And now I exhort you to be of good cheer. For there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but only of the ship.
και τα νυν παραινω υμας ευθυμειν αποβολη γαρ ψυχης ουδεμια εσται εξ υμων πλην του πλοιου
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
He foretells two circumstances: that they would have to come out upon an island, and that the ship would perish, while those sailing on it would be saved. This was not a conjecture, but a prophecy. What happened came from the season of the year. Yet here the miracle is greater, because at such a time both he himself and, through him, the others were saved from the threatening danger.
After such a prolonged storm, he does not address them with reproach, but desires that they believe him in the future. He presents what had happened as testimony to the truth of what he had told them. Then he foretells two things: that the ship will perish, and that those on it will be saved and cast upon an island.
In this hopeless situation, Paul alone remains firm in spirit and calmly faces the danger they are undergoing. After gently reproaching them for not following his advice to remain at Crete, he encourages everyone. He urges them to be calm and to strengthen themselves with food. He assures them that not one soul on the ship will perish. Only the ship will be lost, while the people will be cast upon some island, for this had been revealed to him by an angel of God.
In this grievous time, the hardship was increased because those on the ship had not eaten for a long time. Of course, this does not mean that they had eaten nothing at all, but that they had eaten little and irregularly. This was not from lack of provisions, since the ship was loaded with wheat; verse 38. It came from strong fear and anxiety, which reached the point of hopelessness. At this time the Apostle appears as the encourager of all. He breathes into them a spirit of patience, courage, and hope of salvation. After meekly reproaching them for not listening to his advice not to depart from Crete, the Apostle encourages them all. He tells them of the appearance of God's angel to him, with the assurance that none of those sailing would perish, but only the ship.
Awaiting death and tormented by the storm, all had eaten nothing and had fallen into great despondency. And now Paul comes forward again, but with greater resolve. He firmly and decisively calms them all, saying that none of the men will perish, but only the ship. He also reminds them that they had not listened to him in vain when he advised them not to depart from Fair Havens.
"See," says St. John Chrysostom, "after such a storm he speaks with them, not in order to reproach them, but because he wished them to believe him at least in the future. Therefore he sets forth what had happened as testimony to the truth of what he intends to say. He foretells two things: that they would have to come upon an island, and that the ship would perish, while those sailing on it would be saved. This was not a conjecture, but a prophecy, because he had to stand before Caesar."
"Notice how wisely Paul acts here also. He does not accuse them or become irritated, but speaks meekly in this way: it was necessary. He knew that one who reproaches during the very calamity is not readily obeyed. But when the greater part of the calamity has passed, they will listen more readily. Therefore he begins to speak again. When every hope of salvation had vanished, then he foretells what is good."
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 16 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS