What Does Acts 27:26 Mean in the King James?

Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

Acts 27:26 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The Greek verb says they must “fall out” onto an island: the landing is certain even while the vessel’s survival is not.

THE MEANING

The verse speaks into the moment when your course breaks: you are coming down on ground you did not choose. The landing is certain, but its exact place remains unnamed; the sentence offers no promise that the vessel arrives intact.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that a certain arrival guarantees an intact vessel; here, the landing is certain while the ship’s fate is not.

THE ROOT

ἐκπεσεῖν

ekpesein

GROWS FROM

πίπτω

piptō

fall; come down

The Greek verb is built around falling: here it describes coming down onto an island, or running aground. Its related words also use falling for coming down before someone or falling away, so the English “cast” hides a family of meanings held together by descent.

ALSO GROWS

ekpiptō: fall out, fall away, or run aground

ἐκπίπτω

This is the verb’s dictionary form; in this nautical setting, it names the fall that brings the voyagers onto land.

prospiptō: fall down before someone

προσπίπτω

In Mark 3:11 it describes the unclean spirits falling before Jesus, showing the same verb-family used for falling toward a person.

parapiptō: fall away

παραπίπτω

Hebrews 6:6 uses this related form for falling away, showing that the same root can describe a loss of footing as well as a landing.

THE PATTERN

A safe arrival can come through a passage that leaves the vessel broken.

And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

Acts 27:44 · KJVThe people reach land safely while the ship is reduced to boards and broken pieces.

Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Psalm 107:30 · KJVThe storm-driven travelers reach a haven, showing the passage can end in a landing.

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

2 Corinthians 4:9 · KJVIt separates being cast down from being destroyed, as this voyage separates the wrecked ship from the lives brought to shore.

THE THREAD

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

1 Corinthians 13:8 · KJV

The Greek verb here, ⁨ἐκπεσεῖν⁩ (ekpesein), is a form of ⁨ἐκπίπτω⁩ (ekpiptō), the same verb used for “faileth” in 1 Corinthians 13:8. One word holds both a vessel running aground and love that does not fall away.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us