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Book of Acts - Chapter 27 - Verse 38

27:38
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

Meaning

In this verse from the book of Acts in the Bible, the sailors on a ship in the midst of a storm reached a point where they had eaten enough food but the ship was still heavy with cargo. In order to lighten the ship and increase their chances of survival, they made the difficult decision to cast out the wheat into the sea. This action was a practical measure taken by the sailors in a desperate situation, as the weight of the wheat was hindering their ability to navigate the ship through the storm. By sacrificing the valuable cargo, they were able to improve the ship's buoyancy and increase their chances of making it through the storm safely. This verse serves as a reminder of the sacrifices and difficult decisions that may need to be made in times of adversity in order to ensure survival.

Theological Overview

In this verse from Acts 27:38, we see an interesting theological interpretation regarding the act of lightening the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea. The word "lightened" in this context can be interpreted as a symbolic action representing sacrifice and trust in God's providence. The sailors, faced with a storm and having eaten enough of the provisions on board, made the difficult decision to throw valuable wheat into the sea in order to save the ship and themselves. This act can be seen as a demonstration of their faith in God's ability to provide for them even in the face of loss. It also speaks to the importance of prioritizing survival over material possessions in times of crisis. As we navigate through our own turbulent seas of life, we can draw inspiration from this passage to trust in God's provision and make sacrifices when necessary for the greater good.

American Standard Version

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
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