But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because you will not experience any loss of life, but only of the ship.
Paul stands forth among them not as a prisoner but as their counselor and comforter, rescuing them first from despair, for a man will starve himself in despair sooner than any storm can drown him. He assures them in God's name that all their lives shall be saved, and this word pulls them back from the grave when human hope is utterly gone.
AI summary
Commenting on Acts 27:21-44
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer,.... To take heart and courage, and not be cast down, though things had been thus with them, and they were now in a very melancholy plight and condition. For there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship; the ship will be lost, but not one person in it...
Verse 22. There shall be no loss. This must have been cheering news those who had given up all for lost. As Paul had manifested great wisdom in former advice to them, they might now be more disposed to listen to him. The reason why he believed they would be safe, he immediately states. (c) "I exhort"