27:15a

the ship was caught up: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

It caught the ship (Revised English Bible)

caught up: Here the words caught up refer figuratively to the storm controlling the ship. In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If so, translate the correct meaning. For example:

the storm controlled the ship
-or-
the strong wind caused the sailors to be unable to control the ship
-or-
The wind carried the ship away (God’s Word)
-or-
The wind blew against the ship and directed it ⌊as it wanted to⌋

27:15b

Unable to head into the wind: The ship could only sail in the direction that the wind was blowing or somewhat to the right or left. This phrase indicates that they could not sail even in the smallest part toward the wind because of the strong wind. In the diagram below the ship could only travel in the general direction of the green arrows but not the red dashed arrows.

The strong wind would push the front of the ship downwind if they tried to turn the ship upwind. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

could not steer toward/against the wind
-or-
could not face the wind (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the wind forced the front of the ship away/downwind

27:15c

we gave way: This clause indicates that the sailors stopped trying to go in the direction they wanted. Other ways to translate this clause are:

we stopped trying (New Century Version)
-or-
we surrendered/submitted to it
-or-
we allowed it

let ourselves be driven along: This phrase in Greek is literally “were being carried/led.” It indicates that the wind controlled the direction in which the ship traveled. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

be carried along by the wind (Good News Translation)
-or-
were blown/pushed by it

Some ways to translate this clause as an active clause are:

⌊the wind⌋ carried us
-or-

⌊the wind⌋ blew/pushed us

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