Acts 27:8
in Acts 27After we had moved along the coast with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and with difficulty coasting along it we came unto a certain place called Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
KJV
And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
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This verse in Acts 27
Commentary
8 notes on this verseWe came to a certain place, which is called Fair Havens. THESE Fair Havens, not THIS Fair Havens.
This site's exposition
the winds were contrary
on Acts 27:4-8
The winds were contrary, and every leg Luke logs matches the sailing conditions of the season: under the lee of Cyprus, along Cilicia and Pamphylia to Myra, where the centurion transfers them to a ship of Alexandria, a grain carrier on the Egypt-to-Rome run, the empire's bread route. Slow days against the wind bring them scarce over against Cnidus, then under Crete by Salmone, and hardly to a place called The fair havens near Lasea. James Smith's classic study of this chapter found every bearing and delay consistent with the winds of the Levant in late season, and the exposition reports the accuracy as the evidence lane's standing witness to an eyewitness log.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The Fair Havens still retain the name. But the city of Lasea is now utterly lost, together with many more of the hundred cities for which Crete was once so renowned.
And hardly passing it,....
It was a great while before they made the point of Cnidus, a port of Caria, and were forced to sail under Crete, as before under Cyprus; much difficulty they met with in passing by Salmone, a promontory on the eastern shore of the island of Crete. Though the voyage hitherto was not tempestuous, yet it was very tedious.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The Fair Havens - This port still remains, and is known by the same name; it was situated towards the northern extremity of the island. Was the city of Lasea - There is no city of this name now remaining: the Codex Alexandrinus reads Αλασσα, Alassa; probably Lysia, near the port of Gortyna, to the eastward.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But for unforeseen delays they might have reached the Italian coast before the stormy season. and when sailing--the navigation of the open sea. was now dangerous, because the fast was now . . . past--that of the day of atonement, answering to the end of September and beginning of October, about which time the navigation is pronounced unsafe by writers of authority.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And, hardly passing it - Scarcely being able to pass by it without being wrecked. Being almost driven on it. They passed round the east end of the island because they had been unable to sail directly forward between the island and the mainland, The fair havens - This was on the southeastern part of the island of Crete. It was probably not so much a harbor as an open roadstead, which afforded good anchorage for a time. It is called by Stephen, the geographer, “the fair shore.” It still retains the name which it formerly had. It is called in ancient Dutch and French Sailing Directions “the beautiful bay.” Nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea - There was no town or city at the “Fair Havens,” but the city of Lasea seems to have been well known, and it is mentioned here to identify the place.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| μόλις | molis | With difficulty | G3433 → | 6 times |
| τε | te | and | G5037 → | 213 times |
| παραλεγόμενοι | paralegomenoi | coasting along | G3881 → | |
| αὐτὴν | auten | it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἤλθομεν | elthomen | we came | G2064 → | 628 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τόπον | topon | a place | G5117 → | 94 times |
| τινὰ | tina | certain | G5100 → | 528 times |
| καλούμενον | kaloumenon | being called | G2564 → | 147 times |
| Καλοὺς | kalous | Fair | G2570 → | |
| λιμένας, | limenas | Havens, | G3040 → | 3 times |
| ᾧ | ho | to which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐγγὺς | engus | near | G1451 → | 30 times |
| πόλις | polis | [the] city | G4172 → | 163 times |
| ἦν | en | was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| Λασαία. | lasaia | of Lasea. | G2996 → |
μόλιςWith difficulty
molisG3433 →6 times
τεand
teG5037 →213 times
παραλεγόμενοιcoasting along
paralegomenoiG3881 →
αὐτὴνit
autenG846 →5565 times
ἤλθομενwe came
elthomenG2064 →628 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τόπονa place
toponG5117 →94 times
τινὰcertain
tinaG5100 →528 times
καλούμενονbeing called
kaloumenonG2564 →147 times
ΚαλοὺςFair
kalousG2570 →
λιμένας,Havens,
limenasG3040 →3 times
ᾧto which
hoG3739 →1405 times
ἐγγὺςnear
engusG1451 →30 times
πόλις[the] city
polisG4172 →163 times
ἦνwas
enG1510 →2333 times
Λασαία.of Lasea.
lasaiaG2996 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Retractions on Acts; James Smith, The Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.