Acts 27:1. Paul's voyage and shipwreck 1. _they delivered Paul_ i.e. the soldiers who had the care of him did so, by order of Festus. _a centurion_ This was generally the rank of the officers appointed to such a charge. Cp. Acts 21:32; Acts 24:23, &c. _of Augustus" band] Rev. Ver_. "Of the Augusta... [ Continue Reading ]
_And entering into_(_R. V._embarking in)] The verb is the technical term for "going on board." _Adramyttium_ a seaport on the coast of that district of Asia Minor called Mysia, and in early times Æolis. It appears to have been in St Paul's time a place of considerable trade, and Pliny (Acts 27:30)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sidon_ The well-known seaport on the coast of Phœnicia. _courteously entreated Paul_ "To entreat" is in modern English only used as "to beseech" "to supplicate." In the older language it had the same sense as "to treat," "use" has now. Cp. Shaks. _Hen. VI_. (pt. 2) ii. 4. 81 "_Entreat_her not the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when we had launched from thence R. V._"And putting to sea from thence." "Launch" has become a little restricted in meaning in modern English, but compare, for the sense, Christ's words to Peter (Luke 5:4), "Launch out into the deep." _we sailed under Cyprus_ i.e. between Cyprus and the mainla... [ Continue Reading ]
_the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia R. V._, more correctly, "the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia." These two countries formed the coast of Asia Minor in that portion which is opposite Cyprus. _Myra_ Lies about 20 stadia (2½ miles) from the coast on the river Andriacus.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a ship of Alexandria_ They found a means of transport into Italy sooner perhaps than they had expected. It may be that the same strong contrary winds from the west which had altered already the course of their voyage from Sidon, had carried this vessel across the Mediterranean to the Asiatic coast.... [ Continue Reading ]
_sailed slowly many days_ Kept back by the same head-winds. _and scarce were come over against Cnidus_ The word rendered "scarce" would be better "with difficulty." They had been forced to hug the coast all the way from Myra, and when off Cnidus they were only opposite to the S.W. extremity of Asia... [ Continue Reading ]
_and hardly passing it_ "Hardly" is in the original the same word which was rendered "scarce" in the previous verse. Read (with _R. V._) "with difficulty coasting along it." The verb represents the voyage as made by keeping close in to the southern shores of the island. _came unto a place_ i.e. on... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now when much time was spent_ Waiting for a change of wind, and in debate on what course should next be taken. _and when sailing_(_R. V._and the voyage) _was now dangerous_ It had come to be dangerous by the late season of the year. In St Paul's day navigation both among the Jews and other nations... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sirs, I perceive that this_(_R. V._the) _voyage will be with hur, and much damage_(_R. V._injury and much loss)]. Evidently the character of the Apostle had won him the regard and respect of those in charge of the vessel as well as of the centurion. He must have had some experience of sailing in th... [ Continue Reading ]
_the centurion believed_(_R. V._gave more heed to)] As the centurion was in charge of prisoners for the Imperial tribunal, his wish would be much regarded by both owner and sailing-master. And it was natural when they recommended the attempt to proceed that he should not listen to Paul's advice and... [ Continue Reading ]
_not commodious to winter in_ And this was what they most likely would have to do, wherever they stopped, as the season for sailing was nearly over. _to depart thence also_ The oldest MSS. do not represent the last word. (_R. V._"to put to sea from thence)." The word is the technical term, and not... [ Continue Reading ]
_the south wind blew softly_ The storm appeared to have in some degree abated, and the change of wind must have been very complete, for (see Acts 27:7-8) they had previously sailed under the lee of Crete to get shelter from the _north_wind. _loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete (R. V._"They we... [ Continue Reading ]
_there arose against it_ The word "it" must mean the last-mentioned subject, the island Crete. Thus the A. V. would state that the south wind, which already had begun to blow, became tempestuous, and dashed against the island. But if so, it must have carried the vessel with it. Whereas, what really... [ Continue Reading ]
_and could not bear up into the wind (R. V._"face the wind"). This comes nearer to the original, which is literally "to look the wind in the eye." _we let her drive (R. V._"we gave way _to it_, and were driven.) The literal rendering is "having given way we were driven." The general usage of the ve... [ Continue Reading ]
_And running under a certain island which is called Clauda (R. V._And running under the lee of a small island, called Cauda") For the verb cp. above on Acts 27:4; Acts 27:7. The word for "island" is here in the original a diminutive form, hence "small island." The name "Cauda" which has the best MS.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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... [ Continue Reading ]
_And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest_ Better, with _R. V._"and as we laboured exceedingly with the storm." The storm waxed in violence. _the next day they lightened the ship_ This is not as precise as the original. Read "they set about throwing the cargo overboard." The verb is an imperf... [ Continue Reading ]
_we cast out with our own hands_ The oldest MSS., with _R. V._read "They cast out with their &c." which is much more likely than that the writer of the narrative, even if he were a fellow-traveller with St Paul in this voyage, was employed in such a work, which is pre-eminently that which the sailor... [ Continue Reading ]
_in many days appeared_ [_R. V._shone upon us for many days]. This does not imply a continuous darkness like night, but that the mist and spray made the whole sky obscure both by day and night. In such a state of things we can understand how hopeless seemed the case of the Apostle and his fellows. T... [ Continue Reading ]
_But after long abstinence_ As this sentence stands in A. V. it seems to indicate that the Apostle had been observing this long abstinence before he spake to his companions. The Gk. means that everybody on board had been without food for a long time. Read (with _R. V._) "when they had been long with... [ Continue Reading ]
_And now_ i.e. though my advice was formerly rejected I offer it again. _there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship R. V._"no loss of life among you, but _only_of the ship." This is more literal, but does not alter the sense. The Apostle now speaks in the confidence of a re... [ Continue Reading ]
