Acts 27:30

30 The sailors, however, wanted to make their escape from the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow.

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 So they hove the lead and found twenty fathoms of water; and after a short time they hove again and found fifteen fathoms.

29 Then for fear of possibly running on rocks, they threw out four anchors from the stern and waited impatiently for daylight.

30 The sailors, however, wanted to make their escape from the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow.

31 But Paul, addressing Julius and the soldiers, said, "Your lives will be sacrificed, unless these men remain on board."

32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the ship's boat and let her fall off.