Luke 8:23

As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a windstorm came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus and the disciples are in a boat mid-crossing after He initiated the journey, when a windstorm strikes while He is resting.

The words — The Greek term ἀφύπνωσεν (aphupnōsen) literally means "He fell asleep," and λαῖλαψ (lailaps) translates directly to "a storm."

The thread — The scene mirrors the plea in Psalms 44:23 regarding God's apparent sleep, while the churning waters echo the imagery in Psalms 93:3 and Isaiah 54:11.

Why it lands — The text records the boat filling with water and the disciples' panic while Jesus sleeps, establishing the narrative focus on His subsequent command to the wind and waters rather than on human distress.

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

πλεόντωνpleontōnWhen were sailing δὲdethen αὐτῶνautōnthey ἀφύπνωσεν,aphupnōsenHe fell asleep,καὶkaiAnd κατέβηkatebēcame down λαῖλαψlailapsa storm ἀνέμουanemouof wind εἰςeison τὴνtēnthe λίμνην,limnēnlake,καὶkaiand συνεπληροῦντοsuneplērountothey were being swamped καὶkaiand ἐκινδύνευον.ekinduneuonwere in danger.

King James Version

But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

Cross-references

Psalms 93:3 The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves.
Isaiah 54:11 “O afflicted city, lashed by storms, without solace, surely I will set your stones in antimony and lay your foundations with sapphires.
Psalms 44:23 Wake up, O Lord! Why are You sleeping? Arise! Do not reject us forever.
Psalms 107:23 Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters.
Psalms 124:2 if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us,
Psalms 148:8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, powerful wind fulfilling His word,
Isaiah 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon?
Luke 8:22 One day Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” So He got into a boat with them and set out.
Acts 27:14 But it was not long before a cyclone called the Northeaster swept down across the island.
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.