The Meaning of Acts 27:29 Explained

Acts 27:29

KJV: Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

YLT: and fearing lest on rough places we may fall, out of the stern having cast four anchors, they were wishing day to come.

Darby: and fearing lest we should be cast on rocky places, casting four anchors out of the stern, they wished that day were come.

ASV: And fearing lest haply we should be cast ashore on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for the day.

Discover Acts 27:29

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Acts 27:29?

MEANING: What does Acts 27:29 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Acts 27:29 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Acts 27:29?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  fearing  lest  we should have fallen  {5625;1601:5632} upon  rocks,  they cast  four  anchors  out of  the stern,  and wished  for the day. 

What does Acts 27:29 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Four stern anchors kept the ship pointing toward the land so when the sun came up the sailors could beach it prow first. Another rendering of the Greek word for "wished" (euchomai, Acts 27:29) is "prayed" (cf. Jonah 1:14). Paul"s company had traveled by sea about475 miles. [1]

Context Summary

Acts 27:27-34 - Safety Dependent On Obedience
Paul presents a noble picture, standing there in the gray dawn while the heavy seas are breaking over the ship. He seems to have become by force of character the commander of the entire company. Certainly the soldiers and passengers owed their lives to his sagacity in penetrating the purpose of the sailors in leaving the ship. Note that he said to Julius, ye cannot be saved not we. The Apostle was so sure of God that he had no shadow of doubt as to his own preservation, Acts 27:24.
Once more he encouraged them, and urged them to take food. He himself set the example, giving thanks to God in the presence of them all. How brave and how inspiring was his behavior! They all began to be of good cheer. Men may say what they will about the impracticability of Christ's teachings, but let a man once begin to live by them, obeying them absolutely and trusting Christ utterly, and he becomes like a lion in courage. Through God we can do valiantly, for He treads down our enemies, Psalms 60:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 27

1  Paul shipping toward Rome,
10  foretells of the danger of the voyage,
11  but is not believed
14  They are tossed to and fro by a storm;
41  and suffer shipwreck;
44  yet all come safe to land

Greek Commentary for Acts 27:29

Lest haply we should be cast ashore on rocky ground [μη που κατα τραχεις τοπους εκπεσωμεν]
The usual construction after a verb of fearing Literally, “Lest somewhere (που — pou) we should fall out down against (κατα — kata) rocky places.” The change in the soundings made it a very real fear. Τραχεις — Tracheis (rough) is old adjective, but in the N.T. only here and Luke 3:5 (from Isaiah 40:4). [source]
Four anchors [αγκυρας τεσσαρας]
Old word from αγκη — agkē In N.T. only in this chapter, with ριπτω — rhiptō here, with εκτεινω — ekteinō in Acts 27:30, with περιαιρεω — periaireō in Acts 27:40; and Hebrews 6:19 (figuratively of hope). From the stern (εκ πρυμνης — ek prumnēs). Old word, but in N.T. only in Mark 4:38; here and 41 in contrast with πρωιρα — prōira (prow). The usual practice was and is to anchor by the bows. “With a view to running the ship ashore anchoring from the stern would, it is said, be best” (Page). Nelson is quoted as saying that he had been reading Acts 27 the morning of the Battle of Copenhagen (April, 1801) where he anchored his ships from the stern. Wished for the day Imperfect middle, kept on praying for “day to come” (ημεραν γενεσται — hēmeran genesthai) before the anchors broke under the strain of the storm or began to drag. If the ship had been anchored from the prow, it would have swung round and snapped the anchors or the stern would have faced the beach. [source]
From the stern [εκ πρυμνης]
Old word, but in N.T. only in Mark 4:38; here and 41 in contrast with πρωιρα — prōira (prow). The usual practice was and is to anchor by the bows. “With a view to running the ship ashore anchoring from the stern would, it is said, be best” (Page). Nelson is quoted as saying that he had been reading Acts 27 the morning of the Battle of Copenhagen (April, 1801) where he anchored his ships from the stern. [source]
Wished for the day [ηυχοντο]
Imperfect middle, kept on praying for “day to come” (ημεραν γενεσται — hēmeran genesthai) before the anchors broke under the strain of the storm or began to drag. If the ship had been anchored from the prow, it would have swung round and snapped the anchors or the stern would have faced the beach. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 27:29

