Acts 27:1-8

Acts 27. Paul's Journey to Rome. [103]

[103] On the whole chapter see The Voyage and Shipwreck of S. Paul. by James Smith, 1848; a book full of valuable information on the whole subject.

Acts 27:1. To Crete. Hero we again reach the Travel-document, which accompanies us to Acts 28:16. There is evidence of an Augustan cohort in Syria. A coasting vessel is taken for the first part of the voyage. For Aristarchus, see Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4. The voyage eastwards (Acts 21:3) passed to the S. of Cyprus; this time the northern route is taken, on account of the W. wind which prevails in the Levant in summer. On reaching the coast of Asia Minor local land breezes carried the ship more slowly westward, the voyage to Myra (Acts 21:1 *) is said in various MSS to have taken 15 days. The W. wind would enable the corn ship (Acts 27:38), in which the voyage was continued, to cross the Mediterranean from Alexandria direct to Myra, and it would coast from there along Asia Minor; this was the normal voyage in those days. Progress was slow from Myra to the longitude of Cnidus, the wind being still from the W., and from there the shelter of the S. of Crete was sought, as that wind allowed. Salmone is the NE. point of Crete, on rounding which it was possible, though not easy, to coast along westwards. Fair Havens is a bay sheltered from the W. and the N. winds, and the last shelter in this voyage from the W. wind.