Acts 27:15

Acts 27:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale.

Context of Acts 27:15

13When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along.

Acts 27:15 word by word

συναρπασθέντος δὲ τοῦ πλοίου καὶ μὴ δυναμένου ἀντοφθαλμεῖν τῷ ἀνέμῳ ἐπιδόντες ἐφερόμεθα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• when the shipὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• when the shipπλοῖονploion · boatG4143
• was caughtσυναρπάζωsunarpazō · to seizeG4884
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• couldδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• notμήmē · notG3361
• bear up intoἀντοφθαλμέωantophthalmeō · to faceG503
• the windἄνεμοςanemos · windG417
• we letἐπιδίδωμιepididōmi · to give/deliverG1929
• driveφέρωpherō̄ · to bear/leadG5342

Cross-references for Acts 27:15

• Acts 27:27On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.
• James 3:4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

Commentaries on Acts 27:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15And when the ship was caught - . The ship was violently hurried away before this strong levanter; so that it was impossible for her, , to face the wind, to turn her prow to it, so as to shake it out, as I have heard sailors say, and have seen them successfully perform in violent tempests and squalls. We let her drive - We were obliged to let her go right before this tempestuous wind, whithersoever it might drive her.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15The ship was caught - By the wind. It came suddenly upon them as a tempest. Could not bear up … - Could not resist its violence, or the helmsman could not direct the ship. It was seized by the wind, and driven with such violence, that it became unmanageable. We let her drive - We suffered the ship to be borne along by the wind without attempting to control it.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-20Verses 12-20 Those who launch forth on the ocean of this world, with a fair gale, know not what storms they may meet with; and therefore must not easily take it for granted that they have obtained their purpose. Let us never expect to be quite safe till we enter heaven. They saw neither sun nor stars for many days. Thus melancholy sometimes is the condition of the people of God as to their spiritual matters; they walk in darkness, and have no light. See…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-16the Northeaster: This storm had the strength of a hurricane or cyclone. It threatened both the cargo and the crew. Forced to let the ship run in front of the storm, they sailed past a small island called Cauda (known today as Gaudos), south of Crete.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1514-15. a tempestuous--"typhonic" wind--that is, like a typhon or tornado, causing a whirling of the clouds, owing to the meeting of opposite currents of air. called Euroclydon--The true reading appears to be Euro-aquilo, or east-northeast, which answers all the effects here ascribed to it.Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 27:15

• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Cheer
• Close
• Creek
• Crete
• Euroclydon
• Exhort
• Fast
• Gain
• Hinder
• James

Commentaries on Acts 27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings