27:16a

Passing to the lee: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Passing to the lee is similar in meaning to the Greek verb in 27:4b. Here the island was small, so they did not have much time to take advantage of it sheltering the ship somewhat from the wind. Other ways to translate this clause are:

Running under the shelter (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
We sailed along the side sheltered from the wind

a small island called Cauda: The island is small compared to Crete. Cauda is approximately seven kilometers (about four miles) wide and long.

Cauda: There is a textual issue here:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts spell the name of the island Kauda.

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, English Standard Version, New Century Version)

(2) Other Greek manuscripts spell the name of the island Klauda.

(King James Version, New American Standard Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), because the Greek NT 4 recommends it.

27:16b

we barely managed to secure the lifeboat: The lifeboat was often tied with a rope to the back of the ship and the ship pulled it along as they sailed to make more room on the ship. This clause indicates that they had to pull the rope to bring the lifeboat to the ship and get control of it, but this was very difficult to do, because of the wind and waves. Other ways to translate this clause are:

with some difficulty we managed to make the ship’s boat secure. (Good News Translation)
-or-
we managed with difficulty to secure the boat (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
we barely got control of the ship’s lifeboat (God’s Word)

lifeboat: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lifeboat refers to a boat that could hold ten to thirty people, depending on its size. A large ship such as the one Paul and Luke sailed on probably had a larger boat of this kind. It was most often used to take people to and from the large ship when the ship could not get close to a dock or the shore. Other ways to translate this word are:

boat (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
ship’s boat (English Standard Version)
-or-
dinghy/skiff
-or-
small boat

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