Bible Dictionary
Ship
Ships in the biblical world included small coastal vessels, fishing boats, and large merchant ships. Acts 27–28 gives a detailed account of Paul’s voyages and shipwreck on the way to Rome.
Definition
A ship is a vessel used for travel, transport, fishing, or commerce. The supplied account distinguishes a small coasting vessel from large Alexandrian grain ships and shows that ancient ships could make long voyages across the Mediterranean.
Biblical Usage
The most detailed biblical information about ancient merchant ships appears in Luke’s account of Paul’s voyage to Rome. Paul traveled first in an Adramyttian vessel, was wrecked in an Alexandrian grain ship, and later continued in another large Alexandrian ship.
Historical Background
The voyage described in Acts involved travel from Caesarea to Myra, shipwreck on Malta, and later sailing by Syracuse and Rhegium to Puteoli. The narrative provides substantial information about ancient merchant shipping and navigation.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
No one writer in the whole range of Greek and Roman literature has supplied us with so much information concerning the merchant-ships of the ancients as St. Luke in the narrative of St. Paul’s voyage to Rome. Acts 27,28. It is important to remember that he accomplished it in three ships: first, the Adramyttian vessel which took him from Caesarea to Myra, and which was probably a coasting-vessel of no great size, (Acts 27:1-6) secondly, the large Alexandrian corn-ship, in which he was wrecked on the coast of Malta (Acts 27:6-28) :1; and thirdly, another large Alexandrian corn-ship, in which he sailed from Malta by Syracuse and Rhegium to Puteoli. (Acts 28:11-13)