Acts 27

1 we. Luke (last mentioned before in xxi. 18) was of the party.

Augustus’ band. Lit., “the Augustan cohort.” Several of the Roman legions bore this name; and a body-guard of veterans formed by the Emperors was named Augustani; but no trace can be found elsewhere of any cohort so called.

2. Adramyttium. A sea-port of Mysia (now Endramit) on the western coast of Asia Minor.

to sail by the coasts of Asia. Or, “to sail to the Asiatic seaports” (Moffatt).

Aristarchus. Aristarchus has been mentioned before: see xix. 29; xx. 4, and notes.

3. Sidon. See xii. 20, and note. entreated. That is, “treated”; probably, in part because Paul was a Roman citizen, and no doubt also by direction of the procurator, Paul’s personal demeanour making also a favourable impression.

to refresh himself. Or, “to be cared for,” by these friends: see xxi. 3, 4.

4 under Cyprus. That is, under the lee of Cyprus (R.V.). Their direct course would have been south of Cyprus (ep. xxi. 3); but the prevailing west wind compelled them to go north of the island (“the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia,” ver. 5); where they would have the land breeze in their favour, as well as a current which runs along the southern coast of Asia Minor.

5. Myra. A large city on a hill near the coast; once the metropolis of Lycia; now in ruins.

6 a ship of Alexandria. A ship sailing from

Alexandria to Italy, when the west wind prevailed, would naturally stand for the north, and so reach the coast of Asia Minor.

7 scarce. Rather, “with difficulty”; for the west wind caused them to take several days in sailing about 130 geographical miles. Cnidus was a large sea-port, with a fine harbour, on a projecting peninsula between Cos and Rhodes (see xxi. 1), at the entrance of the Ægean Sea.

not (further) suffering us. That is, not suffering us to proceed westward. They therefore made for Crete, passed round Salmone, its eastern promontory, and kept under the lee of its southern coast, until they reached “Fair Havens,” a roadstead lying a little east of Cape Matala, and sheltered by it from the prevailing wind. At this cape the land sweeps round to the north-west; so that the full force of the wind and sea from the west would be felt.

8 hardly. That is, “with difficulty (as in ver. 7) coasting along it” namely, Crete.

Lasæa. Lasæa was about five miles eastward of The Fair Havens, and was probably the nearest town. Both names are still in use.

9 the Fast. The great Jewish fast-day of Atonement occurred about the beginning of October, which was regarded as too late in the season to begin a long voyage.

10. I perceive. Already he had become familiar with the dangers of the sea: see note xxvii. 44.

11 the master. The “master” may have been the sailing-master, or pilot. The owner of the ship was usually on board, and sometimes acted as captain of the vessel.

12 not commodious, etc. “Badly placed” (Gr. ἀνευθέναι).

Phenice. Rather, “Phœnix.” This harbour “looketh down the south-west wind and down the north-west wind” (literal trans.); that is, it faces the north-east and south-east (R.V.). This answers to the harbour of Lutra, with its two entrances formed by an island in front; one looking north-east, the other south-east.

13 supposing, etc. With a gentle south wind they might hope to pass Cape Matala, and to cross the bay to Phœnix, in a few hours, the total distance being about 38 miles.

looking [thence], etc. More clearly in R.V., “they weighed anchor, and sailed along Crete, close inshore.”

14 there arose against it. This may mean either “struck against her,” i.e., the ship, or “rushed down it,” i.e., the island. The R.V. adopts the latter: “there beat down from it,” i.e., from the shore. In that part of the Mediterranean a southerly breeze is often suddenly followed by a violent hurricane (the Greek is the same as our word “typhoon”) from the north-east (Euroquido).

15. And when the ship, etc. Rather, “And when the ship was seized, and could not face the wind, we gave up [the attempt to work to windward], and were borne along,” i.e., before the wind, to the south-west, till we neared the little island of Claudia (Cauda; now Gozo), running under the lee of its southern shore (16). There, however, the sea was still so rough that “we had hard work to get the boat on board.”

