Acts 27:37-40

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 27:21-44

We have here the issue of the distress of Paul and his fellow-travellers; they escaped with their lives and that was all, and that was for Paul's sake. We are here told (Acts 27:37) what number there were on board?mariners, merchants, soldiers, prisoners, and other passengers, in all two hundred and seventy-six souls; this is taken notice of to make us the more concerned for them in reading the story, that they were such a considerable number, whose lives were now in the utmost jeopardy, and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 27:27-38

27:27-38 When the fourteenth night came and we were drifting across in the Adriatic, in the middle of the night the sailors suspected that some land was approaching them. They took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. Since they were afraid that they would be cast up on rough places they cast four anchors out of the stern and hoped for the day. When the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and were lowering the dinghy into the sea on the pretext of being about to send out anchors from... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 27:39-44

27:39-44 When day came they did not recognize the land; but they saw a bay with a beach, on which they purposed, if it was possible, to run the ship ashore. They loosed the anchors and let them go into the sea and at the same time they loosed the lashings of the rudder paddles, and they set the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. When they were cast into a place where two seas met, they beached the ship; and the bow remained fast and immovable but the stern was being broken up by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:37

And we were in all in the ship ,.... Reckoning the master and owner of the ship, and the centurion and the soldiers, and the apostle and his company, with whatsoever passengers there might be: two hundred and threescore and sixteen souls ; the Alexandrian copy reads, "two hundred seventy and five"; and the Ethiopic version, "two hundred and six". This account of the number is given to show, that the historian, who was one of them, had an exact knowledge of all in the ship; and this being... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:38

And when they had eaten enough ,.... Were satisfied, having eaten a full meal: they lightened the ship ; of its burden, that it might the better carry them to the shore, and that by the following method: and cast out the wheat into the sea ; which seems to have been part of the ship's provision; or one part of their lading, which they brought from Egypt, and were carrying to Italy: they had cast out some of the goods of the ship before, and also the tackling of the ship, and now,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:39

And when it was day they knew not the land ,.... What place it was, or the name of it: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore ; a gulf or bay, with a shore near it; the Ethiopic version explains it, an arm of the sea , where was a port, where they thought they could secure themselves, or get ashore: into which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship ; whither they had a mind, and consulted to run the ship, if it could be done by any means, believing... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:40

And when they had taken up the anchors ,.... The four anchors they cast out of the stern, Acts 27:29 or "when they had cut the anchors", as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it; that is, had cut the cables to which the anchors were fastened: they committed themselves unto the sea ; or left them, the anchors, in the sea; or committed the ship to the sea, and themselves in it, endeavouring to steer its course to the place they had in view: and loosed the rudder bands ; by which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 27:38

They lightened the ship - They hoped that, by casting out the lading, the ship would draw less water; in consequence of which, they could get nearer the shore. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 27:39

They knew not the land - And therefore knew neither the nature of the coast, nor where the proper port lay. A - creek with a shore - Κολπον , Sinum, a bay, with a shore; a neck of land perhaps on either side, running out into the sea, and this little bay or gulf between them; though some think it was a tongue of land, running out into the sea, having the sea on both sides, at the point of which these two seas met, Acts 27:41 . There is such a place as this in the island of Malta,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 27:40

Taken up the anchors - Weighed all the anchors that they had cast out of the stern. Some think the meaning of the word is, they slipped their cables; and so left the anchors in the sea. Loosed the rudder bands - Or, the bands of the rudders; for large vessels in ancient times had two or more rudders, one at the side, and another at the stern, and sometimes one at the prow. The bands, ζευκτηριας , were some kind of fastenings, by which the rudders were hoisted some way out of the water;... read more

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