_the angel of God_ [_R. V._ AN ANGEL of THE God]. In speaking to heathens this would be the sense which the Apostle designed to convey. They had their own gods. But St Paul stood in a different relation to his God from any which they would acknowledge towards their divinities. To him God was a Fathe... [ Continue Reading ]
_thou must be brought_[_R. V._stand] _before Cesar_ i.e. "and that this may come to pass, thou shalt be saved from the present danger." _God hath given_[_R. V._granted] _thee_ This must be understood as in answer to prayer on the part of St Paul. In the midst of such peril, though no mention is mad... [ Continue Reading ]
_for I believe God_ And he implies "I would have you do so too." In the midst of danger, few things could be more inspiriting than such an address. And by this time all in the ship must have learnt that they had no common prisoner in the Jew who had appealed from his own people to the Roman Emperor.... [ Continue Reading ]
_upon a certain island_ Hence it appears that in the vision some details of the manner of their preservation had been made known to St Paul by the divine messenger.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the fourteenth night_ i.e. from the time of their sailing away from Fair Havens. Since that time they had been constantly driven to and fro. _in Adria_ [_R. V._ IN _the sea of_Adria]. That part of the Mediterranean which lies between Greece, Italy and Africa is so called. The name embraced a much... [ Continue Reading ]
_and sounded_ In ancient times, this must have been the only means of feeling their way in dark and stormy weather. The lead must have been in constant use. _found it twenty fathoms_ The original has no word for "it," which is therefore omitted by _R. V._What is meant is "they found twenty fathoms... [ Continue Reading ]
_lest we should have fallen upon rocks_ [_R.V._should be cast ashore on rocky ground]. That rocks were near was evident from the dashing of the waves. But the morning, even with the faint light which appeared through the dark clouds, might enable them to make for a part where the coast was not so fu... [ Continue Reading ]
_were about to flee_ The Greek is better represented by the _R. V._"were seeking to flee." They had hit upon a device which they thought would enable them to have the first chance for safety and now they set about to carry it out. Everybody would agree that it was the most important matter at the mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers_ These would probably be able to stop the intended desertion better than the captain of the vessel. At all events they were strong enough in numbers to take the matter into their own hands, and cut the boat adrift. It seems too (from Acts 27:11) that t... [ Continue Reading ]
_cut off_[_R. V._away] _the ropes of the boat_ i.e. cut asunder the ropes which attached the boat to the ship.... [ Continue Reading ]
_while the day was coming on_ Before it was light enough to see what had best be done. Here again we may notice how every means was to be employed for safety. Paul urges them to take now a proper meal that when the time for work arrives they may be in a condition to undertake it. The remaining claus... [ Continue Reading ]
_to take some meat_ "Meat" in the older English was used for any kind of food, which is what the Greek signifies, "nourishment." Therefore in these verses the _R. V._has everywhere "food." _this is for your health_ [_R. V._safety.] The _R. V._is the better rendering of the Greek, and agrees with wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_gave thanks to God_ As he had advised, so he set the example of taking food. But he did more than this. He made an Eucharist of this meal. In the sight of the heathen soldiers and sailors, he brake the bread in solemn thanksgiving, and thus converted the whole into a religions act, which can hardly... [ Continue Reading ]
_all of good cheer_ Paul's hopeful spirit had breathed hope into the whole company, and doubtless the religious character infused into the meal was not without a calming influence. _took some meat_ The "some" of the A. V. seems warranted by the genitive case in the original, and is therefore to be... [ Continue Reading ]
_two hundred threescore and sixteen_ As we do not know the number of prisoners and soldiers, it is impossible to form any conclusion about the manning of such a ship as this. The number here mentioned is very large, and we cannot suppose that a merchantman from Alexandria to Rome would carry a very... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when they had eaten enough Gk_. "And having been satisfied with food." When they had satisfied their present need, there was no use in trying to save more of the food which they had. So they set about lightening the ship. This is implied by the tense of the verb, and the next clause tells us th... [ Continue Reading ]
_they knew not the land_ We are not from this to suppose that none of the sailors were acquainted with the island of Malta, but that the point of the land close to which they were was unrecognised by them. When they were close in shore, and amid stormy weather, this could very well happen, as they w... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when they had taken up the anchors_ The verb in the original implies that they cast loose all the anchors round about the stern of the vessel where they had laid them out. So the _R. V._rightly gives "And casting off the anchors." When they had thrown overboard a load of corn, they would have n... [ Continue Reading ]
_And falling into a place where two seas met_ The conjunction should here be rendered adversatively "But." The verse goes on to describe some circumstances which defeated the intention of the sailors. Read "But lighting upon a place, &c." This is one of the features of the narrative by which the loc... [ Continue Reading ]
_to kill the prisoners_ This was the advice of the soldiers because, by the Roman law, they were answerable with their own lives for the prisoners placed under their charge.... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the centurion, willing to save_ The Gk. word indicates an active desire, and not a mere willingness. Read (with _R. V._) "desiring to save." The centurion could not fail to feel that it was to the Apostle that the safety of the whole party was due, and he could hardly help feeling admiration fo... [ Continue Reading ]
_and the rest_ The nominative is here left pendent, both in the original and the translation. We supply readily in thought the needful words "should get to the land." _some on boards_[_R. V._planks] _and some on broken pieces of_[_R. V._other things from] _the ship_ The _R. V._is the closest render... [ Continue Reading ]