Acts Chapter 27 verse 43 Holy Bible
But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose; and commanded that they who could swim should cast themselves overboard, and get first to the land;
read chapter 27 in ASV
But the captain, desiring to keep Paul safe, kept them from their purpose, and gave orders that those who had knowledge of swimming were to go off the ship and get first to land:
read chapter 27 in BBE
But the centurion, desirous of saving Paul, hindered them of their purpose, and commanded those who were able to swim, casting themselves first [into the sea], to get out on land;
read chapter 27 in DARBY
But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
read chapter 27 in KJV
read chapter 27 in WBT
But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land;
read chapter 27 in WEB
but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, hindered them from the counsel, and did command those able to swim, having cast themselves out first -- to get unto the land,
read chapter 27 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 43. - Desiring for willing, A.V.; stayed for kept, A.V.; overboard, and get first to the land for first into the sea, and get to land, A.V. To save Paul; διασῶσαι, and ver. 44 and Acts 28:1, 4; a word of very frequent medical use, employed six times by St. Luke, but only twice elsewhere in the New Testament (Matthew 14:26; 1 Peter 3:20). Swim; κοολυμβάω, here only in the Bible; though κολυμβήθρα, properly a swim-ruing-bath, rendered "pool" in the A.V., occurs five times in St. John's Gospel. The verb means "to dive" rather than "to swim." Both the verb and the noun are used frequently in medical language for "swimming in a bath," and ῤίπτειν σεαυτὸν (like ἀπορρίπτειν here) is the phrase for jumping into the bath.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(43) But the centurion, willing to save Paul.--Better, wishing, as expressing a stronger desire than the sense of mere acquiescence which has come to be attached to "willing." The Apostle had, we have seen, from the outset gained the respect of the centurion Julius (Acts 27:1). The courage and thoughtfulness of the night that had just passed was likely to have turned that respect into something like admiration.Commanded that they which could swim . . .--The order which was observed shows that the centurion kept his head clear, and had the power to enforce discipline. It was not the rush of a sauve qui peut. The swimmers were to plunge in first so as to get to the beach and be in readiness to help their comrades. St. Paul, who had thrice been shipwrecked, and had once passed a night and day in the open sea (2Corinthians 11:25), was probably among the former group, and the order itself may well have been suggested by him.
