The Meaning of Acts 28:13 Explained

Acts 28:13

KJV: And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:

YLT: thence having gone round, we came to Rhegium, and after one day, a south wind having sprung up, the second day we came to Puteoli;

Darby: Whence, going in a circuitous course, we arrived at Rhegium; and after one day, the wind having changed to south, on the second day we came to Puteoli,

ASV: And from thence we made a circuit, and arrived at Rhegium: and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And from thence  we fetched a compass,  and came  to  Rhegium:  and  after  one  day  the south wind  blew,  and we came  the next day  to  Puteoli: 

What does Acts 28:13 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The site of Rhegium (modern Reggio di Calabria) was near the tip of the "toe" of Italy"s "boot" opposite Sicily, about75 miles from Syracuse. It, too, was an important harbor. Puteoli (Modern Pozzuoli) stood about200 miles farther north on the "shin" of the "boot." Its site occupied the most protected part of the bay of Naples. It was a very large port and the final destination of many Egyptian wheat ships at that time. There dock-hands unloaded the cargo.

Context Summary

Acts 28:11-20 - Still Seeking His Own Kinsmen
Paul went toward Rome, as we have seen, under very different circumstances from those that he originally anticipated; but, after all, they gave him the greatest opportunity of his life. The things that befell him were for the furtherance of the gospel. In no other way could he have approached or touched such men as the centurion, or the members of Caesar's household, or Publius, or Nero himself.
It was very good of Julius to give Paul seven days' rest in the lovely bay of Puteoli, at the foot of Vesuvius. The little towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were not yet overwhelmed. What teaching and what happy fellowship the little church now enjoyed! Forty-three miles from Rome, at Appii Forum, a body of Christians awaited the Apostle with greetings, and ten miles farther on, at the Three Taverns, was another group. If Paul had entertained fears about his reception, they were immediately dispelled. The Apostle thanked God and took courage.
How he had longed to see mighty Rome! He was now allowed to live in his own house, chained to a soldier. In these circumstances he was secure from the hatred and plottings of the Jews, who in every city had endangered his life and impeded his labors. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 28

1  Paul, after his shipwreck, is kindly entertained on Malta
5  The snake on his hand hurts him not
8  He heals many diseases in the island
11  They depart toward Rome
17  He declares to the Jews the cause of his coming
24  After his preaching some were persuaded, and some believed not
30  Yet he preaches there two years

Greek Commentary for Acts 28:13

We made a circuit [περιελτοντες]
Second aorist active of περιερχομαι — perierchomai to go around, old verb, already in Acts 19:13. See also Hebrews 11:37; 1 Timothy 5:13. But Westcott and Hort read περιελοντες — perielontes after Aleph B (from περιαιρεω — periaireō) as in Acts 27:40, though here it could only mean casting loose, for which no other authority exists. At any rate the ship had to tack to reach Rhegium and was not able to make a straight course (εντυδρομεω — enthudromeō Acts 16:11). [source]
Rhegium [ηγιον]
Genitive absolute again, and for all the world like that fatal south wind in Acts 27:13, but with no bad results this time, though the weather was plainly treacherous at this early season. On the second day This is the classical use of the predicate adjective, “We second day men” as in Luke 24:22; John 11:39; Philemon 3:5 instead of the adverb (Robertson, Grammar, p. 657). To Puteoli (εις Ποτιολους — eis Potiolous). It was 182 miles from Rhegium and would require 26 hours (Page). It was eight miles northwest from Neapolis (Naples) and the chief port of Rome, the regular harbour for the Alexandrian ships from Rome. Portions of the great mole are said to be still visible. [source]
A south wind sprang up [επιγενομενου νοτου]
Genitive absolute again, and for all the world like that fatal south wind in Acts 27:13, but with no bad results this time, though the weather was plainly treacherous at this early season. [source]
On the second day [δευτεραιοι]
This is the classical use of the predicate adjective, “We second day men” as in Luke 24:22; John 11:39; Philemon 3:5 instead of the adverb (Robertson, Grammar, p. 657). To Puteoli (εις Ποτιολους — eis Potiolous). It was 182 miles from Rhegium and would require 26 hours (Page). It was eight miles northwest from Neapolis (Naples) and the chief port of Rome, the regular harbour for the Alexandrian ships from Rome. Portions of the great mole are said to be still visible. [source]
To Puteoli [εις Ποτιολους]
It was 182 miles from Rhegium and would require 26 hours (Page). It was eight miles northwest from Neapolis (Naples) and the chief port of Rome, the regular harbour for the Alexandrian ships from Rome. Portions of the great mole are said to be still visible. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 28:13

