Acts 27:14

But it was not long before a cyclone called the Northeaster swept down across the island.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The narrator describes the ship’s voyage along the coast of Crete immediately after the crew weighed anchor and sailed out under a gentle south wind.

The words — ἄνεμος (anemos) translates literally as a wind, while ἔβαλεν (ebalen) means it threw or drove down, capturing the sudden descent of the storm.

The thread — Sudden divine wind events appear in Mark 4:37, where a violent windstorm swamps a vessel, and Psalms 107:25, where God speaks to raise a tempest. Exodus 14:21 also records a strong east wind driving back the sea to create dry land.

Why it lands — The text reports the abrupt arrival of a named storm that halts human navigation, requiring the reader to acknowledge the limits of human control and the immediate need to yield to circumstances beyond their command.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

μετ᾽met᾽After οὐounot πολὺpolulong δὲdehowever ἔβαλενebalenit threw κατ᾽kat᾽down αὐτῆςautēsfrom it ἄνεμοςanemosa wind τυφωνικὸςtuphōnikostempestuous ὁhowhich καλούμενοςkaloumenosis being called εὐρακύλων.eurakulōn[the] Northeaster.

King James Version

But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

Cross-references

Mark 4:37 Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped.
Psalms 107:25 For He spoke and raised a tempest that lifted the waves of the sea.
Exodus 14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided,
Ezekiel 27:26 Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea.
Jonah 1:3 Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
Matthew 8:24 Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves. But Jesus was sleeping.