Acts 27:12
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on, if somehow they could reach Phoenix to winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete facing both southwest and northwest.

Berean Literal Bible
And the harbor being unsuitable to winter in, the majority reached a decision to set sail from there, if somehow they might be able, having arrived at Phoenix--a harbor of Crete looking toward the southwest and toward the northwest--to winter there.

King James Bible
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 King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
The harbor was not suitable for wintering, so the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

NASB 1995
Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

NASB 1977
And because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

Legacy Standard Bible
And because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to set sail from there, if somehow they could arrive at Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, to spend the winter there.

Amplified Bible
Because the harbor was not well situated for wintering, the majority [of the sailors] decided to put to sea from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

Christian Standard Bible
Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to set sail from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor on Crete facing the southwest and northwest, and to winter there.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to set sail from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor on Crete open to the southwest and northwest, and to winter there.

American Standard Version
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to put to sea from thence, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there; which is a haven of Crete, looking north-east and south-east.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And because it was not suitable to winter in that port, many of us wanted to journey from there, and if it was possible for us, to arrive and to winter in a certain port which was in Crete, called Phoenix; and it faces toward the south.

Contemporary English Version
The harbor at Fair Havens wasn't a good place to spend the winter. Because of this, almost everyone agreed that we should at least try to sail along the coast of Crete as far as Phoenix. It had a harbor that opened toward the southwest and northwest, and we could spend the winter there.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And whereas it was not a commodious haven to winter in, the greatest part gave counsel to sail thence, if by any means they might reach Phenice to winter there, which is a haven of Crete, looking towards the southwest and northwest.

English Revised Version
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to put to sea from thence, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there; which is a haven of Crete, looking north-east and south-east.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Since the harbor was not a good place to spend the winter, most of the men decided to sail from there. They hoped to reach the city of Phoenix somehow and spend the winter there. (Phoenix is a harbor that faces the southwest and northwest winds and is located on the island of Crete.)

Good News Translation
The harbor was not a good one to spend the winter in; so almost everyone was in favor of putting out to sea and trying to reach Phoenix, if possible, in order to spend the winter there. Phoenix is a harbor in Crete that faces southwest and northwest.

International Standard Version
Since the harbor was not a good place to spend the winter, most of the men favored putting out to sea from there on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix and spend the winter there. It is a Cretian harbor that faces southwest and northwest.

Literal Standard Version
and the haven being not well placed to winter in, the greater part gave counsel to sail from there, if somehow they might be able, having attained to Phoenix, to winter [there], [which is] a haven of Crete, looking to the southwest and northwest,

Majority Standard Bible
Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on, if somehow they could reach Phoenix to winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete facing both southwest and northwest.

New American Bible
Since the harbor was unfavorably situated for spending the winter, the majority planned to put out to sea from there in the hope of reaching Phoenix, a port in Crete facing west-northwest, there to spend the winter.

NET Bible
Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there. They hoped that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

New Revised Standard Version
Since the harbor was not suitable for spending the winter, the majority was in favor of putting to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, where they could spend the winter. It was a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest.

New Heart English Bible
Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking northeast and southeast.

Webster's Bible Translation
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the greater part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is a haven of Crete, and lieth towards the south-west and north-west.

Weymouth New Testament
and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a harbour on the coast of Crete facing north-east and south-east--to winter there.

World English Bible
Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking southwest and northwest.

Young's Literal Translation
and the haven being incommodious to winter in, the more part gave counsel to sail thence also, if by any means they might be able, having attained to Phenice, there to winter, which is a haven of Crete, looking to the south-west and north-west,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul Sails for Rome
11But contrary to Paul’s advice, the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and by the owner of the ship. 12Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to sail on, if somehow they could reach Phoenix to winter there. Phoenix was a harbor in Crete facing both southwest and northwest. 13When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along, hugging the coast of Crete.…

Cross References
Acts 2:11
both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"

Acts 27:7
After sailing slowly for many days, we arrived off Cnidus. When the wind impeded us, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.

Acts 27:13
When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along, hugging the coast of Crete.

Acts 27:21
After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have averted this disaster and loss.

Titus 1:5
The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

Titus 1:12
As one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."


Treasury of Scripture

And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart there also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lies toward the south west and north west.

the haven.

