Acts 27:43

27:42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

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:

KJV

Save image

But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land;

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:

27:44 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.

What does Acts 27:43 mean?

Acts 27:43 is a verse in the book of Acts, in the New Testament. In the original Greek, key words include δέ (de), ἑκατοντάρχης ἑκατοντάρχος (hekatontarches), βούλομαι (boulomai).

Greek interlinear

Butδέde/deh/G1161a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).

the

centurion,ἑκατοντάρχης ἑκατοντάρχοςhekatontarches/hek-at-on-tar'-khace/G1543or hekatontarchos hek-at-on'-tar-khos from 1540 and 757; the captain of one hundred men:--centurion.

willingβούλομαιboulomai/boo'-lom-ahee/G1014middle voice of a primary verb; to "will," i.e. (reflexively) be willing:--be disposed, minded, intend, list, (be, of own) will (-ing). Compare 2309.

saveδιασῴζωdiasozo/dee-as-odze'-o/G1295from 1223 and 4982; to save thoroughly, i.e. (by implication or analogy) to cure, preserve, rescue, etc.:--bring safe, escape (safe), heal, make perfectly whole, save.

Paul,∏αῦλοςPaulos/pow'-los/G3972of Latin origin; (little; but remotely from a derivative of 3973, meaning the same); Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle:--Paul, Paulus.

keptκωλύωkoluo/ko-loo'-o/G2967from the base of 2849; to estop, i.e. prevent (by word or act):--forbid, hinder, keep from, let, not suffer, withstand.

themαὐτόςautos/ow-tos'/G846from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare 848.

from

their

purpose;βούλημαboulema/boo'-lay-mah/G1013from 1014; a resolve:--purpose, will.

andτέte/teh/G5037a primary particle (enclitic) of connection or addition; both or also (properly, as correlation of 2532):--also, and, both, even, then, whether. Often used in composition, usually as the latter participle.

commandedκελεύωkeleuo/kel-yoo'-o/G2753from a primary kello (to urge on); "hail"; to incite by word, i.e. order:--bid, (at, give) command(-ment).

that

they

which

couldδύναμαιdunamai/doo'-nam-ahee/G1410of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible:--be able, can (do, + -not), could, may, might, be possible, be of power.

swimκολυμβάωkolumbao/kol-oom-bah'-o/G2860from kolumbos (a diver); to plunge into water:--swim.

should

castἀπορίπτωaporrhipto/ap-or-hrip'-to/G641from 575 and 4496; to hurl off, i.e. precipitate (oneself):--cast.

themselves

firstπρῶτοςprotos/pro'-tos/G4413contracted superlative of 4253; foremost (in time, place, order or importance):--before, beginning, best, chief(-est), first (of all), former.

into

the

sea,

and

getἔξειμιexeimi/ex'-i-mee/G1826from 1537 and eimi (to go); to issue, i.e. leave (a place), escape (to the shore):--depart, get (to land), go out.

toἐπίepi/ep-ee'/G1909a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).

land:γῆge/ghay/G1093contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application):--country, earth(-ly), ground, land, world.

Topics

Mariner Ships Soldiers

People & places in this verse

People

Paul

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Acts 27:43.

3 John 1:10

Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

Acts 24:23

And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

Jude 1:5

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

Matthew 1:19

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

Frequently asked questions

What does Acts 27:43 say?

Acts 27:43 (King James Version) reads: "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:"

Is Acts 27:43 in the Old or New Testament?

Acts 27:43 is in the New Testament of the Bible, in the book of Acts.

Reflect

As you read Acts 27:43, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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