1007 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 (x) it is called Claudus, and was near the island of Crete, and now called Gozo. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, and some...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Which when they had taken up,.... When they had got the boat into the ship: they used helps; the mariners made use of other persons, called in the assistance of the soldiers, and passengers, and prisoners; or for the help of the ship, they made use of cords, chains, and such like things: undergirding the ship: with cords and ropes, which they drew...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest,.... Sometimes being lifted up as it were to the heavens, and then presently sinking down, as if they were going into the bottom of the sea; such a condition at sea is described to the life by the Psalmist, in Psalms 107:25. the next day they lightened the ship; of its burden, its lading, the goods...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the third day,.... From the time this storm began, and this tempestuous weather held: we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship; by which seems to be meant their naval stores and instruments, as sails, ropes, cables, anchors, c. and yet we afterwards read of their anchors and main sail: it may be rendered, "the furniture of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared,.... The Syriac version adds, "nor moon"; which is an usual description of dark, cloudy, and tempestuous seasons; and which was not only uncomfortable to them, because they could not see these luminaries, and enjoy their beneficial light and influence; but because they had them not to guide and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But after long abstinence,.... From food, not for want of it, as appears from what follows, Acts 27:36 nor in a religious way, in order to obtain the favour of God; but either for want of appetite, and a nauseousness and loathing of food, through the tossing of the ship, fright at the storm, and fears of death; and chiefly for want of time, being...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer,.... To take heart and courage, and not be cast down, though things had been thus with them, and they were now in a very melancholy plight and condition. For there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship; the ship will be lost, but not one person in it: there will be a shipwreck, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For there stood by me this night the angel of God,.... One of the ministering, spirits that stand before God, and who was sent by him to the apostle; and appeared to him, either in a vision by a dream, or rather when he was awake, and stood by him, as he was praying for deliverance from the storm; for it is most likely that the apostle should be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Saying, fear not, Paul,.... For though the apostle knew and believed he should go to Rome, and appear before Caesar, to whom he had appealed, and where he should bear a testimony for Christ; and though he had previous notice of this storm, and of the loss and damage which should be sustained, and which he expected; yet the flesh was weak, and he...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer,.... Which he repeats with more fervency and earnestness, there being so much reason for it: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me: true faith lays hold and, settles upon the word and promises of God; and the true believer, knowing his power and faithfulness, firmly persuaded that there shall...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Howbeit, we must be cast upon a certain island. This circumstance is foretold, that when the whole affair should come to pass, it might be manifest that it was not a casual thing, a fortuitous event, a business of chance, but was predetermined by God, made known to the apostle, and predicted by him. This island was Melita; and the fulfilment of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But when the fourteenth night was come,.... From their setting out from the Fair Havens in Crete, or from the beginning of the storm: as they were driven up and down in Adria: or "in the Adriatic sea", as the Syriac version renders it: the Adriatic sea is now called by the Turks the gulf of Venice, and the straits of Venice, and sometimes the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And sounded,.... Or let down their plummet, or sounding line; which was a line with a piece of lead at the end of it, which they let down into the water, and by that means found what depth it was, by which they could judge whether they were near land or not. The sounding line, with the ancients, was called by different names; sometimes bolis, and...