Devine Scripture

Acts 27:15

What does Acts 27:15 mean?

A plain-English look at Acts 27:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Acts 27:15 means

The ship is seized by the wind and cannot face it. The crew yields and lets the vessel be driven. This is the moment of lost control: steering and sail management cannot overcome the gale. Sailors must sometimes surrender maneuvering to survive, aiming only to limit damage. The verse underscores the futility of resisting certain forces and the humility required at sea. Their aim shifts from reaching Phoenix to simply staying alive. The narrative is tightening toward extremity, where wise counsel, shared courage, and God’s intervention will be their only hope.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And when the ship got into the grip of it, and was not able to make headway into the wind, we gave way, and went before it.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the ship being caught, and not being able to bear up against the wind, having given <FI>her<Fi> up, we were borne on,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And when the ship was caught and could not bear up against the wind, giving up the ship to the winds, we were driven.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the ship being caught and driven, and not able to bring her head to the wind, letting her go we were driven [before it].

Context

After Euraquilo descends, the ship’s attempts to maintain course fail. They stop trying to beat into the wind and are driven along. The next verse reports taking shelter near a small island, Cauda, and the hard work of securing the ship’s boat. These details depict the crew’s shift to emergency procedures, marking a transition from ill-timed ambition to necessary survival tactics, preparing for further measures like undergirding and reducing sail to avoid deadly sandbanks.

v.14But after no long time there beat down from it a tempestuous wind, which is called Euraquilo:

v.15This passage

v.16And running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat:

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • James 3:4

    Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth.

  • Acts 27:27

    But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some country:

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