Acts 27:30 Were seeking [ζητουντων]
Genitive absolute again with present active participle of ζητεω — zēteō to seek. Had lowered (χαλασαντων — chalasantōn). Aorist active participle of χαλαζω — chalazō Under colour Possibly the same word as “prophecy” (from προπημι — prȯphēmi to speak forth), but here pretence, pretext, although it may come from προπαινω — prophainō to show forth. The use here is an old one and appears also in Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; Philemon 1:18. As though (ως — hōs). The alleged reason, a common Greek idiom with ως — hōs and the participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 966). Here with μελλοντων — mellontōn From the foreship Old word for prow of the ship. In the N.T. only here and Acts 27:41. Note here εκτεινειν — ekteinein (lay out, stretch out) rather than ριπσαντες — rhipsantes (casting) in Acts 27:29, for they pretended to need the small boat to stretch out or lay out the anchors in front. [source]
Acts 27:30 Under colour [προπασει]
Possibly the same word as “prophecy” (from προπημι — prȯphēmi to speak forth), but here pretence, pretext, although it may come from προπαινω — prophainō to show forth. The use here is an old one and appears also in Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; Philemon 1:18. As though (ως — hōs). The alleged reason, a common Greek idiom with ως — hōs and the participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 966). Here with μελλοντων — mellontōn From the foreship Old word for prow of the ship. In the N.T. only here and Acts 27:41. Note here εκτεινειν — ekteinein (lay out, stretch out) rather than ριπσαντες — rhipsantes (casting) in Acts 27:29, for they pretended to need the small boat to stretch out or lay out the anchors in front. [source]
Acts 27:30 From the foreship [εκ πρωιρης]
Old word for prow of the ship. In the N.T. only here and Acts 27:41. Note here εκτεινειν — ekteinein (lay out, stretch out) rather than ριπσαντες — rhipsantes (casting) in Acts 27:29, for they pretended to need the small boat to stretch out or lay out the anchors in front. [source]
Acts 27:40 Casting off [περιελοντες]
Second aorist active of περιαιρεω — periaireō Literally, “Having taken away from around,” that is all four anchors from around the stern. Cf. the other verbs with αγκυρας — agkuras in Acts 27:29, Acts 27:30. [source]
Hebrews 6:19 Which [ην]
Which hope. What would life be without this blessed hope based on Christ as our Redeemer? As an anchor of the soul Old word, literally in Acts 27:29, figuratively here, only N.T. examples. The ancient anchors were much like the modern ones with iron hooks to grapple the rocks and so hold on to prevent shipwreck (1 Timothy 1:19). Both sure and steadfast This anchor of hope will not slip (alpha privative and σπαλλω — sphallō to totter) or lose its grip That which is within the veil The Holy of Holies, “the inner part of the veil” (the space behind the veil), in N.T. only here and Acts 16:24 (of the inner prison). The anchor is out of sight, but it holds. That is what matters. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 27:29 mean?

Fearing then lest somewhere on rocky places we might fall out of [the] stern having cast anchors four they were praying for day to come
φοβούμενοί τε μή που κατὰ τραχεῖς τόπους ἐκπέσωμεν ἐκ πρύμνης ῥίψαντες ἀγκύρας τέσσαρας ηὔχοντο ἡμέραν γενέσθαι

φοβούμενοί  Fearing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).
μή  lest 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μή 
Sense: no, not lest.
που  somewhere 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πού  
Sense: where?, in what place?.
τραχεῖς  rocky 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: τραχύς  
Sense: rough, rocky.
τόπους  places 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: τόπος 
Sense: place, any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space.
ἐκπέσωμεν  we  might  fall 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐκπίπτω  
Sense: to fall out of, to fall down from, to fall off.
ἐκ  out  of  [the] 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
πρύμνης  stern 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: πρύμνα  
Sense: the stern or hinder part of the ship.
ῥίψαντες  having  cast 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ῥίπτω  
Sense: to cast, throw.
ἀγκύρας  anchors 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ἄγκυρα  
Sense: an anchor.
τέσσαρας  four 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: τέσσαρες  
Sense: four.
ηὔχοντο  they  were  praying  for 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: εὔχομαι  
Sense: to pray to God.
ἡμέραν  day 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
γενέσθαι  to  come 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Middle
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.

What are the major concepts related to Acts 27:29?

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Similar Scriptures for Acts 27:29

Acts 27:17 [4]
Psalms 130:6 [2]
Acts 27:40-41 [2]
Hebrews 6:19 [2]
Deuteronomy 28:67 [2]
Acts 27:30 [2]
Acts 27:26 [2]