27:16 27:16

Acts 27:17

27:18 27:18

Bible Versions

Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
Which {G3739} when they had taken up {G142}, they used {G5530} helps {G996}, undergirding {G5269} the ship {G4143}; and {G5037}, fearing {G5399} lest {G3361} they should fall {G1601} into {G1519} the quicksands {G4950}, strake {G5465} sail {G4632}, and so {G3779} were driven {G5342}.
They hoisted it aboard, then fastened cables tightly around the ship itself to reinforce it. Fearing they might run aground on the Syrtis sandbars, they lowered the topsails and thus continued drifting.
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.
and when they had hoisted it up, they used helps, under-girding the ship; and, fearing lest they should be cast upon the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven.

Acts 27:17 (KJV) describes the desperate measures taken by the sailors aboard the ship carrying the Apostle Paul, as they battled a ferocious storm in the Mediterranean Sea. This verse highlights the extreme peril they faced and their ancient maritime techniques to survive.

Context

After barely securing the ship's skiff in the previous verse, the crew now implements more drastic actions to save the main vessel from being torn apart by the violent storm, identified as Euroclydon in Acts 27:14. Paul was on this ship as a prisoner being transported to Rome, a journey fraught with danger from its very beginning (Acts 27:1). The sailors, experienced but terrified, were doing everything within their power to prevent the ship from breaking up or running aground.

Key Themes

  • Desperate Measures: The verse vividly portrays the crew's frantic and ingenious efforts to preserve the ship and their lives amidst a life-threatening tempest.
  • Ancient Maritime Hazards: It underscores the immense dangers of sea travel in the ancient world, from powerful storms to dreaded geographical perils like quicksands.
  • Human Ingenuity Under Pressure: Despite overwhelming odds, the sailors employed advanced (for their time) techniques, showcasing human resourcefulness in crisis.

Linguistic Insights

  • "used helps, undergirding the ship": The Greek word for "helps" is boētheiai (βοήθειαι), referring to ropes, cables, or chains. "Undergirding" (often called "frapping" or "flogging") was a common and critical ancient shipbuilding technique. It involved passing strong cables or ropes under the hull and tightening them on deck to reinforce the ship's wooden timbers, preventing them from splitting or breaking apart under the immense strain of the waves. This was a last-ditch effort to hold the ship together.
  • "fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands": This refers specifically to the infamous Syrtis Major and Syrtis Minor, vast and dangerous sandbars or shoals off the coast of North Africa (modern-day Libya). These areas were notorious for trapping ships and were a deep-seated fear for mariners in the Mediterranean, representing a potential shipwreck and certain death.
  • "strake sail": This means they lowered or took down the main sail (or perhaps all sails) to reduce the ship's exposure to the wind's force. Without sails, the ship would drift more slowly and reduce the risk of capsizing, though it would also lose directional control.

Practical Application

Acts 27:17 serves as a powerful reminder of how individuals and groups react when facing overwhelming crises. It illustrates that even when all human efforts and ingenuity are deployed to their fullest, there are limits to what can be controlled. The fear of the unknown ("quicksands") can drive desperate actions. For believers, this narrative subtly sets the stage for God's ultimate deliverance, as promised to Paul later in the chapter (Acts 27:24), reminding us that even in our most frantic moments of self-preservation, divine providence is at work. The eventual shipwreck (Acts 27:41) still occurred, but lives were spared as God had foretold.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
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