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Bible Commentaries
Acts 27

Abbott's Illustrated New TestamentAbbott's NT

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Verse 1

Verse 1

Augustus' band; a body of the Roman army,--this name being a title of distinction.

Verse 2

Verse 2

Adramyttium; probably in Africa.--Asia; Asia Minor.--Aristarchus; a companion of Paul, who had come to Jerusalem with him. (Acts 19:29,Acts 20:4.) He is alluded to afterwards, (Philemon 1:24,) as Paul's fellow-laborer at Rome; and also, on another occasion, (Colossians 4:10,) as his fellow-prisoner.

Verse 4

Verse 4

Under Cyprus; near its shore, so as to be under its shelter.

Verse 6

Verse 6

Alexandria; in Egypt. There was an extensive commercial intercourse, in those days, between Egypt and Rome, as a great deal of grain from the valley of the Nile, was consumed in Rome. (See Acts 27:38.)

Verse 9

Verse 9

Much time was spent; their progress having been impeded by the contrary winds before alluded to.

Verse 10

Verse 10

I perceive; I am convinced.--Of our lives; that is, that it will endanger our lives.

Verse 12

Verse 12

Toward the south-west and north-west. This expression is obscure. The words south-west and north-west are, in the original, names of winds not noted for violence. The general meaning of the phrase must be, that the opening of the harbor was towards those quarters of the heavens from which violent storms were not to be apprehended.

Verse 15

Verse 15

In modern times, the position of greatest safety for a ship in a storm of moderate violence, is for it to lie nearly head to the gale, presenting, so to speak, its shoulder to the winds and waves. By a peculiar action of the wind upon a sail placed in a particular position, the ship is retained in this posture by the very force of the storm which it is resisting. When, however, the fury of the tempest passes beyond a certain point, this position of comparative safety must be abandoned. The mariner then allows the ship to be carried round by the wind, and she flies away before the tempest, entirely at its mercy. The language here used seems exactly adapted to describe these effects.

Verse 16

Verse 16

Clauda; a small island south of Crete. Euroclydon was an easterly wind, so that they were driven westward.

Verse 17

Verse 17

Undergirding; some measure adopted, in those days, to strengthen the ship, in order to enable her better to resist the straining produced by the sea.

Verse 18

Verse 18

They lightened the ship,--by throwing overboard a part of the cargo.

Verse 24

Verse 24

Hath given thee, &c. that is, for his sake all the others were to be saved.

Verse 27

Verse 27

Adria; the Adriatic Sea.--Deemed that they drew near, &c.; by certain signs, familiar to seamen, such as the appearing of birds, or of floating plants, or a change in the color of the water.

Verse 33

Verse 33

Meat; food.--Having taken nothing; almost nothing,--nothing at all adequate to the demands of nature.

Verse 39

Verse 39

They knew not the land. They ascertained afterwards that it was the island now called Malta.

Verse 43

Verse 43

And commanded. It appears, from this and several former expressions, that Julius, and not the master of the ship, was the commanding officer during the voyage.

Bibliographical Information
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentary on Acts 27". "Abbott's Illustrated New Testament". https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/ain/acts-27.html. 1878.
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