17 helps. Extra means to strengthen the ship. This was chiefly done by “undergirding” it, or passing cables (which ancient ships carried for the purpose) several times round the hull, so as to tighten it by outward pressure.

18 lightened. They probably threw out part of the cargo. The whole narrative indicates that the ship had become leaky.

19 the tackling. “The ship’s gear.”

20 neither sun nor stars, etc. The sun and stars were the only guides of ancient mariners when out of sight of land.

21 after long abstinence. See note on ver. 33.

to have gained, etc. Or, “and have escaped (not have gained) this hurt and damage” (ver. 10).

23 serve. Lit., “worship.”

25. I believe God. “The supernatural world was a greater reality to Paul than the natural” (Charles Brown).

27 fourteenth. The fourteenth since leaving Crete: see vers. 18, 19.

driven up and down. “Drifting about in,” “Adria,” or the Adriatic Sea, anciently comprised the whole central basin of the Mediterranean between Sicily and Greece, as well as the Venetian Gulf.

the shipmen (sailors) deemed, etc. Paul’s intimation would quicken the sailors’ attention to every sign of land. It is supposed that they were near the point of Koura, on the coast of Malta; where, though the land is too low to be seen in a dark night, the breakers can be heard at a considerable distance; the white lines of foam would also be faintly visible.

29 four anchors. Ancient vessels usually carried several anchors; and they were ordinarily anchored, like ours, by the bow. But on this occasion, by anchoring from the stern, the ship would be more easily arrested, she would be prevented from swinging round on the rocks, and would be in a better position for being run on shore in the morning.

30 under colour, etc. Pretending that they were about to “lay out anchors from the bow,” carrying them in the boat as far forwards as possible.

31. Except these abide, etc. God’s promises (see ver. 22) always suppose the use of proper means on our part.

32 let her fall off. The willingness of the soldiers to sacrifice the boat in such circumstances shows that the apostle had gained a wonderful ascendancy over the minds of his companions.

33 meat. Rather, as elsewhere, “food.”

having taken nothing. They evidently had food on board (38); but amidst the confusion and danger had been neither able nor disposed to prepare regular meals and to take adequate nourishment: see ver. 21.

34 health. “Safety.”

there shall not a hair fall, etc. A proverbial expression for the slightest injury or loss: see 1 Kings i. 52; Matt. x. 30; Luke xxi. 12.

37 two hundred threescore and sixteen. The large Egyptian corn ships which brought supplies to Rome sometimes carried hundreds of passengers: see Josephus, Life, § 3 (“six hundred”). But the reading: “seventy-six,” substituting for “two hundred” the Greek word ὡς (“about”), has considerable authority in its support.

38 the wheat. That is, probably, the ship’s cargo: wheat being the chief export of Egypt to Italy. The present safety and the subsequent management of the ship made it necessary to lighten her.

39 a certain creek, etc. Rather, “a creek having a sandy beach”; on which they could run the ship, with the hope of saving their lives. The vessel appears, however, to have grounded on a shoal before they reached the point on shore at which they aimed.

40. And when, etc. Rather, “And having cut away the anchors, they let them fall into the sea; at the same time loosing the lashings of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they steered towards shore.” The rudders were two large paddles, one on each side of the ship. These had been made fast while the ship was anchored (see 29), but were now loosed to guide her towards the shore.

41 where two seas met. That this was the Bay of St. Paul in Malta is inferred thus:—(1) A vessel lying-to, with her right side to an east-north-east wind, would drift west by north; which is the course from Claudia to Malta. (2) The rate of drift would be a mile and a half an hour, which would take her from Claudia to Malta in thirteen days. (3) The first point of land which a ship so drifting would approach is the east point of this bay. (4) The soundings and anchorage agree with those in the narrative (28, 29). (5) The channel between the island of Salmonetta and the mainland would appear “a place between two seas.”

was broken. R.V., “began to break up.”

42 escape. The guards being held answerable under the severest penalties, for the security of the prisoners.

44 safe to land. This was not Paul’s first escape from shipwreck: see 2 Cor. xi. 25, written several years before this occasion.