The Meaning of Acts 27:44 Explained

Acts 27:44

KJV: 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.

YLT: and the rest, some indeed upon boards, and some upon certain things of the ship; and thus it came to pass that all came safe unto the land.

Darby: and the rest, some on boards, some on some of the things that came from the ship; and thus it came to pass that all got safe to land.

ASV: and the rest, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to the land.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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 27:44 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 27:35-44 - Saving Paul Saved Them All
The sailors endeavored to head the vessel toward the mouth of a creek that appeared before them, but she ran aground and stuck fast. It was here that a new and unexpected peril confronted Paul and his fellow-prisoners. The soldiers proposed to kill them, lest they should swim ashore and escape; but the centurion, perhaps out of gratitude to the man to whom they all owed their lives, forbade the soldiers and ordered everyone to endeavor somehow to get to land.
It does not so much matter how we get to heaven, as that we get there. Some who trust most in ritual and ceremonies may get there on broken pieces of the ship, but happier are they who can cast themselves directly upon the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. It was a drenched and shivering group that stood on the shore on that chill November day. Thank God, our condition will be very different when we emerge on the shore of eternity after crossing the cold waters. And as we stand on the beach of the glassy sea, all of us will render praise to Him who has brought us safe home. [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 27:44

Some on planks [ους μεν επι σανισιν]
Common Greek idiom (ους μενους δε — hous meṅ̇hous de) for “some--some.” The only N.T. instance of the old Greek word σανις — sanis for board or plank. The breaking of the ship gave scraps of timber which some used. [source]
They all escaped safe [παντας διασωτηναι]
First aorist passive infinitive of διασωζω — diasōzō (the very word used for the desire of the centurion about Paul) with accusative of general reference, the clause being subject of εγενετο — egeneto So Luke in this marvellous narrative, worthy of any historian in any age, shows how Paul‘s promise was fulfilled (Acts 27:24). Paul the prisoner is the hero of the voyage and shipwreck, a wonderful example of God‘s providential care. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 27:44

Luke 6:19 Healed [ἰᾶτο]
Compare Matthew 14:36; Mark 6:56, where διεσώθησαν , were thoroughly saved, and ἐσώζοντο , were saved, are used. Luke is more technical, using the strictly medical term, which occurs twenty-eight times in the New Testament, seventeen of these in Luke. Luke also uses the two words employed by Matthew and Mark, but always with some addition showing the nature of the saving. Thus Luke 7:3, where διασώσῃ (A. V.,heal ) is explained by Luke 7:7, ἰαθήσεται , the technical word, shall be healed, and by Luke 7:10, “found the servant whole ( ὑγιαίνοντα , another professional word - see on Luke 5:31) that had been sick. ” Compare, also, Luke 8:35, Luke 8:36, Luke 8:44, Luke 8:47, Luke 8:48. Medical writers do not use σώζειν or διασώζειν , to save, as equivalent to ἰᾶσθαι , to heal, but in the sense of escaping from a severe illness or from some calamity. Luke employs it in this sense - Acts 27:44; Acts 28:1. [source]
Acts 23:24 Beasts [κτηνη]
For riding as here or for baggage. See note on Luke 10:34. Asses or horses, but not war-horses. Since Paul was chained to a soldier, another animal would be required for baggage. It was also seventy miles and a change of horses might be needed. The extreme precaution of Lysias is explained in some Latin MSS. as due to fear of a night attack with the result that he might be accused to Felix of bribery. Luke also probably accompanied Paul. To bring safe (hina diasōsōsin). Final clause with hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of ινα διασωσωσιν — diasōzō old verb, to save through (ινα — dia) to a finish. Eight times in the N.T. (Matthew 14:36; Luke 7:3; Acts 23:24; Acts 27:43, Acts 27:44; Acts 28:1, Acts 28:4; 1 Peter 3:20). Unto Felix the governor Felix was a brother of Pallas, the notorious favourite of Claudius. Both had been slaves and were now freedmen. Felix was made procurator of Judea by Claudius a.d. 52. He held the position till Festus succeeded him after complaints by the Jews to Nero. He married Drusilla the daughter of Herod Agrippa I with the hope of winning the favour of the Jews. He was one of the most depraved men of his time. Tacitus says of him that “with all cruelty and lust he exercised the power of a king with the spirit of a slave.” The term “governor” In the N.T. it is used of Pilate (Matthew 27:2), of Felix, (Acts 23:24, Acts 23:26, Acts 23:33; Acts 24:1), of Festus (Acts 26:30). [source]
Acts 23:24 To bring safe [hina diasōsōsin)]
Final clause with hina and the first aorist active subjunctive of ινα διασωσωσιν — diasōzō old verb, to save through (ινα — dia) to a finish. Eight times in the N.T. (Matthew 14:36; Luke 7:3; Acts 23:24; Acts 27:43, Acts 27:44; Acts 28:1, Acts 28:4; 1 Peter 3:20). [source]
Acts 28:4 Though he hath escaped [κρεμαννυμι]
First aorist passive participle of παντως — diasōzō (same verb used in Acts 27:43, Acts 27:44; Acts 28:1), so-called concessive use of the participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1129). Yet Justice An abstraction personified like the Latin διασωζω — Justitia (Page). The natives speak of δικη — @Dikēn as a goddess, but we know nothing of such actual worship in Malta, though the Greeks worshipped abstractions as in Athens. Hath not suffered (Δικη — nouk eiasenn). Did not suffer. They look on Paul as a doomed man as good as dead. These people thought that calamity was proof of guilt, poor philosophy and worse theology. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Acts 28:4 Hanging from his hand [kremamenon ek tēs cheiros autou)]
Vivid picture of the snake dangling from Paul‘s hand. Present middle participle of τηριακη — kremamai late form for κρεμαμενον εκ της χειρος αυτου — kremannumi to hang up, to suspend (cf. Galatians 3:13). No doubt (κρεμαμαι — pantōs). Literally, By all means, old adverb. Cf. Acts 21:22; Luke 4:23; 1 Corinthians 9:22. Only by Luke and Paul in the N.T. “They knew that he was a prisoner being taken to Rome on some grave charge, and inferred that the charge was murder” (Page). Though he hath escaped First aorist passive participle of παντως — diasōzō (same verb used in Acts 27:43, Acts 27:44; Acts 28:1), so-called concessive use of the participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1129). Yet Justice An abstraction personified like the Latin διασωζω — Justitia (Page). The natives speak of δικη — @Dikēn as a goddess, but we know nothing of such actual worship in Malta, though the Greeks worshipped abstractions as in Athens. Hath not suffered (Δικη — nouk eiasenn). Did not suffer. They look on Paul as a doomed man as good as dead. These people thought that calamity was proof of guilt, poor philosophy and worse theology. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

