Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 27:22
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of [any man’s] life among you, but of the ship.
22. And now ] i.e. though my advice was formerly rejected I offer it again.
there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship ] R. V. “no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.” This is more literal, but does not alter the sense. The Apostle now speaks in the confidence of a revelation. Formerly (Act 27:10) he had reasoned from the probabilities of the case.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
There shall be no loss – This must have been cheering news to those who had given up all for lost. As Patti had manifested great wisdom in his former advice to them, they might be now more disposed to listen to him. The reason why he believed they would be safe, he immediately states.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. There shall be no loss of – life] This must be joyous news to those from whom all hope that they should be saved was taken away: Ac 27:20.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Provided they would do as he required of them: see Act 27:31. In Gods promises there is a tacit condition, which from the nature of the thing is to be understood; as in that which was made to Eli, mentioned 1Sa 2:30. Paul did foretell this so particularly, that when it was come to pass, he might gain the more reputation to the truth of the gospel which he preached, and more glory to that God whom he worshipped.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer,…. To take heart and courage, and not be cast down, though things had been thus with them, and they were now in a very melancholy plight and condition.
For there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship; the ship will be lost, but not one person in it: there will be a shipwreck, and so every man’s life will be in danger, and yet not one will perish; and therefore there was reason to be of good cheer, since this was what they could not, and did not expect, all hope of being saved was gone: wherefore this, if they could but believe it, must be good news to all the company; and in order to engage them to believe it, the apostle adds,
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And now ( ). Accusative plural neuter article of general reference in contrast with in verse 21. Paul shows modesty (Bengel) in the mild contrast.
No loss of life ( ). Old word from , to throw away, only twice in N.T. Ro 11:15 (rejection) and here. He had foretold such loss of life as likely (verse 10), but he now gives his reason for his changed view.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And now I exhort you,” (kai ta nun paraino humas) “And now and hereafter (for the future) I exhort (advise) you all,” all on board the ship, as the storm still raged.
2) “To be of good cheer:” (eutheimein) “To continually be of good cheer,” of a cheerful disposition, not depressed; The word rendered “good cheer” is a medical term of a physician’s expressed optimism and faith of recovery of a patient who is down; Psa 112:7; 2Co 1:4; 2Co 4:8-9.
3) “For there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you” (apobole gar psuches oudemia estai eks humon) “For there shall not be a life of you all, (even one) thrown away or lost,” a prophetic disclosure, of both human and Divine hope and assurance, of eventual salvation for all passengers from death from the storm.
4) “But of the ship.”(plen tou ploiou) “Except of the ship,” but the ship would be eventually lost or destroyed by the storm. Had one life been lost and the ship saved, then Paul would have been found to be a false witness, and false prophet, by all on board the ship, but it happened as he prophesied, Act 27:1-44. He spoke in confidence of revelation that had come to him as follows:
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(22) And now I exhort you to be of good cheer.Look and tone, we may well believe, helped the words. It was something in that scene of misery and dejection to see one man stand forward with a brave, calm confidence.
For there shall be no loss of any mans life among you.The quiet courage of the speakers tone must at once have struck the listeners, even before they heard the grounds on which that courage rested.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Life ship There were three clear points, as from a dark background in the future, revealed to Paul: the safety of every life, the loss of the ship, and the falling upon some unknown island. We thus see how partial and fragmentary even a true prophetic foresight may be. Besides these three points Paul was entirely uninformed. Little did this company now sorrow for the ship if only dear life is spared.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
Ver. 22. Be of good cheer ] So Bishop Ridley being once tossed by a sad tempest, Be of good cheer, said he to the boatmen, and ply your oars; for this boat carrieth a bishop that must be burned, not drowned. So Caesar said to the ferryman in a storm, Noli timere; Caesarem fers, et fortunam Caesaris: Never fear; Caesar is of better fortune than to die by drowning. That was a memorable speech of a philosopher, who being in danger of shipwreck in a light starry night, said, “Surely I shall not perish, there are so many eyes of providence over me.” Much more may a saint say so.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22 .] The neglect of precision in is common enough. So Rev 21:27 , . . . . See Winer, edn. 6, 67. 1. e.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 27:22 . , see on Act 27:21 , Paul would spare their reproaches, and rather awaken hope in their hearts (Bethge). : only in Luke, here and in Act 27:9 . Hobart speaks of it as the verb employed for a physician giving his advice, and although the word is common in classical Greek, cf. also 2Ma 7:25-26 R, 3Ma 5:17 ; 3Ma 7:12 A, its frequency in medical usage may account for its occurrence in this “We” section only; see also Hawkins, Hor Synoptic , p. 153. , cf. Act 27:25 ; Act 27:36 , and Act 24:10 , elsewhere in N.T. only in Jas 5:10 , but in classical Greek, and in 2Ma 11:26 . The verb, adjective, and adverb are used in medical language of the sick keeping up spirit, opposed to and ; might therefore well be a medical expression, Hobart, p. 280, although the verb . is used intransitively, as here, in classical Greek, and in Plutarch. : only here in N.T., “there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship,” R.V., Winer-Moulton, lxvii. I.e. , with the genitive, Act 8:1 ; Act 15:28 (once elsewhere in N.T., Mar 12:32 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
now. See Act 4:29.
