Acts 27:38

38 After everyone had eaten enough, they lightened the ship by throwing all the wheat into the sea.

Acts 27:38 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 27:38

And when they had eaten enough
] Were satisfied, having eaten a full meal:

they lightened the ship;
of its burden, that it might the better carry them to the shore, and that by the following method:

and cast out the wheat into the sea;
which seems to have been part of the ship's provision; or one part of their lading, which they brought from Egypt, and were carrying to Italy: they had cast out some of the goods of the ship before, and also the tackling of the ship, and now, last of all, the wheat; for what was eatable they reserved till last, not knowing to what extremity they might be reduced.

Acts 27:38 In-Context

36 They took courage, and every one of them also ate some food.
37 There was a total of 276 of us on board.
38 After everyone had eaten enough, they lightened the ship by throwing all the wheat into the sea.
39 When day came, the sailors did not recognize the coast, but they noticed a bay with a beach and decided that, if possible, they would run the ship aground there.
40 So they cut off the anchors and let them sink in the sea, and at the same time they untied the ropes that held the steering oars. Then they raised the sail at the front of the ship so that the wind would blow the ship forward, and we headed for shore.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.