Acts 27:32

Modern

So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and set it adrift.

Traditional

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

Literal

Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the lifeboat and allowed it to fall away.

Latin

Tunc absciderunt milites funes scaphæ, et passi sunt eam excidere.

Greek

English

So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and set it adrift.

This time the soldiers listened to Paul (compare 27:10–11).

The graphic language describing sailing in the story of Paul's journey to Rome provides one of the best accounts of an ancient sea journey.
This is the last "we" section in Acts (see also 16:10–17; 20:5–15; 21:1–18). During Paul's two years of imprisonment, Luke probably researched his gospel throughout Judea and Galilee. Here, as part of Paul's sailing group, he had a personal witness of the dangers at sea.

Theme notes and profiles

Philippians 3:7–9
But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.
Luke 16:8
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.