Acts 27 · Verse 16

Acts 27:16

And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
Acts 27:16, King James Version

Acts 27:16 in other translations

BSBPassing to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we barely managed to secure the lifeboat.
WEBRunning under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.
ASVAnd running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat:
YLTand having run under a certain little isle, called Clauda, we were hardly able to become masters of the boat,
DARBYBut running under the lee of a certain island called Clauda, we were with difficulty able to make ourselves masters of the boat;
BBEAnd, sailing near the side of a small island named Cauda, we were able, though it was hard work, to make the ship's boat safe:
WebsterAnd running under a certain isle which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

What does Acts 27:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 27:16-17
16-17. under--the lee of. a certain--"small" island ... Clauda--southwest of Crete, now called Gonzo; about twenty-three miles to leeward. we had much work to come by--that is, to hoist up and secure. the boat--now become necessary. But why was this difficult? Independently of the gale, raging at the time, the boat had been towed between twenty and thirty miles after the gale sprang up, and could scarcely fail to be filled with water [Smith].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 16. And running under. Running near to an island. They run near to it, where the violence of the wind was probably broken by the island.

Which is called Clauda. This is a small island southwest of Crete.

We had much work. Much difficulty; we were scarcely able to do it.

To come by the boat. This does not mean that they attempted here to land in the boat, but they had much difficulty in saving the small boat attached to the ship, from being staved to pieces. Whether it was carried in the ship or towed at the stern, does not appear; but it is evident that it was in danger of being broken to pieces, or lost, and that they had much difficulty in securing it. The importance of securing the small boat is known by all seamen.

(++) "much work" "difficulty"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 A certain island - called Clauda - Called also Gaudos; situated at the south-western extremity of the island of Crete, and now called Gozo, according to Dr. Shaw. Much work to come by the boat - It was likely to have been washed overboard; or, if the boat was in tow, at the stern of the vessel, which is probable, they found it very difficult to save it from being staved, or broken to pieces.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 27:12-20

Those who launch forth on the ocean of this world, with a fair gale, know not what storms they may meet with; and therefore must not easily take it for granted that they have obtained their purpose. Let us never expect to be quite safe till we enter heaven. They saw neither sun nor stars for many days. Thus melancholy sometimes is the condition of the people of God as to their spiritual matters; they walk in…

Read the full comment on Acts 27:12-20 →

Acts 27:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

νησίονnēsionAn IslandG3519
δέdethenG1161
τιticertainG5100
ὑποδραμόντεςhupodramonteshaving run underG5295
καλούμενονkaloumenonbeing calledG2564
ΚαῦδαKaudaCaudaG2802
ἰσχύσαμενischusamenwe were ableG2480
μόλιςmoliswith difficultyG3433
περικρατεῖςperikrateiscontrolG4031
γενέσθαιgenesthaito gainG1096
τῆςtēsof theG3588
σκάφης,skaphēslifeboat,G4627

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Clauda.Clauda, called Cauda and Gaudos by Mela and Pliny, and Claudos by Ptolemy, and now Gozo, according to Dr. Shaw, is a small island, situated at the south-western extremity of the island of Crete.
16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 27:15

    And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

  • Acts 27:16

    And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

  • Acts 27:17

    Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

Read all of Acts 27

Acts 27:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y habiendo corrido á sotavento de una pequeña isla que se llama Clauda, apenas pudimos ganar el esquife:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et courant sous une petite île appelée Clauda, nous nous sommes rendus à grand-peine maîtres de la chaloupe;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als wir aber unter einer gewissen kleinen Insel, Klauda genannt, hinliefen, vermochten wir kaum des Bootes mächtig zu werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		In insulam autem quamdam decurrentes, quæ vocatur Cauda, potuimus vix obtinere scapham.