Acts 27:30

30 As the shipmen were about to fle out of the ship and had let doune the bote into the see vnder a coloure as though they wolde have cast ancres out of the forshippe:

Acts 27:30 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 27:30

And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship
To save their lives, concluding that it was in the utmost danger, and that it would quickly, notwithstanding the anchors cast out, break away, and fall upon the rocks, and split to pieces:

when they had let down the boat into the sea;
which before they had taken up into the ship, ( Acts 27:16 Acts 27:17 ) and now they let it down, in order to get into it, and make their escape:

under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the
foreship;
the foremost part of the ship, the prow of it; their pretence in attempting to get out of the ship, and into the boat, was, that whereas there were anchors cast out of the stern, or hinder part of the ship, so they would cast out others, from the fore part of it; and "stretch" them "out", as the word signifies, or carry them further out into the sea, for the security of the ship; and to do which, it was necessary to use the boat.

Acts 27:30 In-Context

28 and sounded and founde it .xx. feddoms. And when they had gone a lytell further they sounded agayne and founde .xv. feddoms.

29 Then fearinge lest they shuld have fallen on some Rocke they cast .iiii. ancres out of the sterne and wysshed for ye daye.

30 As the shipmen were about to fle out of the ship and had let doune the bote into the see vnder a coloure as though they wolde have cast ancres out of the forshippe:

31 Paul sayd vnto ye vnder captayne and the soudiers: excepte these abyde in the ship ye cannot be safe.

32 Then the soudiers cut of the rope of the bote and let it fall awaye.