Used of a vessel driven onto a shoal or sandbar, the verb paints the picture of a ship’s abrupt, final arrest when wind and wave force it to lodge fast upon the seabed. Ancient navigators dreaded such a moment because hulls quickly splintered under surf once wedged in shallow water.

Biblical Occurrence

Acts 27:41—“But they struck a sandbar with the ship and ran it aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was being broken up by the pounding of the waves.”

Luke chooses the verb to mark the climax of Paul’s storm-tossed voyage to Rome. The grounding turns crisis into deliverance, fulfilling the angelic promise that every life would be spared (Acts 27:24).

Historical and Cultural Setting

• Season: Late autumn, after the Day of Atonement fast (Acts 27:9), when Mediterranean travel was perilous.
• Geography: Shoals near Malta where two seas “meet” (Acts 27:41) were notorious for hidden reefs formed by converging currents.
• Maritime practice: Captains attempted to beach vessels stern-first on gentle shores. Here, gale winds prevent maneuvering, and the ship slams bow-first into shifting sand, the worst-case scenario Luke records with nautical precision.

Theological Insights

1. Sovereign Preservation. The ship’s loss secures the crew’s lives, illustrating that God’s promises prevail through, not apart from, apparent disaster.
2. Instrument of Mercy. Waters that threaten also convey the castaways safely to land, echoing patterns of salvation through judgment (Exodus 14; Jonah 2).
3. Tested Leadership. Paul’s faith-anchored composure guides pagans and soldiers alike; true shepherding stands out when earthly supports grind to a halt.
4. Costly Deliverance. The sacrifice of the vessel anticipates gospel paradox: what is relinquished for Christ often becomes the means by which others live (Philippians 3:8).

Lessons for Ministry and Life

• Crises that “run us aground” expose idols of self-reliance and invite deeper trust in God’s word.
• Structures may shatter, yet divine purposes remain intact; people matter more than possessions.
• Leaders combine practical action (lightening cargo, urging nourishment) with unwavering confidence in revelation.
• Deliverance rarely looks elegant; clinging to broken planks (Acts 27:44) may be the appointed path to shore.

Related Biblical Themes

Deliverance through waters—Psalm 107:23-30; Matthew 8:23-27.

Providence in loss—Job 1:21; Hebrews 10:34.

Guidance in storm—Isaiah 43:2; 2 Corinthians 12:9.

See Also

Strong’s Greek 4350 (προσκολλάω, “to cling”) for vessels or persons sticking fast; Strong’s Greek 4982 (σῴζω, “to save”) for the ultimate outcome secured amid the wreckage.