Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 27]
Nelson is quoted as saying that he had been reading Ac 27 the
morning of the Battle of Copenhagen (April, 1801) where he
anchored his ships from the stern. {Wished for the day}
(\•uchonto\). Imperfect middle, kept on praying for "day to come"
(\h•meran genesthai\) before the anchors broke under the strain
of the storm or began to drag. If the ship had been anchored from
the prow, it would have swung round and snapped the anchors or
the stern would have faced the beach.
27:30 {The sailors} (\t•n naut•n\). Old word from \naus\ (ship),
in N.T. only here, verse 30; Re 18:17. {Were seeking}
(\z•tount•n\). Genitive absolute again with present active
participle of \z•te•\ to seek. {Had lowered} (\chalasant•n\).
Aorist active participle of \chalaz•\. {Under colour}
(\prophasei\). Possibly the same word as "prophecy" (from
\pro-ph•mi\, to speak forth), but here pretence, pretext,
although it may come from \prophain•\, to show forth. The use
here is an old one and appears also in Mr 12:40; Lu 20:47; 1Th
2:5; Php 1:18. {As though} (\h•s\). The alleged reason, a common
Greek idiom with \h•s\ and the participle (Robertson, _Grammar_,
p. 966). Here with \mellont•n\. {From the foreship} (\ek
pr•ir•s\). Old word for prow of the ship. In the N.T. only here
and verse 41. Note here \ekteinein\ (lay out, stretch out)
rather than \rhipsantes\ (casting) in verse 29, for they
pretended to need the small boat to stretch out or lay out the
anchors in front.
27:31 {Except these abide in the ship} (\Ean m• houtoi mein•sin
en t•i ploi•i\). Condition of the third class (undetermined, but
with hope, etc.). Paul has no hesitancy in saying this in spite
of his strong language in verse 24 about God's promise. He has
no notion of lying supinely down and leaving God to do it all.
Without the sailors the ship could not be properly beached.
27:32 {The ropes} (\ta schoinia\). Diminutive of \schoinos\, old
word, but in N.T. only here and Joh 2:15. Paul is now saviour
of the ship and the soldiers quickly cut loose the skiff and "let
her fall off" (\eiasan aut•n ekpesein\) rather than be the means
of the escape of the sailors who were needed. This dastardly
scheme of the sailors would have brought frightful loss of life.
27:33 {While the day was coming on} (\achri hou h•mera •mellen
ginesthai\). More likely here \achri hou\ (for \achri toutou
h•i\) with the imperfect \•mellen\, has its usual meaning, "until
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