John 11:39 He hath been dead four days [τεταρταῖος ἐστιν]
A peculiar Greek idiom. He is a fourth-day man. So Acts 28:13, after one day: literally, being second-day men, The common Jewish idea was that the soul hovered about the body until the third day, when corruption began, and it took its flight. [source]
John 11:39 Take ye away the stone [αρατε τον λιτον]
First aorist active imperative of αιρω — airō They could do this much without the exercise of Christ‘s divine power. It was a startling command to them. By this time he stinketh Present active indicative of old verb, here only in N.T. (cf. Exodus 8:14). It means to give out an odour, either good or bad. For he hath been dead four days The Greek simply says, “For he is a fourth-day man.” It is an old ordinal numeral from τεταρτος — tetartos (fourth). Herodotus (ii. 89) has τεταρταιος γενεσται — tetartaios genesthai of one four days dead as here. The word is only here in the N.T. The same idiom occurs in Acts 28:13 with δευτεραιοι — deuteraioi (second-day men). Lightfoot (Hor. Hebr.) quotes a Jewish tradition (Beresh. Rabba) to the effect that the soul hovers around the tomb for three days hoping to return to the body, but on the fourth day leaves it. But there is no suggestion here that Martha held that notion. Her protest is a natural one in spite of her strong faith in John 11:22-27. [source]
Acts 20:6 In five days [αχρι ημερων πεντε]
Up to five days (cf. Luke 2:37). D has πεμπταιοι — pemptaioi “fifth day men,” a correct gloss. Cf. δευτεραιοι — deuteraioi second-day men (Acts 28:13). In Acts 16:11 they made the voyage in two days. Probably adverse winds held them back here. Seven days (επτα ημερας — hepta hēmeras). To atone for the short stay in Troas before (2 Corinthians 2:12.) when Paul was so restless. Now he preaches a week to them. [source]
Acts 26:19 Wherefore [οτεν]
This relatival adverb (cf. Acts 14:26; Acts 28:13) gathers up all that Paul has said. [source]
2 Corinthians 3:16 The veil is taken away [περιαιρειται το καλυμμα]
Present passive indicative of περιαιρεω — periaireō old verb, to take from around, as of anchors (Acts 27:40), to cut loose (Acts 28:13), for hope to be taken away (Acts 27:20). Here Paul has in mind Exodus 34:34 where we find of Moses that περιηιρειτο το καλυμμα — periēireito to kalumma (the veil was taken from around his face) whenever he went before the Lord. After the ceremony the veil is taken from around (περι — peri̇) the face of the bride. [source]
Philippians 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day [περιτομῇ ὀκταήμερος]
Lit., eight days old in circumcision; or passing the eighth day. For the idiom, see on John 11:39, and compare Acts 28:13. Converts to Judaism were circumcised in maturity: Ishmaelites in their thirteenth year. He was thus shown to be neither a heathen nor an Ishmaelite. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 28:13 mean?

from where having gone around we arrived at Rhegium And after one day having come on a south wind on the second day we came to Puteoli
ὅθεν περιελόντες κατηντήσαμεν εἰς Ῥήγιον καὶ μετὰ μίαν ἡμέραν ἐπιγενομένου νότου δευτεραῖοι ἤλθομεν εἰς Ποτιόλους

ὅθεν  from  where 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὅθεν  
Sense: from which, whence.
περιελόντες  having  gone  around 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: περιαιρέω  
Sense: to take away that which surrounds or envelopes a thing.
κατηντήσαμεν  we  arrived 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: καταντάω  
Sense: to come to, arrive.
εἰς  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
Ῥήγιον  Rhegium 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: Ῥήγιον  
Sense: an Italian town situated on the Bruttian coast, just at the southern entrance of the Straits of Messina.
μετὰ  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: μετά  
Sense: with, after, behind.
μίαν  one 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
ἡμέραν  day 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
ἐπιγενομένου  having  come  on 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἐπιγίνομαι  
Sense: to become or happen afterwards.
νότου  a  south  wind 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: νότος  
Sense: the south wind.
δευτεραῖοι  on  the  second  day 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: δευτεραῖος  
Sense: of or belonging to the second.
ἤλθομεν  we  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
Ποτιόλους  Puteoli 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: Ποτίολοι  
Sense: a city of Campania, in Italy, situated on the Bay of Naples.

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