ACT 27:13-26

The Storm at Sea

13When a gentle south wind began to blow, supposing they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete close to shore. [27:14] But soon a violent wind called the Northeaster rushed down from the island. [27:15] When the ship was caught and could not head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. [27:16] Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were barely able to get the ship's boat under control. [27:17] After hoisting it up, they used cables to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven along. [27:18] As we were violently storm-tossed, the next day they began to throw cargo overboard, [27:19] and on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. [27:20] When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope of our being saved was finally abandoned. [27:21] Since they had gone without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said: "Men, you should have listened to me and not put out from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. [27:22] Yet now I urge you to take courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, only of the ship. [27:23] For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, [27:24] saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted to you all those who are sailing with you.' [27:25] So take courage, men, for I trust God that it will be exactly as I was told. [27:26] But we must run aground on some island."

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Mediterranean world, sea travel was perilous, especially during the winter months when storms were frequent and unpredictable. Ships were wooden, reliant on sails, and vulnerable to violent winds like the Northeaster , which could drive them off course or wreck them on sandbars like Syrtis. Sailors used techniques like undergirding with ropes to stabilize ships in storms, but these were desperate measures. The jettisoning of cargo was a last resort to lighten the ship, reflecting the high stakes of survival. For Luke’s audience, this narrative would evoke the familiar dangers of maritime travel, where human skill often paled before the forces of nature. The mention of divine intervention through Paul’s vision would resonate with Greco-Roman and Jewish listeners alike, who saw storms as both natural phenomena and potential signs of divine will or retribution . The story underscores the fragility of human control and the reliance on divine providence in life-threatening situations.

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How other translations render this

ACT 27:13

KJV: And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
BSB: When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along, hugging the coast of Crete.
Koinōnos: When a gentle south wind began to blow, supposing they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete close to shore.

ACT 27:14

KJV: But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
BSB: But it was not long before a cyclone called the Northeaster swept down across the island.
Koinōnos: But soon a violent wind called the Northeaster rushed down from the island.

ACT 27:15

KJV: And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
BSB: Unable to head into the wind, the ship was caught up. So we gave way and let ourselves be driven along.
Koinōnos: When the ship was caught and could not head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.

ACT 27:16

KJV: And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
BSB: Passing to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we barely managed to secure the lifeboat.
Koinōnos: Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were barely able to get the ship's boat under control.

ACT 27:17

KJV: 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.
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: After hoisting it up, they used cables to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven along.

ACT 27:18

KJV: And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
BSB: We were tossed so violently that the next day the men began to jettison the cargo.
Koinōnos: As we were violently storm-tossed, the next day they began to throw cargo overboard,

ACT 27:19

KJV: And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
BSB: On the third day, they threw the shipʼs tackle overboard with their own hands.
Koinōnos: and on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands.

ACT 27:20

KJV: And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
BSB: When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the great storm continued to batter us, we abandoned all hope of being saved.
Koinōnos: When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope of our being saved was finally abandoned.

ACT 27:21

KJV: But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
BSB: After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have averted this disaster and loss.
Koinōnos: Since they had gone without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said: "Men, you should have listened to me and not put out from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.

ACT 27:22

KJV: And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
BSB: But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because you will not experience any loss of life, but only of the ship.
Koinōnos: Yet now I urge you to take courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, only of the ship.

ACT 27:23

KJV: For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
BSB: For just last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me
Koinōnos: For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me,

ACT 27:24

KJV: Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
BSB: and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’
Koinōnos: saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted to you all those who are sailing with you.

ACT 27:25

KJV: Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
BSB: So take courage, men, for I believe God that it will happen just as He told me.
Koinōnos: So take courage, men, for I trust God that it will be exactly as I was told.

ACT 27:26

KJV: Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
BSB: However, we must run aground on some island.”
Koinōnos: But we must run aground on some island.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

ACT 27:14

tempestuous:The word translated 'tempestuous' here refers to a storm of hurricane-like force, specifically associated with the mythical giant Typhon, known for his destructive winds.

ACT 27:17

supports:The word translated 'supports' refers to the ropes or cables used to undergird a ship, a common practice in ancient seafaring to prevent the hull from breaking apart in severe storms.

ACT 27:21

disaster:The word translated 'disaster' carries a stronger sense of insolent violence or outrageous injury, often implying a deliberate act of aggression or hubris that leads to ruin.

ACT 27:23

and:The word translated 'and' is part of a phrase that means 'whom I serve.' The term for 'serve' here denotes a deep, devoted service, often religious in nature, like that of a priest or worshiper.