15 Bible Verses about Ships

Other boats from Tiberias had landed near the place where the people ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you too." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Now just as day was breaking, Jesus took His stand on the shore, though the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, "Lads, you have no fish, have you?" They answered, "No."read more.
Then He said to them, "Set your net on the right side of the boat, and you will catch them." They did so, and they could not drag it in for the big catch of fish. So that disciple whom Jesus used to love tenderly said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he belted on his fisherman's coat, for he had taken it off, and plunged into the sea. The rest of the disciples followed in the little boat, for they were not far from shore -- only about a hundred yards -- dragging in the net full of fish.

The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius kindly permitted Paul to visit his friends and enjoy their attentions.

Three months later, we set sail in an Alexandrian ship named The Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island.

As we passed under the lee of a small island called Cauda, with great difficulty we were able to secure the ship's boat. After hoisting it on board, they used ropes to brace the ship, and since they were afraid of being stranded on the Syrtis quicksands, they lowered the sail and let her drift. The next day, because we were so violently beaten by the storm, they began to throw the cargo overboard,read more.
and on the next day with their own hands they threw the ship's tackle overboard. For a number of days neither the sun nor the stars were to be seen, and the storm continued to rage, until at last all hope of being saved was now vanishing, After they had gone a long time without any food, then Paul got up among them and said: "Men, you ought to have listened to me and not to have sailed from Crete, and you would have escaped this disaster and loss. Even now I beg you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life, but only of the ship. For just last night an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by my side and said, "Stop being afraid, Paul. You must stand before the Emperor; and listen! God has graciously given to you the lives of all who are sailing with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have confidence in my God that it will all come out just as I was told. And yet we must be stranded on some island." It was now the fourteenth night and we were drifting on the Adriatic sea, when at midnight the sailors suspected that land was near. On taking soundings they found a depth of twenty fathoms; and a little later again taking soundings, they found it was fifteen. Since they were afraid of our going on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and kept wishing for daylight to come. Although the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had actually lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to run out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the colonel and his soldiers, "Unless these sailors remain on the ship, you cannot be saved." Then the soldiers cut the ropes that held the boat and let it drift away.

Since they were afraid of our going on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and kept wishing for daylight to come.

So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea; at the same time they undid the ropes of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to the breeze they headed for the beach.

After hoisting it on board, they used ropes to brace the ship, and since they were afraid of being stranded on the Syrtis quicksands, they lowered the sail and let her drift.

Then the soldiers cut the ropes that held the boat and let it drift away.

When it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they turned over Paul and some other prisoners to a colonel of the imperial regiment, named Julius. After going on board an Adramyttian ship bound for the ports of Asia, we set sail. On board with us was Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius kindly permitted Paul to visit his friends and enjoy their attentions.read more.
After setting sail from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the wind was against us, and after sailing the whole length of the sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia. There the colonel found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy, and put us on board her. For a number of days we sailed on slowly and with difficulty arrived off Cnidus. Then, because the wind did not permit us to go on, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Cape Salmone, and with difficulty coasted along it and finally reached a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. After considerable time had gone by, and navigation had become dangerous, and the fast was now over, Paul began to warn them by saying, "Men, I see that this voyage is likely to be attended by disaster and heavy loss, not only to the cargo and the ship, but also to our lives." But the colonel was influenced by the pilot and the captain of the ship rather than by what Paul said. And as the harbor was not fit to winter in, the majority favored the plan to set sail from there and see if they could reach Phoenix and winter there, this being a harbor in Crete facing west-southwest and west-north-west. When a light breeze from the south began to blow, thinking their purpose was about to be realized, they weighed anchor and coasted along by Crete, hugging the shore, But it was not long before a violent wind, which is called a Northeaster, swept down from it. The ship was snatched along by it and since she could not face the wind, we gave up and let her drive. As we passed under the lee of a small island called Cauda, with great difficulty we were able to secure the ship's boat. After hoisting it on board, they used ropes to brace the ship, and since they were afraid of being stranded on the Syrtis quicksands, they lowered the sail and let her drift. The next day, because we were so violently beaten by the storm, they began to throw the cargo overboard, and on the next day with their own hands they threw the ship's tackle overboard. For a number of days neither the sun nor the stars were to be seen, and the storm continued to rage, until at last all hope of being saved was now vanishing, After they had gone a long time without any food, then Paul got up among them and said: "Men, you ought to have listened to me and not to have sailed from Crete, and you would have escaped this disaster and loss. Even now I beg you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life, but only of the ship. For just last night an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by my side and said, "Stop being afraid, Paul. You must stand before the Emperor; and listen! God has graciously given to you the lives of all who are sailing with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have confidence in my God that it will all come out just as I was told. And yet we must be stranded on some island." It was now the fourteenth night and we were drifting on the Adriatic sea, when at midnight the sailors suspected that land was near. On taking soundings they found a depth of twenty fathoms; and a little later again taking soundings, they found it was fifteen. Since they were afraid of our going on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and kept wishing for daylight to come. Although the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had actually lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to run out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the colonel and his soldiers, "Unless these sailors remain on the ship, you cannot be saved." Then the soldiers cut the ropes that held the boat and let it drift away. Until day was about to break Paul kept begging them all to take something to eat. He said, "For fourteen days today you have been constantly waiting and going without food, not even taking a bite. So I beg you to eat something, for it is necessary for your safety. For not a hair will be lost from the head of a single one of you." After saying this he took some bread and thanked God for it before them all; then he broke it in pieces and began to eat it. Then they all were cheered and took something to eat themselves. There were 276 of us on the ship. When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea. When day broke, they could not recognize the land, but they spied a bay that had a beach, and determined, if possible, to run the ship ashore. So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea; at the same time they undid the ropes of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to the breeze they headed for the beach. But they struck a shoal and ran the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained unmoved, while the stern began to break to pieces under the beating of the waves. The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners, to keep any of them from swimming ashore and escaping, but the colonel wanted to save Paul, and so he prevented them from carrying out this plan, and ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on various bits of the ship. And thus they all got safely to land.

Look at ships, too; though great and driven by violent winds, they are steered with a tiny rudder wherever the pilot pleases.

After going on board an Adramyttian ship bound for the ports of Asia, we set sail. On board with us was Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.

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