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Acts 27:28

New Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Acts 27:28 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms; and after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms; and after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms.
Acts 27:28 — American Standard Version

Context — Acts 27

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
25Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me.
26But we must be cast upon a certain island.
27But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in the [sea of] Adria, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some country:
28and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms; and after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms.
29And fearing lest haply we should be cast ashore on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for the day.
30And as the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under color as though they would lay out anchors from the foreship,
31Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And sounded, etc.] Or let down their plummet, or sounding line; which was a line with a piece of lead at the end of it, which they let down into the water, and by that means found what depth it was, by which they could judge whether they were near land or not. The sounding line, with the ancients, was called by different names; sometimes bolis, and this is the name it has here, bolisantev, “they let down the bolis”: and the bolis is, by some, described thus; it is a brazen or leaden vessel, with a chain, which mariners fill with grease, and let down into the sea, to try whether the places are rocky where a ship may stand, or sandy where the ship is in danger of being lost: it is also called…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And sounded - To sound is to make use of a line and lead to ascertain the depth of water. Twenty fathoms - A fathom is six feet, or the distance from the extremity of the middle finger on one hand to the extremity of the other, when the arms are extended. The depth, therefore, was about 120 feet. Fifteen fathoms - They knew, therefore, that they were drawing near to shore. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification