Acts 27:43
in Acts 27But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life, thwarted their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose; and commanded that they who could swim should cast themselves overboard, and get first to the land;
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:
⋯
This verse in Acts 27
Commentary
10 notes on this verseBut the centurion, willing to save Paul,.... Not only because he was a Roman citizen, but because he perceived he was some extraordinary person; and chiefly because he was moved there unto by a superior influence, that Satan might not have his end; and that the will of God might be fulfilled, that he should go to Rome, and there bear a testimony of Christ. Kept them from their purpose; would not suffer them to execute their design, restrained them from it, and laid his commands upon them to the contrary.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
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: and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
And so it was through themselves being saved that they learnt who Paul was. But some one may say: why did he not save the ship? That they might perceive how great a danger they had escaped: and that the whole matter depended, not on the help of man, but on God's hand saving them independently of a ship.
Again from this it is shown that Paul had been favored, for although some wished to kill him so that the prophecy about Paul might not fail, the centurion did not allow them to be killed in order to save Paul.
A commentator
John ChrysostomCATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 27.41-43 · Written before 407.
proposed
Again the devil tries to impede the prophecy: the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners, but the centurion prevented them in order to save Paul. The centurion had become a very dear friend.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, 10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But the centurion, willing to save Paul - He had at first been disposed to treat Paul with kindness, Act 27:3. And his conduct on board the ship; the wisdom of his advice Act 27:10; the prudence of his conduct in the agitation and danger of the tempest; and not improbably the belief that he was under the divine protection and blessing, disposed him to spare his life. Kept them from their purpose - Thus, for the sake of this one righteous man, the lives of all were spared.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
(While the graphic minuteness of this narrative of the shipwreck puts it beyond doubt that the narrator was himself on board, the great number of nautical phrases, which all critics have noted, along with the unprofessional air which the whole narrative wears, agrees singularly with all we know and have reason to believe of "the beloved physician"; see on Ac 16:40).
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the soldiers' counsel was to hill the prisoners, lest any . . . should escape--Roman cruelty, which made the keepers answerable for their prisoners with their own lives, is here reflected in this cruel proposal.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Willing to save Paul, etc. - Had one fallen, for the reasons those cruel and dastardly soldiers gave, so must all the rest. The centurion saw that Paul was not only an innocent, but an extraordinary and divine man; and therefore, for his sake, he prevented the massacre; and, unloosing every man’s bonds, he commanded those that could to swim ashore and escape. It is likely that all the soldiers escaped in this way, for it was one part of the Roman military discipline to teach the soldiers to swim.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | But | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἑκατοντάρχης | hekatontarches | the centurion | G1543 → | 20 times |
| βουλόμενος | boulomenos | desiring | G1014 → | 37 times |
| διασῶσαι | diasosai | to save | G1295 → | 8 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Παῦλον | paulon | Paul | G3972 → | 158 times |
| ἐκώλυσεν | ekolusen | hindered | G2967 → | 23 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βουλήματος, | boulematos | purpose, | G1013 → | |
| ἐκέλευσέν | ekeleusen | he commanded | G2753 → | 25 times |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δυναμένους | dunamenous | being able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| κολυμβᾶν | kolumban | to swim | G2860 → | |
| ἀπορίψαντας | aporipsantas | having cast [themselves] off | G641 → | |
| πρώτους | protous | first | G4413 → | 152 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | on | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆν | gen | land | G1093 → | 248 times |
| ἐξιέναι, | exienai | to go out, | G1826 → | 4 times |
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲBut
deG1161 →2765 times
ἑκατοντάρχηςthe centurion
hekatontarchesG1543 →20 times
βουλόμενοςdesiring
boulomenosG1014 →37 times
διασῶσαιto save
diasosaiG1295 →8 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ΠαῦλονPaul
paulonG3972 →158 times
ἐκώλυσενhindered
ekolusenG2967 →23 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
βουλήματος,purpose,
boulematosG1013 →
ἐκέλευσένhe commanded
ekeleusenG2753 →25 times
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
δυναμένουςbeing able
dunamenousG1410 →207 times
κολυμβᾶνto swim
kolumbanG2860 →
ἀπορίψανταςhaving cast [themselves] off
aporipsantasG641 →
πρώτουςfirst
protousG4413 →152 times
ἐπὶon
epiG1909 →883 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
γῆνland
genG1093 →248 times
ἐξιέναι,to go out,
exienaiG1826 →4 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
Proverbs 16:7When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.
it leads to
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- 1 John 3:22
and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.
- 2 Chronicles 17:10
And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.
- Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
- Jeremiah 15:11
The LORD said: “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will intercede with your enemy in your time of trouble, in your time of distress.
- Romans 8:31
Through
2 Corinthians 11:25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.
it leads to
- Acts 14:19
Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.
- Acts 14:19
Through
Acts 27:3The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration, allowing him to visit his friends and receive their care.
it leads to
- Acts 24:23
He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.
- Acts 24:23
Through
Acts 23:24Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”
it leads to
- Acts 23:26
Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
- Acts 23:26
Where this verse is studied
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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 53; John Chrysostom, CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 27.41-43; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.