Acts 27:8
And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

Psalm 107:30
Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Phenice.

Crete.

Acts 27:7
And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;

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Advised Attain Chance Coast Crete Decision Depart Facing Favour Harbor Harbour Haven Lieth Majority Means North-East Part Phenice Phoenix Port Putting Reach Reached Sea Somehow Southeast Suitable Thence Towards Try Whether Winter
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Advised Attain Chance Coast Crete Decision Depart Facing Favour Harbor Harbour Haven Lieth Majority Means North-East Part Phenice Phoenix Port Putting Reach Reached Sea Somehow Southeast Suitable Thence Towards Try Whether Winter
Acts 27
1. Paul shipping toward Rome,
10. foretells of the danger of the voyage,
11. but is not believed.
14. They are tossed to and fro by a storm;
41. and suffer shipwreck;
44. yet all come safe to land.














(12) And because the haven was not commodious to winter in . . .--The anchorage in the Fair Havens, while it gave immediate shelter from the north-west gales, was open to those from other points of the compass, and it was therefore decided by the majority (there would seem to have been something like a vote taken on the question) to press on and face the immediate risk for the sake of the more permanent advantages.

Phenice . . . which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.--The precise meaning of the phrase is that the harbour looked, as we say, down these winds, in the direction to which they blew--i.e., that it faced the north-east and south-east, the words used being the names, not of points of the compass, but of the winds which blew from them. The harbour so described has been identified with the modern Lutro, on the east of the promontory of Kavo Muros, which looks eastward, and so corresponds to the interpretation just given of the words that describe it. The harbour is named by Ptolemy (iii. 17) as Phoenikous, and a city named Phoenix lay a few miles inland. It is still used as a harbour by Greek pirates, and was marked as such in the French admiralty charts of 1738; but, owing to the silting up of the sand, has become unsuitable for larger vessels. An inscription of the time of Nerva, of the nature of a votive tablet to Jupiter and Serapis, found near the spot, records the fact that it was erected by Epictetus, the tabularius, or agent, of the fleet to which the ship belonged, with the assistance of Dionysius of Alexandria, the pilot (the same word as that which St. Luke uses) of a ship which had as its sign (the same word as in Acts 28:4) the Isopharia. It is a natural inference from this that the Alexandrian ship (we note the Egyptian element in the dedication to Serapis, and possibly in the connection of the sign with the Pharos, or lighthouse of Alexandria) had anchored, and possibly wintered, at Ph?nice, and that the tablet was a thank-offering for its preservation. (See Alford, Prolegomena.)

