Acts 27 · Verse 38

Acts 27:38

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
Acts 27:38, King James Version

Acts 27:38 in other translations

BSBAfter the men had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
WEBWhen they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
ASVAnd when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
YLTand having eaten sufficient nourishment, they were lightening the ship, casting forth the wheat into the sea.
DARBYAnd having satisfied themselves with food, they lightened the ship, casting out the wheat into the sea.
BBEAnd when they had had enough food, they made the weight of the ship less, turning the grain out into the sea.
WebsterAnd when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast the wheat into the sea.

What does Acts 27:38 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 27:38-40
38-40. when they had eaten enough, &c.--With fresh strength after the meal, they make a third and last effort to lighten the ship, not only by pumping, as before, but by throwing the whole cargo of wheat into the sea (see on Ac 27:6).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 38. They lightened the ship. By casting the wheat into the sea. As they had no hope of saving the cargo, and had no further use for it, they hoped that by throwing the wheat overboard, the ship would draw less water, and that thus they would be able to come nearer to the shore.

(&) "wheat" "corn"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 38 They lightened the ship - They hoped that, by casting out the lading, the ship would draw less water; in consequence of which, they could get nearer the shore.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 27:30-38

God, who appointed the end, that they should be saved, appointed the means, that they should be saved by the help of these shipmen. Duty is ours, events are God's; we do not trust God, but tempt him, when we say we put ourselves under his protection, if we do not use proper means, such as are within our power, for our safety. But how selfish are men in general, often even ready to seek their own safety by the…

Read the full comment on Acts 27:30-38 →

Acts 27:38 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.

κορεσθέντεςkoresthentesHaving been filledG2880
δὲdethenG1161
τροφῆςtrophēswith foodG5160
ἐκούφιζονekouphizonthey were lighteningG2893
τὸtotheG3588
πλοῖονploionshipG4143
ἐκβαλλόμενοιekballomenoicasting outG1544
τὸνtontheG3588
σῖτονsitonwheatG4621
εἰςeisintoG1519
τὴνtēntheG3588
θάλασσαν.thalassansea.G2281

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

Cross references for Acts 27:38

  • Matthew 6:25

    Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

  • Jonah 1:5

    Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

  • Acts 27:18-19

    And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

  • Matthew 16:26

    For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

  • Job 2:4

    And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

  • Hebrews 12:1

    Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they lightened.
18,19; Job 2:4; Jon 1:5; Mt 6:25; 16:26; Heb 12:1
The wheat.The Romans imported corn from Egypt, by way of Alexandria, to which this ship belonged; for a curious account of which see Bryant's treatise on the Euroclydon.

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

Context

  • Acts 27:37

    And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

  • Acts 27:38

    And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

  • Acts 27:39

    And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.

Read all of Acts 27

Acts 27:38 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y satisfechos de comida, aliviaban la nave, echando el grano á la mar.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quand ils eurent assez mangé, ils allégèrent le navire en jetant le froment dans la mer.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als sie sich aber mit Speise gesättigt hatten, erleichterten sie das Schiff, indem sie den Weizen in das Meer warfen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et satiati cibo alleviabant navem, jactantes triticum in mare.