What Does Acts 21:1 Mean?
And it happened that after we had been torn away from them, and had put out, we ran a straight course to Coos, and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara:THE KEY
The verse places separation and direction side by side: after being drawn away from one group, the travelers sail a straight course through successive ports.
THE MEANING
The travelers part from one group and sail directly toward Coos, Rhodes, and Patara. The route unfolds one named arrival at a time, with the next day carrying the journey onward.
THE ROOT
εὐθυδρομήσαντες
euthydromēsantes
GROWS FROM
εὐθύς (euthys) + δρόμος (dromos)
Straight or direct + course or running: to make a straight course.
“ran a straight course” in this verse is euthydromēsantes. The Greek verb joins straightness with a course in motion. The ports that follow make that movement concrete: the direct route proceeds through successive arrivals.
ALSO GROWS
euthys: Straight, direct.
εὐθύς
This element supplies the direction in the travelers’ straight course.
euthynō: To make straight or direct; to steer.
εὐθύνω
This related word carries the idea of directing a course that the compound expresses through sailing.
dromos: A course, run, or race.
δρόμος
This element supplies the path in motion: their course carries them from one port to the next.
THE PATTERN
Scripture traces a journey through departure, directed movement, and named arrivals.
And they pulled up from Succoth, and pitched at Etham, at the edge of the wilderness.And Abram pulled up, going and pulling up toward the south.So we put out from Troas and sailed straight to Samothracia, and on the next day to Neapolis.THE THREAD
So we put out from Troas and sailed straight to Samothracia, and on the next day to Neapolis.Acts 16:11 uses the same Greek verb, εὐθυδρομέω (euthydromeō, to make or sail a straight course). Acts 21:1 names three successive ports, extending that direct movement through each arrival.
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