Acts 27:40
New International Version
Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.

New Living Translation
So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore.

English Standard Version
So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach.

Berean Standard Bible
Cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.

Berean Literal Bible
And having cut away the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time having loosened the ropes of the rudders. And having hoisted the foresail to the blowing wind, they began making for the shore.

King James Bible
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.

New King James Version
And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore.

New American Standard Bible
And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and they hoisted the foresail to the wind and were heading for the beach.

NASB 1995
And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach.

NASB 1977
And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach.

Legacy Standard Bible
And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders. And hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach.

Amplified Bible
So they cut the cables and severed the anchors and left them in the sea while at the same time unlashing the ropes of the rudders; and after hoisting the foresail to the wind, they headed steadily for the beach.

Christian Standard Bible
After cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and headed for the beach.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
After casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and headed for the beach.

American Standard Version
And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they cut the anchors from the ship and left them in the sea and loosed the rudder bands of the rudder, lifted the small top sail to capture the wind, and they were sailing toward dry land.

Contemporary English Version
They cut the anchors loose and let them sink into the sea. At the same time they untied the ropes that were holding the rudders. Next, they raised the sail at the front of the ship and let the wind carry the ship toward the beach.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves to the sea, loosing withal the rudder bands; and hoisting up the mainsail to the wind, they made towards shore.

English Revised Version
And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They cut the anchors free and left them in the sea. At the same time they untied the ropes that held the steering oars. Then they raised the top sail to catch the wind and steered the ship to the shore.

Good News Translation
So they cut off the anchors and let them sink in the sea, and at the same time they untied the ropes that held the steering oars. Then they raised the sail at the front of the ship so that the wind would blow the ship forward, and we headed for shore.

International Standard Version
So they cut the anchors free and left them in the sea. At the same time they untied the ropes that held the steering oars, raised the foresail to the wind, and headed for the beach.

Literal Standard Version
and having taken up the anchors, they were committing [it] to the sea, at the same time—having loosed the bands of the rudders, and having hoisted up the foresail to the wind—they were making for the shore,

Majority Standard Bible
Cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.

New American Bible
So they cast off the anchors and abandoned them to the sea, and at the same time they unfastened the lines of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail into the wind, they made for the beach.

NET Bible
So they slipped the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage that bound the steering oars together. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and steered toward the beach.

New Revised Standard Version
So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

New Heart English Bible
Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves to the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted the mainsail to the wind, and made towards the shore.

Weymouth New Testament
So they cut away the anchors and left them in the sea, unloosing at the same time the bands which secured the paddle-rudders. Then, hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

World English Bible
Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.

Young's Literal Translation
and the anchors having taken up, they were committing it to the sea, at the same time -- having loosed the bands of the rudders, and having hoisted up the mainsail to the wind -- they were making for the shore,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Shipwreck
39When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they sighted a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41But the vessel struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was being broken up by the pounding of the waves.…

Cross References
Matthew 4:18
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

Acts 27:17
After hoisting it up, the crew used ropes to undergird the ship. And fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and were driven along.

Acts 27:29
Fearing that we would run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daybreak.

Acts 27:41
But the vessel struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was being broken up by the pounding of the waves.


Treasury of Scripture

And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves to the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.

taken up, etc.

Acts 27:29,30
Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day…

the rudder bands.

Isaiah 33:23
Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.

Jump to Previous
Anchors Bands Beach Cast Casting Committed Cords Cut Cutting Direction Freeing Heading Held Hoisted Hoisting Hooks Inlet Loosed Loosing Ropes Rudder Sail Sea Secured Shore Themselves Tied Time Towards Untied Untying Wind
Jump to Next
Anchors Bands Beach Cast Casting Committed Cords Cut Cutting Direction Freeing Heading Held Hoisted Hoisting Hooks Inlet Loosed Loosing Ropes Rudder Sail Sea Secured Shore Themselves Tied Time Towards Untied Untying Wind
Acts 27
1. Paul shipping toward Rome,
10. foretells of the danger of the voyage,
11. but is not believed.
14. They are tossed to and fro by a storm;
41. and suffer shipwreck;
44. yet all come safe to land.














(40) And when they had taken up the anchors.--Better, And when they had cleared away (or, cut off) the anchors, they let them go into the sea. It is obvious that nothing would have been gained at such a juncture by encumbering the ship, which they were anxious to lighten as much as possible, with the weight of the four anchors. The meaning given above is accordingly more in harmony with the facts of the case as well as with the Greek, which does not warrant the insertion of the pronoun in "they committed themselves."

Loosed the rudder bands.--This was the necessary sequel to the previous operation. While the ship was anchored the two large paddle-like rudders with which ancient ships were furnished, were lifted up out of the water and lashed with ropes to the ship's side. When the ship was got under way again, and the rudders were wanted, the bands had to be loosed, and the rudders fell into the water.

