Acts 27:43 kjv
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
Acts 27:43 nkjv
But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land,
Acts 27:43 niv
But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
Acts 27:43 esv
But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land,
Acts 27:43 nlt
But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn't let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land.
Acts 27 43 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 27 | And the soldiers' part was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out. | Acts 16:27 (Soldiers to kill prisoners) |
| John 11 | And Jesus wept. | John 11:35 (Jesus weeping for Lazarus) |
| Ps 49 | The Lord redeems the life of his servants. | Ps 49:15 (God's redemption of the righteous) |
| Matt 10 | Fear not them which kill the body. | Matt 10:28 (Fear not those who kill body) |
| Luke 12 | Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows. | Luke 12:7 (Value of sparrows to God) |
| Phil 2 | Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. | Phil 2:9 (God exalting Christ) |
| Acts 12 | But Peter was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. | Acts 12:5 (Church praying for Peter) |
| Ps 107 | They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. | Ps 107:27 (Facing dire situations) |
| 1 Sam 25 | David the LORD’s anointed, David the shepherd of Israel, is come out this day to seek a living for the LORD’s servant, even for every ruler in Israel. | 1 Sam 25:6 (David's concern for his men) |
| 2 Cor 11 | Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned. | 2 Cor 11:25 (Paul's hardships) |
| Acts 28 | And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. | Acts 28:3 (Paul handling a viper) |
| Gen 45 | I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. | Gen 45:4 (Joseph revealing himself) |
| Heb 11 | By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. | Heb 11:24 (Moses refusing worldly status) |
| John 6 | Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? | John 6:60 (Disciples finding Jesus' teaching hard) |
| Rom 8 | What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? | Rom 8:31 (God's support against adversaries) |
| Mark 13 | And if the day of the week come, when he shall see me he will come for me, at least he should strike me in order to see my beloved wife that day. | Mark 13:32 (No one knows the day or hour) |
| Acts 27 | Then the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners so that no one could swim away. | Acts 27:42 (Previous verse stating the soldiers' intent) |
| Matt 27 | And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and went away, and went and hanged himself. | Matt 27:5 (Judas's despair) |
| Jer 42 | and lest the lord thy God be angry, and give them over unto the enemies they do flee. | Jer 42:15 (Consequences of disobedience) |
| Acts 20 | And Paul, earnestly beholding the disciples, and giving them his blessing, departed for to go into Macedonia. | Acts 20:1 (Paul's farewells) |
| Acts 18 | And when he was come to Ephesus, he left them there: but he, himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. | Acts 18:19 (Paul teaching in Ephesus) |
| 1 Pet 4 | For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. | 1 Pet 4:6 (Gospel preached to the dead) |
Acts 27 verses
Acts 27 43 Meaning
This verse records the saving of Paul and his companions by the soldiers, who feared that the prisoners would escape. The soldiers' actions were primarily motivated by self-preservation to avoid punishment for allowing prisoners to flee.
Acts 27 43 Context
The shipwreck of Acts chapter 27 puts Paul and a large group of prisoners, along with the Roman centurion Julius and his soldiers, into a desperate situation. After the storm forces them ashore on Malta, they are saved by the islanders. However, the soldiers, fearing their prisoners would escape during the chaos of the shipwreck and the subsequent events, decided to kill them. This decision is made out of fear of their own punishment if any prisoner were to escape. Paul, though a prisoner, was respected by Julius and many others for his wisdom and character throughout the voyage, which influenced the outcome for many.
Acts 27 43 Word analysis
καὶ (kai): "and" - A common conjunction linking clauses or phrases.
τῶν στρατιωτῶν (tōn stratiōtōn): "of the soldiers" - Genitive plural, indicating possession or association with the soldiers.
ἡ βουλὴ (hē boulē): "the counsel" or "the plan" - Nominative singular, the subject of the verb. Refers to the soldiers' deliberated decision.
τοῦ ἀνελεῖν (tou anelein): "to kill" or "to destroy" - Infinitive of purpose. Highlights the intended action of the soldiers.
τοὺς δεσμωτας (tous desmōtas): "the prisoners" - Accusative plural, the direct object of "anelein." These are the individuals Paul is among.
ἵνα (hina): "so that" or "in order that" - A conjunction introducing a clause of purpose or result. Explains the reason for their counsel.
μὴ (mē): "not" - Used here with the subjunctive to express prohibition or prevent an outcome.
εἰς (eis): "into" or "away" - Preposition indicating motion towards.
τὴν θάλασσαν (tēn thalassan): "the sea" - Accusative singular, the object of the implied swimming action.
ἐκφυγεῖν (ekphygein): "to escape" or "to flee out" - Aorist infinitive, the specific action the soldiers wanted to prevent.
group by words-group analysis:
- "τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἡ βουλὴ" (tōn stratiōtōn hē boulē): This phrase emphasizes the decision-making authority and intent of the soldiers. It shows they had a unified, deliberate plan.
- "τοῦ ἀνελεῖν τοὺς δεσμώτας" (tou anelein tous desmōtas): This specifies the brutal purpose of their plan: to execute all the prisoners.
- "ἵνα μὴ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ἐκφυγεῖν" (hina mē eis tēn thalassan ekphygein): This clarifies the exact objective they sought to prevent – the prisoners escaping by swimming into the sea. This reflects the dire circumstances and the soldiers' fear of losing their captives.
Acts 27 43 Bonus section
The action described reflects the common practice of Roman guards ensuring no prisoners escaped, especially in chaotic situations like a shipwreck. The phrase "swim out" (εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ἐκφυγεῖν) vividly paints the scene of survivors trying to reach safety, a context where losing prisoners would be most likely. This verse underscores the precariousness of Paul's life as a prisoner, constantly under threat from the environment and the very people guarding him, yet ultimately preserved through various means, including the pragmatism and respect shown by figures like the centurion.
Acts 27 43 Commentary
The soldiers’ intent to kill the prisoners was a harsh measure driven by fear of their own consequences. Under Roman military law, if a prisoner escaped under a soldier’s watch, the soldier was typically executed. Their decision was not out of malice towards the prisoners but a survival tactic for themselves. This highlights the brutal realities of Roman military discipline and justice. While Paul was a prisoner, his unusual influence, established throughout the perilous voyage, suggests a protective context for him, even within the soldiers' desperate measures. The outcome, however, prevented this lethal action from being carried out, as documented in the following verses, indicating divine providence.