Acts 27:41 kjv
And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
Acts 27:41 nkjv
But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.
Acts 27:41 niv
But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.
Acts 27:41 esv
But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf.
Acts 27:41 nlt
But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.
Acts 27 41 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 27:41 | And falling into a place where the sea had a sandbank, they ran the ship aground. | Shipwrecked, yet preserved |
| Acts 27:1-2 | And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augusta band. | Paul's journey to Rome begins |
| Acts 27:20 | And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat upon us, all hope of our escape was at last abandoned. | Extreme suffering and despair |
| Acts 27:22 | Nevertheless, I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. | Paul's assurance of deliverance |
| Acts 27:31 | Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved." | Divine protection in peril |
| Acts 27:43 | But the centurion, stopping those who were about to kill Paul and keeping them from their purpose, ordered that those who could swim should go first and get to land. | Intervention of authority for good |
| Acts 27:44 | And the rest, some on planks and some on the wreckage of the ship. And so it was that all escaped safely to land. | Safe arrival from perilous voyage |
| Matthew 10:29 | Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. | God's providence over every detail |
| Psalm 107:28-30 | Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. | God calms the storm |
| Romans 8:28 | We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. | God's overarching purpose |
| Philippians 4:12 | I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, of abundance and need. | Paul's resilience |
| Genesis 50:20 | As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many of you should be kept alive, as on this day. | Joseph's experience of God's plan |
| 2 Corinthians 11:25 | Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea. | Paul's experiences of hardship |
| Jeremiah 1:12 | Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it." | God's faithfulness |
| Luke 21:18 | You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. | Persecution and survival |
| Joshua 1:9 | Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not fear, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. | Courage in adversity |
| 1 Peter 1:6 | In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been tried by various trials. | Trials leading to joy |
| Psalm 91:11 | For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. | Angelic protection |
| Acts 16:25 | About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. | Singing in suffering |
| Matthew 5:44 | But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. | Love for persecutors |
| Acts 2:1-4 | When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ... And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. | The Holy Spirit empowering believers |
Acts 27 verses
Acts 27 41 Meaning
The verse describes Paul's shipwreck and subsequent arrival on the island of Malta. It focuses on the soldiers' proposal to kill the prisoners, including Paul, to prevent any from escaping during the ordeal. However, the commander intervened, wanting to save Paul, and ordered those who could swim to go first and reach the shore.
Acts 27 41 Context
Acts chapter 27 details the perilous sea voyage of the Apostle Paul and his companions towards Rome. Following his appeal to Caesar, Paul is placed in the custody of Julius, a centurion of the Augustan cohort. The voyage encounters a fierce storm, the Euroclydon, which batters the ship for days, causing all hope of survival to be lost. The sailors and soldiers, driven by fear of the prisoners escaping or the ship's destruction, contemplate killing the prisoners. The centurion Julius, however, recognizes Paul's value and intervenes, ordering those who can swim to head for land first while the others cling to the wreckage. The passage culminates in their safe arrival on the island of Malta. This event occurs in the historical context of Roman maritime travel in the 1st century AD, where storms and shipwrecks were common dangers. The narrative emphasizes divine protection over Paul and his companions, highlighting God's faithfulness even in the midst of extreme adversity.
Acts 27 41 Word Analysis
- καὶ (kai): "and" - A conjunctive particle, linking this verse to the preceding events and ideas, emphasizing the flow of the narrative.
- ἐμπεσόντες (empēsontes): "having fallen" or "striking" - A participle from the verb empiptō. It conveys a sudden, forceful impact. This highlights the violent and uncontrolled manner in which the ship met its end, driven by the forces of the sea. It signifies the unavoidable and catastrophic nature of the event.
- εἰς (eis): "into" or "in" - A preposition indicating motion towards or into a place. It specifies the location of the collision.
- τόπον (topon): "a place" - Accusative singular of topos. Refers to a specific location on the shore.
- ὃ (ho): "which" or "where" - A relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause that describes the "place."
- ἔμπροσθεν (emprosthen): "before" or "in front of" - An adverb of place, often used to denote being in front of something or ahead. Here, it clarifies that the sea was in front of the location where the ship ended up, suggesting it was a point of contact between sea and land.
- δύο (duo): "two" - Refers to the two possible directions or courses, implying the ship was caught between the sea and the shore in a way that determined its fate.
- ῥεκὸς (rhēkos): "wreckage" or "debris" - This word specifically refers to fragments of a ship that have been broken up. It is the hapax legomenon (word used only once) in the New Testament. In the Septuagint (LXX) of Judges 9:53, rhēkos is used to describe pottery fragments. Its use here vividly portrays the ship's violent disintegration.
- ἐκβορὲς (ekbores): "flung out" or "thrust out" - Derived from ekballeō. It emphasizes the violent manner in which the ship ran aground and was broken apart, being forcibly thrown against the sandbank.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "εἰς τόπον ὃ ἔμπροσθεν δύο ῥεκὸς ἐκβορὲς" (eis topon ho emprosthen duo rhēkos ekbores): This phrase poetically describes the ship being thrust or broken into a place, where the sea's nature was such that it provided a "front" of two parts. This suggests a unique geographical feature where the sea interacted with the land in a manner that led to the ship's severe damage or breaking apart on a sandbank or shoals, creating debris.
Acts 27 41 Bonus Section
The specific term rhēkos is notable for being unique to this verse in the New Testament. While scholars debate the precise geographical location of this island, Malta is the universally accepted identification due to consistent historical and geographical evidence. The detailed account of the shipwreck serves as a testament to the miraculous preservation of Paul and 103 other lives. This incident mirrors other instances of divine protection found throughout Scripture, such as Noah in the ark, Jonah in the whale, or the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. It emphasizes that even in humanly insurmountable circumstances, God's people are divinely kept. Paul's courage and his role as a reassuring leader amidst the terror reinforce his apostolic authority and the strength of his faith, which he proclaimed earlier to the frightened passengers (Acts 27:22-25).
Acts 27 41 Commentary
The narrative highlights the critical moment of the ship's destruction. The Greek phrasing vividly depicts the vessel's violent grounding on a submerged sandbank. This was not a gentle run aground but a forceful impact, indicated by ekbores which suggests being hurled or thrust. The presence of "two" elements at the front—likely interpreted as sand and submerged rocks or a particular formation of the seabed—contributed to the shipwreck. The resultant "wreckage" or broken pieces underscores the totality of the ship's destruction, leaving the passengers to reach safety by swimming or clinging to the debris, fulfilling Paul's earlier prophecy that no life would be lost but the ship would perish (Acts 27:22). This event also demonstrates the centurion's decisive action in preserving Paul and the other prisoners, guided by his respect for Paul, thus showing a human element of authority intervening amidst the chaos.