Acts 27:15

Acts 27:15

In the Tempest

13 When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete.

14 But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called¹ Euroclydon.

15 So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her¹ drive.

16 And running under the shelter of an island called¹ Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty.

17 When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the¹ Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven.

18 And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship.

19 On the third day ^awe threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.

20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.

21 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.

22 And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

<< Acts 27:14

Acts 27:16 >>

When the ship was caught (sunarpasqentov tou ploiou). Genitive absolute again with first aorist passive of sunarpazw, old word, in N.T. only Luke 8:29; Acts 6:12; Acts 19:29, and here. Graphic picture as if the ship was seized by a great monster.

Face the wind (antofqalmein tw anemw). Dative case with the vivid infinitive of antofqalmew from antofqalmov, looking in the eye, or eye to eye (anti, facing and opqalmov, eye). Eyes were painted on the prows of vessels. The ship could not face the wind enough to get to Phoenix. Modern sailors talk of sailing into the eye of the wind. We were not able to look the wind in the eye. Koin‚ verb used by Polybius. Some MSS. have it in Acts 6:11, but only here in N.T. In Wisdom of Sol. 12:14 it is used of a prince who cannot look God in the face. Clement of Rome 34 uses it of an idle workman not able to look his employer in the face (Milligan and Moulton's Vocabulary).

We gave way (epidontev). Second aorist active participle of epididwmi, giving way to the wind.

Were driven (eferomeqa). Imperfect passive of ferw, "we were being borne along." We "scudded before the gale" (Page). "The suddenness of the hurricane gave no time to furl the great mainsail" (Furneaux).

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 27:15:**

Luke 8:29
Acts 27:16

<< Acts 27:14

Acts 27:16 >>

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