Acts 27:13

13 And when the south blew, they guessed them to hold purpose; and when they had removed from Assos, they sailed to Crete. [Soothly the south blowing, they guessing them to hold purpose, when they had taken up from Assos, sailed to Crete.]

Acts 27:13 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 27:13

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 of Troas, mentioned in ( Acts 20:13 ) which was many miles from hence; rather Asum, a town in Crete, of which Pliny ^F18 makes mention, though, according to him, it seems to be an inland town; wherefore it is best to take the word (asson) , to be an adverb, and render it "thence", as we do; or join it with the next word, and render it,

they came near, or they sailed close by Crete;
along the shore, the wind favouring them, that they were in no danger of being dashed upon it, it being a soft gentle wind.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Nat. Hist. l. 4. c. 12.

Acts 27:13 In-Context

11 But the centurion believed more to the governor, and to the lord of the ship, than to these things that were said of Paul.

12 And when the haven was not able to dwell in winter, full many ordained counsel to sail from thence, if on any manner they might come to Phenice, to dwell in winter at the haven of Crete [+And when the haven was not able to dwell in winter, full many ordained counsel to sail thence, if in any manner they might come to Phenice, to wintern in the haven of Crete], which beholdeth to Africa, or south west, and to Corum, or north west.

13 And when the south blew, they guessed them to hold purpose; and when they had removed from Assos, they sailed to Crete. [Soothly the south blowing, they guessing them to hold purpose, when they had taken up from Assos, sailed to Crete.]

14 And not after much [time], the wind Tifonyk, that is called north east, was against it. [+Soothly not after much time, the wind Tifonyk, that is called north east, or wind of tempest, sent him against it.]

15 And when the ship was snatched, and might not endeavour against the wind, when the ship was given to the blowings of the wind, we were borne [And when the ship was snatched, and might not endeavour into the wind, the ship given to blowings, we were borne.]