And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
Parallel translations
- WEB When the ship was caught, and couldn’t face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along.
- BSB Unable to head into the wind, the ship was caught up. So we gave way and let ourselves be driven along.
- NKJV So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.
- NASB and when the ship was caught in it and could not head up into the wind, we gave up and let ourselves be driven by the wind.
- NLT The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The ship is caught and cannot face the wind, so they give way and are driven helplessly along.
Overview
Unable to steer into the gale, the crew surrenders control and is carried by the storm. The scene conveys human helplessness before the forces of creation. Against this backdrop of utter loss of control, God's sovereign care for those aboard will become all the more evident.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Acts 27:27But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
- Jas 3:4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 27:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.