Bible story
Paul’s Shipwreck Prayer
A short, Scripture-shaped bible story prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.
The prayer
A prayer to pray now
Father, Paul was a prisoner on a ship he did not command. A storm drove them for two weeks. The crew gave up hope. But an angel told Paul that everyone on board would be saved. Paul believed You. He fed the men. He prayed out loud. He told them to take heart. All 276 made it to shore.
Make me like Paul on the ships I am on when storms come. I am not the captain. I am not the navigator. But let my faith in Your word be the thing that steadies the people around me. I do not know if the ship will be saved. But I know You are faithful. Get us all to land, Father, in the storms that are coming.
Amen.
How to pray it
- Read it slowly. Move through this prayer one line at a time, out loud if you can, letting each phrase land before the next.
- Make it personal. Pause where a line meets your day and name the person, fear, or hope it touches before God.
- Carry it with you. Keep one sentence with you — on your phone or in your pocket — and return to it when the day gets loud.
Verses to pray
Pray these slowly, one line at a time. Scripture quoted from a public-domain translation.
Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.
Acts 27:25When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away.
Acts 27:20
Questions about this prayer
When should I pray paul’s shipwreck prayer?
Pray it whenever the words fit your moment — at the start of the day, in a hard stretch, or when you simply want to turn toward God.
Which Bible verses anchor this prayer?
This prayer is anchored in Acts 27:25, Acts 27:20. The "Verses to pray" section above quotes them in full.
Can I save or share this prayer?
Yes. Use the Copy prayer button to copy the words, or open the Chosen Portion app to keep a daily prayer, devotional, and Scripture with you.