Acts 27:10, commentary and pictures

The verse belongs to Paul's long and difficult voyage as a prisoner to Italy, to Rome, under the charge of the centurion Julius, with Aristarchus traveling with him. The sea voyage was directed by God for a special purpose, fulfilling the revelation that Paul must go to Jerusalem to be bound and suffer for the name of Jesus, and though a prisoner for a long time his bonds advanced the spreading of the knowledge of Christ and the glorifying of God. God designed that the crew would witness His power through Paul, that the heathen would hear the name of Jesus, and that many would be converted through his teaching and the miracles they saw. The danger in the warning was real because sea travel then depended largely on the sun and stars for navigation, signs of storm made shipowners wary of open water, and for part of the year safe navigation was almost impossible.

The warning was given when winter was drawing near and sailing had become dangerous, after hope of reaching the destination before sea travel closed for the year was gone, leaving only whether to remain at Fair Havens or seek a better place to winter. The centurion had referred the decision to Paul because he had won the respect of the sailors and soldiers. In the verse Paul unhesitatingly counsels staying and wintering at Fair Havens, perceiving that to sail on would bring injury and great loss and danger, not only to the cargo and ship but also to the lives aboard. He warned that continuing the voyage would bring serious loss and danger to human life as well as damage to the cargo and ship.

The counsel was rejected by the master and owner of the ship and by the majority of the passengers, crew, and company. Fair Havens was not suitable to winter in, and they wanted to risk sailing to Phenice, a harbor of Crete, as a more sheltered place to winter.