners

The soldiers fear that prisoners may swim away and escape. Their plan is to kill them before that can happen.

But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, prevents them from carrying out the plan.

“But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose...”
Acts 27:43, NKJV

THE FINAL ESCAPE

Swimmers, Planks, and Pieces of the Ship

Those who can swim are ordered to jump overboard first and make for land.

The others follow on boards and broken pieces of the ship.

“And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.”
Acts 27:44, NKJV

MJ4-006 AT A GLANCE

Eight Moments of the Shipwreck

01

Land Is Near

Soundings fall from twenty fathoms to fifteen.

02

Four Anchors

The sailors drop four anchors from the stern and wait for daylight.

03

The Skiff

An attempted escape is stopped after Paul's warning.

04

Take Food

Paul gives thanks to God and encourages everyone to eat.

05

276 Aboard

Luke records the total number of persons on the ship.

06

Ship Grounded

The bow sticks fast while the stern breaks under the waves.

07

Paul Is Spared

The centurion prevents the soldiers from killing the prisoners.

08

All Reach Land

Swimmers and those holding wreckage escape safely to shore.

THE HEART OF THE EXHIBIT

The Ship Was Lost — Not One Life Was Lost

God's promise did not prevent the shipwreck. It determined the outcome through the shipwreck.

The vessel breaks apart, yet all 276 persons reach land alive.

MUSEUM REFLECTION

What God promised in the darkness of the storm is fulfilled on the shore. The ship is gone. The people are alive.

BEFORE YOU CONTINUE...

The Island Is Malta

The survivors have reached land, soaked, exhausted, and alive.

They will soon learn that the island is called Malta. The people of the island will receive them with unusual kindness, and another extraordinary event involving Paul is about to unfold.

CONTINUE THE JOURNEY TO ROME

Next: Malta — The Viper

You have completed Exhibit MJ4-006 — Shipwreck at Malta.

CARRY THE WORD WITH YOU

“And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.”
Acts 27:44, NKJV