Acts 27:1-20 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:7

And when we had sailed slowly many days ,.... Because of contrary winds, as in Acts 27:4 or else for want of wind, as some think; the Syriac version renders it, "and because it sailed heavily"; that is, the ship being loaden with goods: and scarce were come over against Cnidus ; or "Gnidus", as it is sometimes called; it was a city and promontory in Doris, in the Chersonese or peninsula of Caria, famous for the marble statue of Venus made by Praxiteles F18 Plin. l. 5. c. 28.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:8

And hardly passing it ,.... That is, Salmone, with great difficulty, because of the winds: came unto a place which is called the Fair Havens ; called by other writers Cale Acte, or the fair shore, and is placed by Ptolomy F3 De ordis Situ. l. 3. c. 15. in Eubaea, and by Herodotus F4 L. 6. c. 22. in Sicily; but by Stephanus F5 De urbibus. is said to be a city of the Cretians, and which agrees with this account; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasae ; there was a city... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:9

Now when much time was spent ,.... In sailing against the wind, or by staying at the Fair Havens; for so the Syriac version renders it, "where we stayed a long time"; and the Ethiopic version, "and there we remained many days": it follows, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past ; the Syriac version reads, "the fast of the Jews"; this was the day of atonement, which was the grand fast of the Jews, on which day they afflicted their souls, Leviticus 23:27... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:10

And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive ,.... Not only by the tempestuous weather which they had met with, and still continued, and which they must expect to have, if they continued on their voyage; but by a spirit of prophecy, which he was endued with, by which he foresaw, and so foretold, as follows; that this voyage will be with hurt, and with much damage not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives ; or of our persons, or bodies, that is, of the health of them; for certain it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:11

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship ,.... Who were either one and the same person, or if two persons, the one was the owner, whose the ship was, and the other, he that was at the helm, and steered and directed it; or the one might be the captain, and the other the pilot. The κυβερνητης , or "governor", as he is here called with the ancients, was he who sat on an eminence in the stern of the ship, at the helm, and had the direction of it; he gave the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:12

And because the haven was not commodious to winter in ,.... Which was called the "Fair Havens", Acts 27:8 which name it might have by an antiphrasis, it being just the reverse; it might be a good summer haven, but not be fit for winter: perhaps it might be an open road or bay, and having nothing to shelter from the boisterous waves, was a place very improper for a ship to be in, in stormy weather; for in open places, as bays and roads, the sea tumbles in very violently in bad weather: this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:13

And when the south wind blew softly ,.... Or moderately, which was a good wind for them: supposing that they, had obtained their purpose ; that things would succeed according to their wish, and favour their design: loosing thence ; from the Fair Havens; the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions render it, "loosing from Assos"; which could not be Assos of Troas, mentioned in Acts 20:13 which was many miles from hence; rather Asum, a town in Crete, of which Pliny F18 Nat. Hist. l.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:14

But not long after ,.... They had not been long at sea, but there arose against it ; the ship, or the island of Crete, or both: a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon ; in the Greek text it is a "Typhonic" wind, so called, not from the name of a country from whence it blew; rather from Typho, the same with Python, an Heathen deity, who is said to be drowned in the lake Serbonis, or in the river Orontes; about which places this sort of wind is observed to be frequent, and which may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:15

And when the ship was caught ,.... By the wind, snatched up by it, and forcibly carried away: and could not bear up into the wind ; and against it, or look it in the face, as the word signifies; could not ply to windward, the wind being so high and the sea so strong: we let her drive ; about the sea, at pleasure, it being in vain to attempt to get her forward against the wind, or to direct her course. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:16

And running under a certain island ,.... Or below a certain island and hard by, it or under the sea shore of it, where the sea might be smoother, the wind not being there so strong: which is called Clauda : by Ptolomy F24 Geograph. l. 3. c. 17. it is called Claudus, and was near the island of Crete, and now called Gozo. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, and some copies, read "Cauda"; and there was an island near to Crete, which was called Gaudos F25 Mela, l. 2. c. 7.... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 27:16

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