Acts 27:1

1 But as it was deemed him to ship into Italy, they betook Paul with other keepers to a centurion [they betook Paul with other kept to a centurion], by name Julius, of the company of knights of the emperor.

Acts 27:1 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 27:1

And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy,
&c.] The chief city of which was Rome, the metropolis of the empire, where Caesar had his palace, to whom the apostle had appealed; and his voyage thither was determined by Festus, with the advice of Agrippa and his council, pursuant to the apostle's appeal, and which was founded on the will of God; all which concurred in this affair: it was the decree and will of God that the apostle should go to Rome, which was made known to him; and it was his resolution upon that, to go thither, wherefore he appealed to Caesar; and it was the determination of the Roman governor, not only as to his going there, but as to the time of it, which was now fixed: the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read "he", instead of "we"; and the Ethiopic version reads expressly "Paul"; but the Greek copies read we: by whom are meant the apostle, and his companions; as Luke the writer of this history, and Aristarchus the Macedonian mentioned in the next verse, and Trophimus the Ephesian, who was afterwards left at Miletus sick, ( 2 Timothy 4:20 ) and who else cannot be said; these were to sail with him to Italy, not as prisoners, but as companions: this resolution being taken,

they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners;
who very likely had also appealed to Caesar, or at least the governor thought fit to send them to Rome, to have their cases heard and determined there; and these by the order of Festus were delivered by the centurions, or jailers, in whose custody they had been,

unto one called Julius;
in the Alexandrian copy of the third verse, he is called Julianus; he was either one of the Julian family, or rather was one that had been made free by some of that family, and so took the name:

a centurion of Augustus' band;
of a Roman band of soldiers, which belonged to that legion which was called "Augusta"; for it seems there was a legion that bore that name, as Lipsius observes, and it may be from Augustus Caesar.

Acts 27:1 In-Context

1 But as it was deemed him to ship into Italy, they betook Paul with other keepers to a centurion [they betook Paul with other kept to a centurion], by name Julius, of the company of knights of the emperor.

2 And we went up into the ship of Adramyttium, and began to sail, and were borne about the places of Asia, while Aristarchus of Macedonia, Thessalonica, dwelled still with us.

3 And in the day following, we came to Sidon; and Julius treated courteously Paul, and suffered [him] to go to friends, and to do his needs [and to do the care, or need, of him].

4 And when we removed from thence [And when we had taken up from thence], we under-sailed to Cyprus, for that winds were contrary.

5 And we sailed in the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, and came to Lystra, that is Lycia.