15 Bible Verses about Ships

So, as some boats from Tiberias had put in near the spot where they had eaten bread after the Lord's thanksgiving,

Simon Peter said to them, "I am going to fish." They said, "We are coming with you too." Off they went and embarked in the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Now at break of day Jesus was standing on the beach (though the disciples did not know it was Jesus). "Lads," said Jesus, "have you got anything?" "No," they answered.read more.
So he told them, "Throw your net on the right of the boat, and you will have a take." At this they threw the net, and now they could not haul it in for the mass of fish. So the disciple who was Jesus' favourite said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Hearing it was the Lord, Simon Peter threw on his blouse (he was stripped for work) and jumped into the water, while the rest of the disciples came ashore in the punt (they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards), dragging their netful of fish.

Next day we put in at Sidon, where Julius very kindly allowed Paul to visit his friends and be looked after.

We set sail, after three months, in an Alexandrian ship, with the Dioscuri on her figure-head, which had wintered at the island.

Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we managed with great difficulty to get the boat hauled in; once it was hoisted aboard, they used ropes to undergird the ship, and in fear of being stranded on the Syrtis they lowered the sail and lay to. As we were being terribly battered by the storm, they had to jettison the cargo next day,read more.
while two days later they threw the ship's gear overboard with their own hands; for many days neither sun nor stars could be seen, the storm raged heavily, and at last we had to give up all hope of being saved. When they had gone without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me and spared yourselves this hardship and loss by refusing to set sail from Crete. I now bid you cheer up. There will be no loss of life, only of the ship. For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve, stood before me, saying, 'Have no fear, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And God has granted you the lives of all your fellow-voyagers.' Cheer up, men! I believe God, I believe it will turn out just as I have been told. However, we are to be stranded on an island." When the fourteenth night arrived, we were drifting about in the sea of Adria, when the sailors about midnight suspected land was near. On taking soundings they found twenty fathoms, and a little further on, when they sounded again, they found fifteen. Then, afraid of being stranded on the rocks, they let go four anchors from the stern and longed for daylight. The sailors tried to escape from the ship. They had even lowered the boat into the sea, pretending they were going to layout anchors from the bow, when Paul said to the officer and the soldiers, "You cannot be saved unless these men stay by the ship." Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let her fall off.

Then, afraid of being stranded on the rocks, they let go four anchors from the stern and longed for daylight.

So the anchors were cut away and left in the sea, while the crew unlashed the ropes that tied the rudders, hoisted the foresail to the breeze, and headed for the beach.

once it was hoisted aboard, they used ropes to undergird the ship, and in fear of being stranded on the Syrtis they lowered the sail and lay to.

Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let her fall off.

When it was decided we were to sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to an officer of the Imperial regiment called Julius. Embarking in an Andramyttian ship which was bound for the Asiatic seaports, we set sail, accompanied by a Macedonian from Thessalonica called Aristarchus. Next day we put in at Sidon, where Julius very kindly allowed Paul to visit his friends and be looked after.read more.
Putting to sea from there, we had to sail under the lee of Cyprus, as the wind was against us; then, sailing over the Cilician and Pamphylian waters, we came to Myra in Lycia. There the officer found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board of her. For a number of days we made a slow passage and had great difficulty in arriving off Cnidus; then, as the wind checked our progress, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Cape Salmone, and coasting along it with great difficulty we reached a place called Fair Havens, not far from the town of Lasea. By this time it was far on in the season and sailing had become dangerous (for the autumn Fast was past), so Paul warned them thus: "Men," said he, "I see this voyage is going to be attended with hardship and serious loss not only to the cargo and the ship but also to our own lives." However the officer let himself be persuaded by the captain and the owner rather than by anything Paul could say, and, as the harbour was badly placed for wintering in, the majority proposed to set sail and try if they could reach Phoenix and winter there (Phoenix is a Cretan harbour facing S.W. and N.W.). When a moderate southerly breeze sprang up, they thought they had secured their object, and after weighing anchor they sailed along the coast of Crete, close inshore. Presently down rushed a hurricane of a wind called Euroclydon; the ship was caught and unable to face the wind, so we gave up and let her drive along. Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we managed with great difficulty to get the boat hauled in; once it was hoisted aboard, they used ropes to undergird the ship, and in fear of being stranded on the Syrtis they lowered the sail and lay to. As we were being terribly battered by the storm, they had to jettison the cargo next day, while two days later they threw the ship's gear overboard with their own hands; for many days neither sun nor stars could be seen, the storm raged heavily, and at last we had to give up all hope of being saved. When they had gone without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me and spared yourselves this hardship and loss by refusing to set sail from Crete. I now bid you cheer up. There will be no loss of life, only of the ship. For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve, stood before me, saying, 'Have no fear, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And God has granted you the lives of all your fellow-voyagers.' Cheer up, men! I believe God, I believe it will turn out just as I have been told. However, we are to be stranded on an island." When the fourteenth night arrived, we were drifting about in the sea of Adria, when the sailors about midnight suspected land was near. On taking soundings they found twenty fathoms, and a little further on, when they sounded again, they found fifteen. Then, afraid of being stranded on the rocks, they let go four anchors from the stern and longed for daylight. The sailors tried to escape from the ship. They had even lowered the boat into the sea, pretending they were going to layout anchors from the bow, when Paul said to the officer and the soldiers, "You cannot be saved unless these men stay by the ship." Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let her fall off. Just before daybreak Paul begged them all to take some food. "For fourteen days," he said, "you have been on the watch all the time, without a proper meal. Take some food then, I beg of you; it will keep you alive. You are going to be saved! Not a hair of your heads will perish." With these words he took a loaf and after thanking God, in presence of them all, broke it and began to eat. Then they all cheered up and took food for themselves (there were about seventy-six souls of us on board, all told); and when they had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea. When day broke, they could not recognize what land it was; however, they noticed a creek with a sandy beach, and resolved to see if they could run the ship ashore there. So the anchors were cut away and left in the sea, while the crew unlashed the ropes that tied the rudders, hoisted the foresail to the breeze, and headed for the beach. Striking a reef, they drove the ship aground; the prow jammed fast, but the stern began to break up under the beating of the waves. Now the soldiers resolved to kill the prisoners, in case any of them swam off and escaped; but as the officer wanted to save Paul, he put a stop to their plan, ordering those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, while the rest were to manage with planks or pieces of wreckage. In this way it turned out that the whole company got safe to land.

Look at ships too; for all their size and speed under stiff winds, they are turned by a tiny rudder wherever the mind of the steersman chooses.

Embarking in an Andramyttian ship which was bound for the Asiatic seaports, we set sail, accompanied by a Macedonian from Thessalonica called Aristarchus.

There the officer found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board of her.