Acts 27:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

NIV: We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

NASB: and with difficulty sailing past it, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

CSB: With still more difficulty we sailed along the coast and came to a place called Fair Havens near the city of Lasea.

NLT: We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

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

NKJV: Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

Paul, Aristarchus, and Luke are on a ship headed for Rome. Paul and Aristarchus are prisoners in the custody of a Roman centurion who is taking them to trial in Caesar's court. Luke is along for the ride. They launched from the southwest coast of modern-day Turkey and are now hugging the southern coast of the island of Crete on the southern edge of the Aegean Sea. The winds have been against them the whole way (Acts 27:1–7).

The ship is likely an Alexandrian wheat ship. Rome requires around 175,000 tons, or about 160 million kilograms, of wheat each year. Most of this comes from Alexandria, Egypt. Wheat ships of Paul's era are up to 180 by 50 feet wide, or 55 by 15 meters, and almost as tall as they are wide. For reference, this is about the size of a large modern sea-going tugboat.

Despite the winds, they reach Fair Havens just past Lasea about halfway along the coast. Lasea has a good harbor to winter in, but Fair Havens doesn't. It's unclear why they don't go back to Lasea. Paul tells the officers of the ship and the centurion they should winter in Fair Havens, regardless. The owner of the ship and his pilot convince the centurion it's too dangerous; they would be better continuing west to the port at Phoenix (Acts 27:9–12). They never make it (Acts 27:41). They barely leave the port before the nor'easters drive them toward Libya. They barely miss the shallow reef there before the winds drive them northwest where they wreck on the coast of Malta.

The centurion does get his prisoners to Rome—by the grace of God—and learns to trust Paul along the way.

Acts 27:1–8 records the first leg of Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus's sea voyage to Rome. After two governors refused to give Paul justice, he appealed his case to Rome. The trio board at Caesarea Maritima under the custody of Julius, a centurion. After changing to a larger ship, the weather turns uncooperative in Myra and the winds blow the ship into a ferocious storm. Paul spends the voyage reassuring the passengers and encouraging the crew to make wise choices. They eventually crash on the island of Malta: the ship and cargo are destroyed, but everyone lives.

Acts 27 is an account of a famous sea voyage. Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus travel from Caesarea Maritima on their way to Rome. False charges and two years of imprisonment in Caesarea led Paul to appeal his case to a higher Roman court, and he is now on his way to that court. The chapter can be divided into seven paragraphs, alternating between descriptions of the sea voyage and Paul trying to keep everyone alive during a horrific storm. Eventually, they shipwreck on Malta. The ship and cargo are a complete loss, but no one dies.

Twice the Sanhedrin brought unfounded charges against Paul. In both cases, the ruling governor knew Paul was innocent but refused to let him go. Finally, Paul appealed his case to Caesar (Acts 24:22–27; 25:1–12). He, Luke, Aristarchus, and 273 others sail for Rome. But they shipwreck on a reef off the island of Malta. When they finally reach Rome, Paul will meet with Jewish leaders and tell them how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. Some will believe and some won't. This leads Paul to resolve, once again, to focus his efforts on the Gentiles (Acts 28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.