Acts 27:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

At last Festus found a convenient opportunity to send Paul to Italy. For this he used a merchant ship whose owner was from Adramyttium, a coastal city in the province of Mysia in Asia Minor, not far from Troas.

This ship was to sail along the coasts of Syria and Asia Minor. But Paul and the other prisoners appointed to be sent to Rome were placed on it with this calculation.

Later, in some harbor of Asia Minor, it would be easy to find a ship departing for Italy. So Paul was put on the Adramyttian ship.

Together with him went his companions, the sacred historian Luke and Aristarchus of Thessalonica. The escort accompanying the prisoners consisted of soldiers of the so-called Augustan cohort and was under the command of a centurion named Julius.

In accordance with the Apostle Paul’s declaration, he was sent by ship to Rome together with other prisoners of the same kind. He went under a Roman escort commanded by the centurion Julius.

"That we should sail." From this point the sacred historian again begins to narrate as the Apostle's companion, and he continues so until Paul's arrival in Rome.

"We" means Paul, the sacred historian himself, and Aristarchus, mentioned in v. 2, who accompanied the Apostle on this journey.

"To Italy," that is, to the chief city of the Roman Empire, Rome, for trial before the emperor, as Paul had demanded.

"Paul and certain other prisoners." The Greek expression means prisoners of another kind, that is, non-Christians placed in bonds, but placed in bonds for crimes of another kind, whether supposed or actual.

"To a centurion of the Augustan cohort." What this Augustan cohort was cannot be precisely determined for lack of exact historical data.

The journey from Caesarea to Rome is described with full detail. Evidently it made a strong impression on its describer, who was among Paul's few companions.

Besides the two voluntary companions, there were also unwilling prisoners, guilty of various crimes. All the prisoners were under the charge of a centurion of the imperial cohort named Julius.

He was probably on assignment and now had to return to Rome. The necessary number of escort soldiers was given to help him.

So they boarded a ship belonging to the inhabitants of the small coastal city of Adramyttium, in Mysia, not far from Troas. They intended to sail on it to that city.

When Paul appealed for Caesar's judgment and Festus sent him to Rome, the Jews lost hope of carrying out their designs against him. They turned against James, the brother of the Lord, whom the Apostles had raised to the episcopal throne in Jerusalem.

This is what they dared against him. They brought him into their assembly and demanded that, before all the people, he renounce faith in Christ.

But contrary to everyone's expectation, he delivered a bold and free speech before the whole crowd. They had not expected this. He confessed that our Savior and Master Jesus is the Son of God.

They could not endure the testimony of this man, whom all considered righteous because of his perfect life, wisdom, and piety. They killed him, taking advantage of lawlessness.