Verse 12. - Put to sea from thence for depart thence also, A.V. and T.R.; could reach Phoenix for might attain to Phenice, A.V.; winter there for there to winter, A.V.; a haven for an haven, A.V.; looking north-east and south-east for and lieth toward the south-west and north-west, A.V. Not commodious; ἀνευθέτου (not well placed, or disposed), only here. But the simple εὔθετος is used twice by St. Luke (Luke 9:62; Luke 14:35), in the sense of "fit" (also Hebrews 6:7), and is of frequent use in medical writers, for "convenient," "well adapted to," and the like. To put to sea (αναχθῆναι); see ver. 3, note. Reach; καταντῆσαι, only in the Acts (frequently) and in St. Paul's Epistles. It is generally, if not always, used of coming from the higher to the lower place, and from the sea to the land (see Acts 16:1; Acts 18:19, 24; Acts 20:15; Acts 21:7; Acts 28:13, etc.). Phoenix. It is variously written Phoenicus, Phoenice, and Phoenix; and probably derived its name from the palm tree, (φοῖνιξ), which is indigenous in Crete. It is identified with almost certainty with the modern Lutro or Loutro, which is both "an admirable harbor," situated exactly where Phoenice ought to be, and further by its proximity to a village called Aradhene, and another called Anopolis, shown to be the same as. Phoenix, or Phenice, which is described m ancient writers (Hierocles and Stephanus of Byzantium) as identical with or close to Aradhena and Anopolls (the upper city). Winter; παραχειμάσαι, so too Acts 28:11; 1 Corinthians 16:6; Titus 3:12, and παραχειμασία in this verse. It is found also in classical writers. Looking north-east and south-east. The margin of the R.V. has "Greek, down the southwest wind, and down the north-west." This phrase has caused considerable perplexity to commentators. To say, as a recommendation of a harbor for winter quarters, that it lies or looks toward the south-west and north-west, and consequently is exposed to the most furious winter storms, is obviously impossible. If Phoenix was open to the south-west and the north-west, it would not be as commodius a place to winter in as Fair Havens was which was sheltered by Cape Matala. Two methods, therefore, have been adopted of explaining the phrase so as to make it give a reasonable sense. One, that adopted by Dean Howson and Bishop Wordsworth, viz. that it looks southwest and north-west, from the point of view of the sailor, or any one approaching it from the sea, the object upon which it looks being the land which locks it in and shelters it. The other is that supported by Alford, and adopted by the R.V., and rests upon the observation that λίβς and χῶρος are not points or' the compass, but the names of the south-west and north-west winds, and that to look down (κατά) a wind is the same as looking down a stream. If the harbour looks down the south-west wind it looks toward the north-east, and if it looks down the north-west wind it looks toward the southeast. Its open side would be from northeast to south-east, it would be entirely sheltered on the south-west and north-west side. This is the explanation adopted also by Dean Plumptre. The south-west wind; λίψ, only here in the New Testament, but frequent in classical Greek and in the LXX. (see Psalm 78. [82, Septuagint] 26). As a point of the compass, it is the rendering of נֶגֶב (Genesis 13:14, etc.), תֵימָן (Numbers 2:10, etc.), of דָרום (Deuteronomy 33:23). The north-west wind; χῶρος (the Latin Caurus or Corus), only here in the New Testament, and not found in Greek writers.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Since
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

harbor
λιμένος (limenos)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3040: A harbor, port, haven. Apparently a primary word; a harbor.

was
ὑπάρχοντος (hyparchontos)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5225: To begin, am, exist, be in possession. From hupo and archomai; to begin under, i.e. Come into existence; expletively, to exist (verb).

unsuitable
ἀνευθέτου (aneuthetou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 428: Unfitted, unsuitable, inconvenient, not well placed. Not well set, i.e. Inconvenient.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

winter in,
παραχειμασίαν (paracheimasian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3915: Wintering, spending the winter. From paracheimazo; a wintering over.

the
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

majority
πλείονες (pleiones)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural - Comparative
Strong's 4119: Or neuter pleion, or pleon comparative of polus; more in quantity, number, or quality; also the major portion.

decided
βουλὴν (boulēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1012: Counsel, deliberate wisdom, decree. From boulomai; volition, i.e. advice, or purpose.

to sail
ἀναχθῆναι (anachthēnai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive
Strong's 321: From ana and ago; to lead up; by extension to bring out; specially, to sail away.

on,
ἐκεῖθεν (ekeithen)
Adverb
Strong's 1564: Thence, from that place. From ekei; thence.

if
εἴ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

somehow
πως (pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

they could
δύναιντο (dynainto)
Verb - Present Optative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

reach
καταντήσαντες (katantēsantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2658: From kata and a derivative of anti; to meet against, i.e. Arrive at.

Phoenix
Φοίνικα (Phoinika)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5405: Phoenix, a bay on the south coast of Crete. Probably the same as phoinix; Phoenix, a place in Crete.

to winter [there].
παραχειμάσαι (paracheimasai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 3914: To pass the winter. From para and cheimazo; to winter near, i.e. Stay with over the rainy season.

[Phoenix was] a harbor
λιμένα (limena)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3040: A harbor, port, haven. Apparently a primary word; a harbor.

in Crete
Κρήτης (Krētēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2914: Crete. Of uncertain derivation; Crete, an island in the Mediterranean.

facing
βλέποντα (bleponta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

[both]
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

southwest
λίβα (liba)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3047: Probably from leibo; the south(- west) wind (as bringing rain, i.e. the south quarter).

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

northwest.
χῶρον (chōron)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5566: The north-west wind, and the quarter of the sky from which it comes. Of Latin origin; the north-west wind.


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NT Apostles: Acts 27:12 Because the haven was not suitable (Acts of the Apostles Ac)
Acts 27:11
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