Acts 27:32
in Acts 27So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and set it adrift.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
KJV
Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
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This verse in Acts 27
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThen the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat,.... With which it had been fastened to the sides of the ship, and by which the mariners were letting it down, in order to get into it, and go off: and let her fall off; from the sides of the ship into the sea, and so prevented the shipmen quitting the ship; for now they gave more credit to Paul than to them.
This site's exposition
attempted to escape from the ship
on Acts 27:30-32
The sailors tried to escape, pretending to lower anchors from the bow. Paul told the centurion, Unless these men remain with the ship, you cannot be saved. The promise of verse 24 stood absolute, and the means were still commanded.
This site's exposition
cut the ropes to the lifeboat
Albert Barnes notes that the sailors had lowered the boat and were about to board it, so cutting the ropes ended every chance of flight. It left everyone to reach land with the ship. Adam Clarke adds that the soldiers were the only men aboard able to stop the crew.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Ammonius of AlexandriaCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 27.31-32 · Written before 300.
proposed
After they realized that their bad will had caused them to fall into dangers, they began to believe Paul by thinking that the appropriate words of the righteous were more effective for their salvation than the fate in danger, which has no name. In fact, …
The Medieval Church1 voice
"Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the boat." God arranged it so that Paul was not believed at first, but was believed after his words were tested by experience; which is what happened. Look: the centurion believes Paul to such an extent that he …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Happy they who had such a one as Paul in their company, who not only had correspondence with Heaven, but was of a hearty lively spirit with those about him, that sharpened the countenance of his friend, as iron sharpens iron. Such a friend in distress, when without are fightings and within are fears, is a friend indeed.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The soldiers cut off the ropes - These were probably the only persons who dared to have opposed the will of the sailors: this very circumstance is an additional proof of the accuracy of St. Luke.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Cut off the ropes ... - It is evident that the mariners had not yet got on board the boat. They had let it down into the sea Act 27:30, and were about to go on board. By thus cutting the ropes which fastened the boat to the ship, and letting it go, all possibility of their fleeing from the ship was taken away, and they were compelled to remain on board.
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τότε | tote | Then | G5119 → | 160 times |
| ἀπέκοψαν | apekopsan | cut away | G609 → | |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στρατιῶται | stratiotai | soldiers | G4757 → | 26 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σχοινία | schoinia | ropes | G4979 → | |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σκάφης | skaphes | lifeboat | G4627 → | 3 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἴασαν | eiasan | allowed | G1439 → | 11 times |
| αὐτὴν | auten | her | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐκπεσεῖν.¶ | ekpesein | to fall away. | G1601 → | 10 times |
τότεThen
toteG5119 →160 times
ἀπέκοψανcut away
apekopsanG609 →
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
στρατιῶταιsoldiers
stratiotaiG4757 →26 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
σχοινίαropes
schoiniaG4979 →
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
σκάφηςlifeboat
skaphesG4627 →3 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἴασανallowed
eiasanG1439 →11 times
αὐτὴνher
autenG846 →5565 times
ἐκπεσεῖν.¶to fall away.
ekpeseinG1601 →10 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 16:8The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:5
For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
- Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
- Proverbs 6:6–8
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
- Luke 16:10
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
- John 12:36
While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.” After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
On this chapter
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Acts; Ammonius of Alexandria, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 27.31-32; John Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.