Acts 27:9

Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous ¹  because the fast ²  was already over, ³  Paul advised them, ⁴ 

Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them,

When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them,

We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for long voyages by then because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it.

By this time we had lost a lot of time. We had passed the autumn equinox, so it would be stormy weather from now on through the winter, too dangerous for sailing. Paul warned,

And as a long time had gone by, and the journey was now full of danger, because it was late in the year, Paul put the position before them,

Since much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous, because even the Fast had already gone by, Paul advised them,

Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them,

Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous ¹  because the fast ²  was already over, ³  Paul advised them, ⁴ 

¹ tn Or “unsafe” (BDAG 383 s.v. ἐπισφαλής). The term is a NT hapax legomenon.

² sn The fast refers to the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. It was now into October and the dangerous winter winds would soon occur (Suetonius, Life of Claudius 18; Josephus, J. W. 1.14.2-3 [1.279-281]).

³ tn The accusative articular infinitive παρεληλυθέναι (parelhluqenai) after the preposition διά (dia) is causal. BDAG 776 s.v. παρέρχομαι 2 has “διὰ τὸ τὴν νηστείαν ἤδη παρεληλυθέναι because the fast was already over Ac 27:9.”

⁴ tn Grk “Paul advised, saying to them.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated. On the term translated “advised,” see BDAG 764 s.v. παραινέω, which usually refers to recommendations.

sn Paul advised them. A literary theme surfaces here: Though Paul is under arrest, he will be the one to guide them all through the dangers of the storm and shipwreck, showing clearly God’s presence and protection of him. The story is told in great detail. This literary effect of slowing down the passage of time and narrating with many details serves to add a sense of drama to the events described.