exhort. Same as “admonish” (Act 27:9).
be of good cheer. Greek. euthumeo. Only here, Act 27:25 and Jam 5:13.
loss = casting away. Greek. apobole. Only here and Rom 11:15.
any man’s life = a life.
among = out of. Greek. ek. App-104.
but = except. Greek. plen.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22.] The neglect of precision in is common enough. So Rev 21:27, . . . . See Winer, edn. 6, 67. 1. e.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 27:22. ) The particle , put previously, required to follow, but has in it a degree of modesty.-[ , I exhort you) Paul, however neglected his advice had been, is not angry notwithstanding, but proceeds to give wholesome advice in this place, and in Act 27:33.-V. g.]-, , no loss-except) A marvellous prediction: Act 27:24; Act 27:34; Act 27:44.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
I exhort: Act 27:25, Act 27:36, Act 23:11, 1Sa 30:6, Ezr 10:2, Job 22:29, Job 22:30, Psa 112:7, Isa 43:1, Isa 43:2, 2Co 1:4-6, 2Co 4:8, 2Co 4:9
for: Act 27:31, Act 27:34, Act 27:44, Job 2:4
Reciprocal: Joh 16:33 – but
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
GOOD CHEER IN THE STORM
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any mans life among you, but of the ship.
Act 27:22
Festus delivered his prisoner into the hands of Julius, a centurion of the Augustan band. The Apostle was accompanied by two friendsthe beloved Luke and Aristarchus, an old Thessalonian friend and disciple (Act 19:29). There does not appear to have been any ship in the harbour of Csarea going direct to Italy. So they went on board a merchant vessel which was in the harbour, bound for Adramyttium, a seaport of Mysia, where they hoped to find another vessel bound for Italy. And on the voyage the ship was wrecked. Yet it was St. Paul, the prisoner, who gave the word of cheer in the storm as accounted in the text.
What do these words suggest?
I. A trying situation.How so?
(a) Well-nigh hopeless. When neither sun nor stars, etc. (Act 27:20).
(b) Brought about by no fault of his. St. Paul was in the right path. Greatest trials often when we are in path of duty.
(c) Seemed against fulfilment of Gods decree. It had been divinely ordained that St. Paul should preach at Rome (Act 23:11). Was this purpose to be defeated?
II. A timely messenger.There stood by St. Paul the Angel of God.
(a) God ever watchful of His own (Psalms 121).
(b) God ever ready to interpose in their straits. Mans extremity is Gods opportunity.
(c) Only His own He thus favoursthose who, like St. Paul, can say, Whose I am.
III. A tender message.Fear not, Paul.
(a) Fear not for thyself. Thou must be brought before Csar. God will bring through present danger.
(b) Fear not for those with thee in the ship. The wicked spared often because of the righteous.
Illustration
The description of the storm in this chapter is admitted by those who know what a storm is to be one of the best ever written. It is stated that Lord Nelson read this chapter on the morning of the Battle of Copenhagen, and that the ships at that battle, as well as others in which Nelson had the command, were anchored by the stern (an unusual thing), as was the ship in which St. Paul sailed.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
2
Act 27:22. Paul bade them to be of good cheer since the only loss that was to come to them would be regarding the ship; he then explained why he was thus assured.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 27:22. No loss of any mans life among you, but of the ship. See Act 27:10. His comparatively dim prophetic insight is now become clearer.
Act 27:23. The angel of God. St. Luke says an angel, not the angel. As we read through the Acts of the Apostles, we have occasion to observe, more than once, that the ministry of angels is made conspicuous in this book. See Act 1:10, Act 10:3, Act 12:7, Act 16:9.
Whose I am, and whom I serve. One of the noblest utterances that ever came from the lips of man, and made more remarkable by the circumstances under which the words were uttered. As addressed to the hearers, this short sentence is a whole sermon, full of meaning. As an expression of Pauls habitual state of mind, it is invaluable. His speech would have been complete without it; but he cannot help showing by this outburst of feeling what is in his heart. Similar instances of this characteristic of St. Pauls style are to be found in Rom 1:9, and at the end of Gal 2:20.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 21