1 Peter 3:20 Waited [απεχεδεχετο]
Imperfect middle of the double compound απεκδεχομαι — apekdechomai late verb, probably first by Paul (1 Corinthians 1:7), though in the apocryphal Acta Pauli (iii) and other late writings cited by Nageli (p. 43). Perfective use of the two prepositions A hundred years apparently after the warning (Genesis 5:32; Genesis 6:3; Genesis 7:6) Noah was preparing the ark and Noah as a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5) forewarned the people, who disregarded it.While the ark was a preparing (κατασκευαζω — kataskeuazomenēs kibōtou). Genitive absolute with present passive participle of κιβωτος — kataskeuazō old compound (Matthew 11:10), for εις ην — kibōtos (ark) see Matthew 24:38.Wherein “Into which” (the ark).That is (πσυχαι — tout' estin). Explanatory expression like our English idiom (Romans 10:6, etc.).Souls Persons of both sexes (living men) as in Acts 2:41; Acts 27:37, etc.Were saved (διασωζω — diesōthēsan). First aorist passive indicative of δι υδατος — diasōzō old compound, to bring safe through as in Acts 27:44.Through water “By means of water” as the intermediate agent, an apparent change in the use of dia in composition just before (local use) to the instrumental use here. They came through the water in the ark and so were saved by the water in spite of the flood around them. Peter lays stress (Hart) on the water rather than on the ark (Hebrews 11:7) for the sake of the following illustration. [source]
1 Peter 3:20 Wherein [τουτ εστιν]
“Into which” (the ark).That is (πσυχαι — tout' estin). Explanatory expression like our English idiom (Romans 10:6, etc.).Souls Persons of both sexes (living men) as in Acts 2:41; Acts 27:37, etc.Were saved (διασωζω — diesōthēsan). First aorist passive indicative of δι υδατος — diasōzō old compound, to bring safe through as in Acts 27:44.Through water “By means of water” as the intermediate agent, an apparent change in the use of dia in composition just before (local use) to the instrumental use here. They came through the water in the ark and so were saved by the water in spite of the flood around them. Peter lays stress (Hart) on the water rather than on the ark (Hebrews 11:7) for the sake of the following illustration. [source]
1 Peter 3:20 Souls [διεσωτησαν]
Persons of both sexes (living men) as in Acts 2:41; Acts 27:37, etc.Were saved (διασωζω — diesōthēsan). First aorist passive indicative of δι υδατος — diasōzō old compound, to bring safe through as in Acts 27:44.Through water “By means of water” as the intermediate agent, an apparent change in the use of dia in composition just before (local use) to the instrumental use here. They came through the water in the ark and so were saved by the water in spite of the flood around them. Peter lays stress (Hart) on the water rather than on the ark (Hebrews 11:7) for the sake of the following illustration. [source]
1 Peter 3:20 Were saved [διασωζω]
First aorist passive indicative of δι υδατος — diasōzō old compound, to bring safe through as in Acts 27:44. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 27:44 mean?

and the rest some indeed on boards then on things - from the ship thus it came to pass that all were brought safely to the land
καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς οὓς μὲν ἐπὶ σανίσιν δὲ ἐπί τινων τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ πλοίου οὕτως ἐγένετο πάντας διασωθῆναι ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν

λοιποὺς  rest 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: λοιπός  
Sense: remaining, the rest.
οὓς  some 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
μὲν  indeed 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μέν  
Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed.
σανίσιν  boards 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: σανίς  
Sense: a board, a plank.
τινων  things 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
τῶν  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πλοίου  ship 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: πλοῖον  
Sense: a ship.
οὕτως  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
ἐγένετο  it  came  to  pass  that 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
διασωθῆναι  were  brought  safely 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Passive
Root: διασῴζω  
Sense: to preserve through danger, to bring safely through.
γῆν  land 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.