Acts 27:19

19 and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship's tackle overboard.

Acts 27:19 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 27:19

And the third day
From the time this storm began, and this tempestuous weather held:

we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship;
by which seems to be meant their naval stores and instruments, as sails, ropes, cables, anchors and yet we afterwards read of their anchors and main sail: it may be rendered, "the furniture of the ship"; and yet it cannot design the ship's provisions, at least all were not cast away; for afterwards mention is made of casting out the wheat into the sea: many versions render it, "the armament of the ship"; and the Ethiopic version adds, "and arms"; the soldiers' arms, and others which belonged to the ship, which were brought with them to defend themselves against an enemy: these, the historian says, "we cast out"; the Apostle Paul's company, Luke and others; but not without the leave and order of the centurion and governor of the ship: the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version read, "they cast out": which seems most probable.

Acts 27:19 In-Context

17 After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven.
18 We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard,
19 and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship's tackle overboard.
20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.