{The ropes} (	a schoinia). Diminutive of schoinos, old
word, but in N.T. only here and  Joh 2:15 . Paul is now saviour
of the ship and the soldiers quickly cut loose the skiff and "let
her fall off" (eiasan aut(886e) ekpesein) rather than be the means
of the escape of the sailors who were needed. This dastardly
scheme of the sailors would have brought frightful loss of life.