Acts 27:39
Greek (Tischendorf 8th ed.) Acts 27:39 appears in the Greek New Testament. The text above is from the Tischendorf 8th edition. Each word links to its Strong’s number and a concise gloss. Click any word for its full Thayer’s Greek Lexicon entry.When it was day, they didn't recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.
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Compare translations 3
The same verse in 3 English versions, stacked beneath the original-language interlinear above. Click any original word for its lexicon entry.
Each is an independent rendering of the whole verse — the interlinear is not word-aligned to these translations.
Highlighted words mark where these versions differ — a whole-verse word diff, not a word-by-word alignment.
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World English Bible Public Domain
When it was day, they didn't recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.
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King James Version Public Domain
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
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unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
And when day came, they were not recognizing the land, but they were noticing a certain bay having a beach, onto which they were discussing whether they might be able to drive the ship.
unfoldingWord Literal Text — © unfoldingWord, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Word-aligned USFM3 via Door43 (git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ult).
Show all 19 translations
Every available English version of this verse, each an independent rendering of the whole verse.
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World English Bible Public Domain
When it was day, they didn't recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.
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Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they sighted a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could.
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Majority Standard Bible Public Domain
When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they sighted a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if possible.
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King James Version Public Domain
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
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American Standard Version (1901) Public Domain
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they perceived a certain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could drive the ship upon it.
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Revised Version (1885) Public Domain
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they perceived a certain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could drive the ship upon it.
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Geneva Bible (1599) Public Domain
And when it was day, they knewe not the countrey, but they spied a certaine creeke with a banke, into the which they were minded (if it were possible) to thrust in the ship.
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Douay-Rheims (1899) Public Domain
And when it was day, they knew not the land; but they discovered a certain creek that had a shore, into which they minded, if they could, to thrust in the ship.
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Young's Literal Translation Public Domain
And when the day came, they were not discerning the land, but a certain creek were perceiving having a beach, into which they took counsel, if possible, to thrust forward the ship,
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Literal Standard Version CC BY-SA 4.0
And when the day came, they were not discerning the land, but were perceiving a certain bay having a beach, into which they took counsel, if possible, to thrust forward the ship,
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Unlocked Literal Bible CC BY-SA 4.0
When it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a beach, and they discussed whether they could drive the ship onto it.
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unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
And when day came, they were not recognizing the land, but they were noticing a certain bay having a beach, onto which they were discussing whether they might be able to drive the ship.
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Darby Bible Public Domain
And when it was day they did not recognise the land; but they perceived a certain bay having a strand, on which they were minded, if they should be able, to run the ship ashore;
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World Messianic Bible Public Domain
When it was day, they didn’t recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.
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Webster's Bible Public Domain
And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into which they purposed, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
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Free Bible Version CC BY-SA 4.0
When dawn came they didn't recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay that had a beach. They planned to try running the ship aground there.
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Bible in Basic English Public Domain
And when it was day, they had no knowledge of the land, but they saw an inlet of the sea with a floor of sand, and they had the idea of driving the ship up on to it if possible.
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Text-Critical English NT CC BY 4.0
When daybreak came, the sailors did not recognize the land. But they noticed a bay with a beach and decided that, if possible, they would run the ship ashore there.
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Tyndale New Testament (1534) Public Domain
When that was daye they knew not the lande but they spied a certayne haven with a banke into the which they were mynded (yf that were possible) to thrust in the ship.
Literal Standard Version (2020), Covenant Press — licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API (eBible.org). Unlocked Literal Bible (unfoldingWord) — licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API (eBible.org). unfoldingWord Literal Text — © unfoldingWord, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Word-aligned USFM3 via Door43 (git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ult). Free Bible Version, Dr. Jonathan Gallagher — licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API (eBible.org).
