Acts 27:20
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.
Original Language Analysis
μήτε
nor
G3383
μήτε
nor
Strong's:
G3383
Word #:
1 of 21
not too, i.e., (in continued negation) neither or nor; also, not even
μήτε
nor
G3383
μήτε
nor
Strong's:
G3383
Word #:
4 of 21
not too, i.e., (in continued negation) neither or nor; also, not even
ἄστρων
stars
G798
ἄστρων
stars
Strong's:
G798
Word #:
5 of 21
properly, a constellation; put for a single star (natural or artificial)
ἐπιφαινόντων
appeared
G2014
ἐπιφαινόντων
appeared
Strong's:
G2014
Word #:
6 of 21
to shine upon, i.e., become (literally) visible or (figuratively) known
ἐπὶ
in
G1909
ἐπὶ
in
Strong's:
G1909
Word #:
7 of 21
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e., over, upon, etc.; of re
πλείονας
many
G4119
πλείονας
many
Strong's:
G4119
Word #:
8 of 21
more in quantity, number, or quality; also (in plural) the major portion
ἡμέρας
days
G2250
ἡμέρας
days
Strong's:
G2250
Word #:
9 of 21
day, i.e., (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the jews as inclusive of
χειμῶνός
tempest
G5494
χειμῶνός
tempest
Strong's:
G5494
Word #:
10 of 21
akin to the base of 5490 through the idea of a channel), meaning a storm (as pouring rain); by implication, the rainy season, i.e., winter
ὀλίγου
small
G3641
ὀλίγου
small
Strong's:
G3641
Word #:
13 of 21
puny (in extent, degree, number, duration or value); especially neuter (adverbially) somewhat
περιῃρεῖτο
taken away
G4014
περιῃρεῖτο
taken away
Strong's:
G4014
Word #:
16 of 21
to remove all around, i.e., unveil, cast off (anchor); figuratively, to expiate
τοῦ
G3588
τοῦ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
19 of 21
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Cross References
Matthew 24:29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:Isaiah 57:10Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.Jeremiah 2:25Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.Ephesians 2:12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:1 Thessalonians 4:13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.Ezekiel 37:11Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.2 Corinthians 11:25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;Jonah 1:4But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
Historical Context
Ancient navigation depended entirely on sun and stars for position-reckoning. Multiple days of storm clouds meant the ship drifted blindly, potentially hundreds of miles off course. The Adriatic Sea (v. 27) had treacherous currents and hidden shoals. This historical detail validates Luke's account as genuine eyewitness testimony.
Questions for Reflection
- When has loss of 'celestial navigation'—God's apparent absence or unclear direction—led you to despair?
- How does human hopelessness create space for God's supernatural intervention and glory?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
When neither sun nor stars in many days appeared—Without celestial navigation, ancient sailors were utterly lost. The Greek epikeimenēs (lay on us) pictures the tempest's oppressive weight. All hope that we should be saved was then taken away (περιῃρεῖτο)—passive voice indicates hope was stripped from them by circumstances, not merely abandoned. This nadir of human despair sets the stage for God's intervention through Paul's angelic vision. The sailors' professional hopelessness makes Paul's subsequent prophecy more striking—divine revelation supersedes earthly expertise.