What does Acts 27:20 mean?
ESV: When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
NIV: When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
NASB: Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was slowly abandoned.
CSB: For many days neither sun nor stars appeared, and the severe storm kept raging. Finally all hope was fading that we would be saved.
NLT: The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.
KJV: And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
NKJV: Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.
Verse Commentary:
Luke, Paul, and Aristarchus are on a ship. They are travelling along with the ship's owner and crew, a centurion, several soldiers, and enough passengers to add up to 276 people. They tried to make for a harbor sheltered enough to spend the winter, but shifting winds blew them into a full-force gale (Acts 27:6, 12–15, 37).

They think they're headed for the Gulf of Syrtis off the coast of Libya, but they can't see the sun or stars to give them an idea of their direction. Magnetic compasses won't be invented, by China, for another 800 years. The gulf is well-known for shallow sandbars that trap ships far from shore. If they get stuck, the waves will tear the ship apart—and everyone on board will drown in the maelstrom. The sailors have already thrown the rigging and some of the cargo overboard; there's not much else they can do (Acts 27:16–19).

Luke's account of the sea voyage alternates between the details of the journey and Paul's responses. The time is ripe for Paul to act. He told the captain and pilot not to leave Fair Havens, but when the centurion dismissed his suggestion, there was nothing else Paul could do (Acts 27:9–11). Before they left, he told them choosing to leave would probably cost them the ship, the cargo, and all the lives onboard. In the next verse, Paul steps up, gives them an "I told you so," and then gives them hope (Acts 27:21–26).

Paul has apparently been praying. An angel appears to him and says, "God has granted you all those who sail with you" (Acts 27:24). They will lose the ship and cargo, but not before the winds shift again and drive them closer to Rome. The centurion starts trusting Paul's judgment. Before they reach land, the military commander will even save Paul's life (Acts 27:30–32, 42–43).
Verse Context:
Acts 27:13–20 switches Luke's narrative back from Paul to the sea voyage. Paul, Aristarchus, and Luke are on a ship for Rome, but the winds keep pushing them south. They've reached a harbor to wait out the winter and Paul wants to stay. The crew refuses. They set sail and promptly hit a powerful wind which pushes them into a typhoon-like winter storm. The sailors do what they can to stay afloat, but the storm rages for days. The passengers and crew lose hope, but Paul doesn't (Acts 23:11).
Chapter Summary:
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.
Chapter Context:
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).
Book Summary:
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.
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