Word by word
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- Appears 2× in the Greek New Testament
- First appears at Acts 7:45
- Part of Speech
- Verb
- Tense
- Aorist
- Voice
- Active
- Mood
- Infinitive
Full Thayer's Definition
- Ὅτε hóte G3753 “when” Adverb
- δὲ dé G1161 “but” Conjunction
- ἡμέρα hēméra G2250 “day” Noun, Nominative, Singular, Feminine
- ἐγένετο gínomai G1096 “to become” Verb, Aorist, Middle deponent, Indicative, 3rd person, Singular
- τὴν ho G3588 “the” Article, Accusative, Singular, Feminine
- γῆν gē G1093 “earth” Noun, Accusative, Singular, Feminine
- οὐκ ou G3756 “not” Particle, Negative
- ἐπεγίνωσκον epiginṓskō G1921 “to know thoroughly” Verb, Imperfect, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural
- κόλπον kólpos G2859 “bosom” Noun, Accusative, Singular, Masculine
- δέ dé G1161 “but” Conjunction
- τινα tìs G5100 “a certain” Indefinite pronoun, Accusative, Singular, Masculine
- κατενόουν katanoéō G2657 “to observe” Verb, Imperfect, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural
- ἔχοντα échō G2192 “to have” Verb, Present, Active, Participle, Accusative, Singular, Masculine
- αἰγιαλὸν aigialós G123 “shore” Noun, Accusative, Singular, Masculine
- εἰς eis G1519 “into” Preposition
- ὃν hós G3739 “who” Relative pronoun, Accusative, Singular, Masculine
- ἐβουλεύοντο bouleúō G1011 “to deliberate” Verb, Imperfect, Middle or Passive deponent, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural
- εἰ ei G1487 “if” Conditional
- δύναιντο dýnamai G1410 “to be able” Verb, Present, Middle or Passive deponent, Optative, 3rd person, Plural
- ἐξῶσαι exōthéō G1856 “to drive out” Verb, Aorist, Active, Infinitive
- τὸ ho G3588 “the” Article, Accusative, Singular, Neuter
- πλοῖον ploîon G4143 “ship” Noun, Accusative, Singular, Neuter
About this verse
These counts appear in no published source. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged text and Lemma’s own curated glosses. What Lemma adds →
- 22
- words
- 20
- distinct lemmas
- Acts
- section
Cross-references
1Topical passages linked to Acts 27:39 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — connected by theme and wording, ordered by reader-vote popularity; previews shown in the World English Bible.
- Acts 28:1 When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called Malta.
Cross-references courtesy of OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).
Where the printed editions differ
1 variantPlaces in this verse where the major printed Greek editions disagree on the wording in a way that affects the translation — a comparison of editions, not a manuscript-by-manuscript collation. The editions are the modern critical texts (Nestlé-Aland 28/27, SBL, Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Tyndale House) and the traditional texts behind the KJV (the Textus Receptus and the Byzantine/Majority text). It is not a claim about which reading is original.
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Different wording
ἐξῶσαι
“to drive [aground]”
In NA28NA27TynSBLTregTRByz Not in WHἐκσῶσαι (eksōsai) 'to save' occurs in a few manuscripts (WH) instead of ἐξῶσαι (exōsai) 'to drive [aground]' in older manuscripts (NA28+NA27+Tyn+SBL+Treg+TR+Byz)
Textual data: Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament (STEPBible TAGNT) · CC BY 4.0.
Lesson kit
Teaching starters — assembled from the data on this page, not authored interpretation. Every prompt links to the verse data it draws on. Edit before teaching.
Acts, in the Acts, opens this verse with 22 words (20 distinct Greek lemmas). Its most distinctive word is exōthéō (“to drive out”). A historical commentator’s framing appears above. Read the whole chapter for the surrounding context.
Discussion questions
- What does “to drive out” (exōthéō) contribute to the verse as a whole?
- Acts 7:45 shares the word «to drive out» with this verse. How do the two illuminate each other?
- “but” occurs 2× in this one verse. What is the effect of the repetition?
- These translations render this verse differently. What is at stake in choosing one wording over another?
- Reading how Joseph Benson's Commentary and Whedon's Commentary on the Bible read this verse, where do the two commentators agree and where do they part?
Things to notice
- These translations choose different wording for 26 words in this verse.
- “but” occurs 2× in this single verse.
- 20 distinct Greek lemmas span 22 words in this verse.
Commentary
Notes on Acts 27:39 from classic Christian and Jewish commentators (each source and its license shown beneath its notes). The classic Christian expositions comment on the surrounding passage and are grouped to its opening verse, so a note may address several verses; the Jewish commentaries on the Tanakh (Rashi and others) are per-verse, so they appear only where the commentator wrote on this verse.
Lemma curates 59 commentaries, every one of them public domain or Creative Commons licensed, each selected and text-cleaned for this edition rather than reprinted as found. About our sources →
Joseph Benson's Commentary
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
Daniel D. Whedon
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale Open Resources
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Bengel's Gnomon
Johann Albrecht Bengel
Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Meyer's Critical & Exegetical Commentary
Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer
Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Expositor's Greek Testament
ed. W. Robertson Nicoll
The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Geneva Bible translators
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill's Exposition
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Trapp's Complete Commentary
John Trapp
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Kretzmann's Popular Commentary
Paul E. Kretzmann
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament
William B. Godbey
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
McGarvey & Pendleton's Commentaries
J. W. McGarvey
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The People's New Testament
B. W. Johnson
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
unfoldingWord translationNotes
Door43 World Missions Community
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges
Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Alford’s Greek Testament
Henry Alford
Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament
Marvin R. Vincent
Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.