New Living Translation
Acts 27:12
12And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure.
Acts 27:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
- New International Version (NIV)Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there.
Context of Acts 27:12
10“Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” 11But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure. 13When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. 14But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea.
Read all of Acts 27Acts 27:12 word by word
Ἀνευθέτου δὲ τοῦ λιμένος ὑπάρχοντος πρὸς παραχειμασίαν οἱ πλείονες ἔθεντο βουλὴν ἀναχθῆναι ἐκεῖθεν, εἴ πως δύναιντο καταντήσαντες εἰς Φοίνικα παραχειμάσαι λιμένα τῆς Κρήτης βλέποντα κατὰ λίβα καὶ κατὰ χῶρον.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- because the havenλιμήνlimēn · HavensG3040
- wasὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
- not commodiousἀνεύθετοςaneuthetos · unsuitableG428
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- winter inπαραχειμασίαparacheimasia · winteringG3915
- the more partπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
- advisedτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
- ·βουλήboulē · planG1012
- to departἀνάγωanagō · to leadG321
- thence alsoκἀκεῖθενkakeithen · and from thereG2547
- if by any meansεἴπωςei pōs · if somehowG1513
- they mightδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- attainκαταντάωkatantaō · to come toG2658
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- PheniceΦοῖνιξPhoinix · PhoenixG5405
- to winterπαραχειμάζωparacheimazō · to winterG3914
- of CreteΚρήτηKrētē · CreteG2914
- and liethβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
- towardκατάkata · according toG2596
- the south westλίψlips · southwestG3047
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- north westχῶροςchōros · northwestG5566
Cross-references for Acts 27:12
- Acts 27:8We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
- Psalms 107:30What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor!
- Acts 27:7We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone.
Commentaries on Acts 27:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Might attain to Phoenice - It appears that the Fair Havens were at the eastern end of the island, and they wished to reach Phoenice, which lay farther towards the west. Toward the south-west and north-west - . The libs certainly means the south-west, called libs, from Libya, from which it blows to. wards the Aegean Sea. The chorus, or caurus, means a north-west wind. Virgil mentions this, Geor. iii. ver. 356. Semper hyems, semper spirantes frigora cauri…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The haven - The fair havens, Acts 27:8. Was not commodious to winter in - Not safe or convenient to remain there. Probably it furnished rather a safe anchorage ground in time of a storm than a convenient place for a permanent harbor. The more part - The greater part of the crew. To Phenice - In the original this is Phoenix - ͂ FoinixSo it is written by Strabo. The name was probably derived from the palmtrees which were common in Crete. This was a port or…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-20Verses 12-20 Those who launch forth on the ocean of this world, with a fair gale, know not what storms they may meet with; and therefore must not easily take it for granted that they have obtained their purpose. Let us never expect to be quite safe till we enter heaven. They saw neither sun nor stars for many days. Thus melancholy sometimes is the condition of the people of God as to their spiritual matters; they walk in darkness, and have no light. See…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12The winds from the southeast made Fair Havens not a safe harbor for winter. Phoenix, a town further up the coast of Crete, offered a better harbor.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Phenice--"Phenix," now called Lutro. which lieth toward the southwest and northwest--If this means that it was open to the west, it would certainly not be good anchorage! It is thought therefore to mean that a wind from that quarter would lead into it, or that it lay in an easterly direction from such a wind [Smith]. Ac 27:13 seems to confirm this.Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 27:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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