And hoised up the mainsail to the wind.--The Greek term so rendered (artemon) is still found in Italian (artimone) and French for the largest sail of a ship. In the structure of ancient ships, however, this was the foresail, not, as with us, the mainsail. The word for wind is strictly the participle, the (breeze) that was blowing. The change of word seems to imply that there was a lull in the fury of the gale.

Made toward shore.--More accurately, were making for the beach, that which had been described in Acts 27:39.

Verse 40. - Casting off for when they had taken up, A.V.; they left them in the sea for they committed themselves unto the sea, A.V.; at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders for and loosed the rudder bands, A.V.; hoisting for hoised, A.V.; foresail for mainsail, A.V.; for the beach for toward shore, A.V. This verse, so obscure before, has been made intelligible by the masterly labors of Smith, of Jordan Hill. We will first explain the separate words. Casting off (περιελόντες). The verb περριαιρέω occurs in ver. 20; in 2 Corinthians 3:16; and in Hebrews 10:11; and in all those passages is rendered "taken away." So also in the LXX., where it is of frequent use, it means "take away," "put away," "remove," and the like. In classical Greek it means to "take away," "take off," "strip off." Here, then, applied to the anchors which were firmly embedded in the very strong clay at the bottom of the sea off Koura Point, περιελόντες τὰς ἀγκύρας means "putting away" or "casting off" the anchors by cutting the cables which fastened them to the ship, and, as it follows, leaving them in the sea, or, more literally, giving them up, dismissing them into the sea (εἴων εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν); comp. Acts 5:38. Loosing the bands of the rudders. "The ships of the Greeks and Romans, like those of the early Northmen were not steered by a single rudder, but by two paddle-rudders" (Howson, p. 310. See too an illustration from an ancient painting found at Herculaneum, in which the two paddle-rudders are very distinctly seen, at p. 346; and another illustration in Lewin, vol. it. p. 204, showing the two rudders and the foresail). These paddle-rudders had been hoisted up and lashed, lest they should foul the anchors at the stern. But now, when the free use of them was absolutely necessary to steer the ship toward the beach, they unloosed the lashings, i.e. "the bands of the rudders," and at the same time they hoisted up the foresail. The foresail; τὸν ἀρτέμονα, a word found only here in this sense, but used in Vitruvius for a "pulley," and so explained in Ducange. But artimon was till recently used in Venice and Genoa as the name of the large sail of a vessel. In the Middle Ages artimonium was the "foremast," mat de prone; but it was also used of the foresail," Velum naris breve, quod quia melius levari potest, in summo periculo extenditur" (Ducange). They hoisted the foresail both to give them sufficient way to run on to the beach, and to give precision to their steering. (For a further account of the ἀρτεμών, or foresail, see Smith, of Jordan Hill.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Cutting away
περιελόντες (perielontes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4014: From peri and haireomai; to remove all around, i.e. Unveil, cast off; figuratively, to expiate.

the
τὰς (tas)
Article - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

anchors,
ἀγκύρας (ankyras)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 45: An anchor. From the same as agkale; an 'anchor'.

they left [them]
εἴων (eiōn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1439: To allow, permit, let alone, leave. Of uncertain affinity; to let be, i.e. Permit or leave alone.

in
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

sea
θάλασσαν (thalassan)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2281: Probably prolonged from hals; the sea.

as
ἅμα (hama)
Adverb
Strong's 260: A primary particle; properly, at the 'same' time, but freely used as a preposition or adverb denoting close association.

they loosened
ἀνέντες (anentes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 447: From ana and hiemi; to let up, i.e. slacken or desert, desist from.

the
τὰς (tas)
Article - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

ropes
ζευκτηρίας (zeuktērias)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2202: A band, fastening. Feminine of a derivative from the same as zugos; a fastening.

[that held] the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

rudders.
πηδαλίων (pēdaliōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 4079: The rudder of a ship. Neuter of a derivative of pedon; a 'pedal', i.e. Helm.

Then
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they hoisted
ἐπάραντες (eparantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1869: To raise, lift up. From epi and airo; to raise up.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

foresail
ἀρτέμωνα (artemōna)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 736: From a derivative of arti; properly, something ready (compare artos); something hung up), i.e. the topsail of a vessel.

to the
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

[wind]
πνεούσῃ (pneousē)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4154: To blow, breathe, as the wind. A primary word; to breathe hard, i.e. Breeze.

[and] made
κατεῖχον (kateichon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2722: From kata and echo; to hold down, in various applications.

for
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

beach.
αἰγιαλόν (aigialon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 123: Sea-coast, (sandy) beach; shore (of sea or lake), land. From aisso and hals (on which the waves dash).


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NT Apostles: Acts 27:40 Casting off the anchors they left them (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 27:39
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