Acts 21:3

Thursday, 12 October 2023

When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. Acts 21:3

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The Greek reads, “And having sighted Cyprus, and having disregarded it on the left, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre. For there the ship was to be unloading the cargo” (CG).

The previous verse noted that the missionaries found a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, so they boarded it. That continues with, “And having sighted Cyprus.”

Luke, proving himself to be a marvelous chronicler, uses a technical term, anaphainó, to describe the sighting of Cyprus. This is a nautical term that means to appear, or literally "to bring to light." The only other time the word is used is in Luke 19:11 in relation to the appearing of the kingdom of God.

With the island having been sighted, the sailors would then be able to fix their minds more perfectly on the route they were taking. Because of the limited technology of the time, navigation in those days was much more of a feel and less precise than it is today. Having sighted the island, it next says, “and having disregarded it on the left.”

The word is kataleipó. It means to leave, desert, abandon, etc. As the ship was bound for Phoenicia, a stop at Cyprus was not part of the plans. Therefore, they disregarded it as they passed it to their left. This means that they were in the open ocean rather than the channel that runs between Cyprus and the mainland. 

As Paul passed, he probably reflected on the many people and events that he had come to know when he was there. He traveled there with Barnabas, met with Sergius Paulus, and was empowered to blind Elymas, the sorcerer, while there (see Acts 13). As his name Paul (Greek Paulus) was probably taken after having met with and converted Sergius Paulus to Christ, passing Cyprus may have opened a flood of other memories of his travels since then. After having passed by Cyprus, Luke next records, “we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre.”

It is reckoned that the journey, if having fair winds, would have taken about 48 hours from the departure from Patara. Tyre was an important trading city, having two harbors. The Pulpit Commentary notes that the harbors, one north and one south of the causeway, connected the island with the mainland. Luke next notes, “For there the ship was to be unloading the cargo.”

The word translated as “unloading” is found only here in Scripture, apophortizomai. It comes from apo (away) and phortizó (to load). Thus, it is the opposite of loading. They are taking away what they have brought and would then load up with other cargo for the next part of their travels. As will be seen, the ship will remain in port for about a week.

Life application: The KJV, following the Geneva Bible, says they “discovered Cyprus.” The word no longer carries the same sense it once did. Someone picking up such an archaic version might think these hearty missionaries were the first to know of the existence of the island. This is another good reason to read multiple translations. Words come into use and fall out of use quickly.

Translations that are more than one hundred or even fifty years old may have words that are no longer used, or the meaning may have changed so drastically that it is hard to know exactly what is being conveyed. Thus, a false sense of doctrine may arise.

Going back to the time of the KJV (1611) or the Geneva Bible (1587), the reader will have almost no idea what is being conveyed in many passages. For example, the Geneva rendering of this verse says –

“And whe we had discouered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, & sailed toward Syria, and arriued at Tyrus: for there the ship vnladed ye burden.”

The versions of the KJV that are used today are not close to the original 1611 version, but even they are often difficult to read. For example, the KJV revisions include the following years for the Cambridge edition: 1629, 1638, 1760, 1873, and 1900. The Oxford Edition is from 1769. Therefore, the most recent Oxford KJV is almost 250 years old. The most recent Cambridge edition is over 120 years old. A lot of change has come into the language since then.

Don’t be afraid to check out new versions, but when you do, be sure to read the preface and find out why they have made translational choices, what the intent of their translation is, and – if possible – check out the person or body that made the translation. There may be a doctrinal bias that you want to avoid with some translations.

Lord God, give us wisdom in searching out Your word. Help us to find translations that are faithful to the original and that are not following some perverse agenda that is intended to draw us away from the grace You have revealed in the giving of Your Son. Thank You for Jesus Christ and the grace found in Him! Amen.