Acts 27:38
What does Acts 27:38 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 27:38 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 27:38 means
When they have eaten enough, they lighten the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea. This is the final renunciation of profit for the sake of life. The grain—the ship’s purpose and value—is sacrificed to keep the vessel riding higher, reducing draft and improving the chance of crossing shallows to reach a beach. The verse portrays deliverance costing what once seemed most important. It also vindicates Paul’s earlier warning: cargo would be lost. Now, by choice rather than panic, they align with that outcome, demonstrating that obedience to God’s promise leads to rational, courageous action.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And when they had had enough food, they made the weight of the ship less, turning the grain out into the sea.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and having eaten sufficient nourishment, they were lightening the ship, casting forth the wheat into the sea.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, casting the wheat into the sea.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And having satisfied themselves with food, they lightened the ship, casting out the wheat into the sea.
Context
After the crew regains strength and unity, they act to maximize survival odds. Jettisoning wheat is both a tactical move and the acceptance of loss foretold earlier. The next verses will describe daylight revealing an unknown shore, a bay with a beach, and the decision to try to run the ship aground there. The narrative shifts from passive endurance to an active, final push toward land.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 16:26
For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?
- Acts 27:18
And as we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard;
- Hebrews 12:1
Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
- Matthew 6:25
Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?
- Job 2:4
And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
- Jonah 1:5
Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god; and they cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it unto them. But Jonah was gone down into the innermost parts of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
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