Acts 27:17

which when they had taken up [R. V."and when they had hoisted it up"]. The sense of the verb is thus fully brought out, as it indicates the labour which the work required.

helps These were strong cables, which were drawn several times round the hulls of vessels, to help in keeping the timbers from parting. The technical term for the operation is "to frap" a vessel, and it is only in modern times that the process has been abandoned.

should fall into the quicksands [R. V."lest they should be cast upon the Syrtis"]. The Syrtis Major and Syrtis Minor are two quicksands on the north coast of Africa, of which the Syrtis Major lies most to the east, between Tripoli and Barca, and was the shoal on to which the sailors at this time were afraid of being driven.

strake sail [R. V."lowered the gear"] The noun is a very general one, signifying "tackling" or "implements" of any kind. What was done was to lower everything from aloft that could be dispensed with. They could not have struck sail, because to do so would be to give up all the chance which remained of using the wind to avoid the Syrtis, which was what they desired to do.