Acts 28:11

Modern

After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered in the island. It had the Twin Brothers as a figurehead.

Traditional

And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.

Literal

And after three months, we sailed in an Alexandrian ship having wintered in the island, with a figurehead of the Dioscuri.

Latin

Post menses autem tres navigavimus in navi Alexandrina, quæ in insula hiemaverat, cui erat insigne Castorum.

Greek

English

After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered in the island. It had the Twin Brothers as a figurehead.

Another Egyptian ship from Alexandria took Paul and his companions on board after an interval of three months and the worst of the winter had passed.

Luke was on this journey and described Paul's route from Malta to Rome with great geographical detail (see study note on 27:1–28:16).

The graphic language describing sailing in the story of Paul's journey to Rome provides one of the best accounts of an ancient sea journey.
This is the last "we" section in Acts (see also 16:10–17; 20:5–15; 21:1–18). During Paul's two years of imprisonment, Luke probably researched his gospel throughout Judea and Galilee. Here, as part of Paul's sailing group, he had a personal witness of the dangers at sea.

Theme notes and profiles

Acts 27:6
There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board.
1 Corinthians 8:4
So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.
Isaiah 45:20
Come, gather together, and draw near, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry idols of wood and pray to a god that cannot save.
Jonah 1:5
The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
Acts 6:9
But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They disputed with Stephen,
Jonah 1:16
Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to Him.

Alexandria: A major city in Egypt