Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough.
Parallel translations
- WEB The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing.
- KJV And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
- BSB A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.
- NKJV Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.
- NASB In addition, the sea began getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing.
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
A strong wind whips up the sea against the disciples. The storm intensifies their peril and sets the stage for Jesus's display of authority over nature.
Overview
The Sea of Galilee was prone to sudden violent storms. The rising wind leaves the disciples laboring and afraid. As in Scripture generally, the chaotic sea becomes the backdrop against which God's sovereign power is revealed (cf. Ps. 107:23-30).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Ps 135:7who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth; who makes lightnings with the rain; who brings the wind out of his treasuries;
- Ps 107:25For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves.
- Matt 14:24But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 6:18 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.