SEV Biblia, Chapter 28:13
De allí, costeando alrededor, vinimos a Regio; y otro día despus, soplando el austro, vinimos al segundo día a Puteoli,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 28:13
Verse 13. We fetched a compass] oqen perielqontev, Whence we coasted about. This will appear evident, when the coast of Sicily is viewed on any correct map, of a tolerably large scale. Rhegium] A city and promontory in Calabria, in Italy, opposite to Sicily. It is now called Reggio. It had its name, rhgion, Rhegium, from the Greek rhgnumi, to break off; because it appears to have been broken off from Sicily.
The south wind blew] This was the fairest wind they could have from Syracuse, to reach the straits of Rhegium.
The next day to Puteoli] This place, now commonly called Pozzuoli, is an ancient town of Naples in the Terra di Lavoro; and is supposed to have been founded by the Samians, about 470 years before Christ. Within this city are several warm baths, very highly celebrated; and from these, and its springs in general, it seems to have had its ancient name Puteoli, from PUTEI, wells or pits; though some derive it from putor, a stench, or bad smell, because of the sulphureous exhalations from its warm waters. Varro gives both these etymologies, lib. iv. de Ling. Lat. cap. 5. It is famous for its temple of Jupiter Serapis, which is built, not according to the Grecian or Roman manner, but according to the Asiatic. Near this place are the remains of Cicero's villa, which are of great extent. The town contains, at present, about 10,000 inhabitants. Long. 14. 40'. E., lat. 41. 50'. N.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. And from thence we fetched a compass , etc.] About the isle of Sicily, from Syracuse to Pachinus, the promontory of the island: and came to Rhegium ; a city in Calabria, called by Ptolomy Regium Julium; it was built, as Solinus says, by the Chalcidensians, and was formerly a city of the Brutians f1354 ; it is now called Reggio: it is said to have its name from its being broken off from the main continent, for it lies in the straits of Sicily; and formerly Sicily was joined to Italy, but was separated from it by the violence of the sea at this place: and after one day the south wind blew ; they stayed one day at Rhegium, and when they departed from thence, they had a south wind, which was favourable to them: whether the apostle preached here, or no, is not certain, since his stay was so short; some Popish writers tell some idle stories about the apostles preaching; how that the fishes came to the shore to hear him; that the grasshoppers were commanded by him to be silent, and have never been seen in that place since; that a stone pillar was set on fire by the flame of a candle, by which miracle the inhabitants present were converted and baptized; and one Stephen, that was in company, was made by him their first bishop: but in ecclesiastical history we meet with no account of any church in this place, until the fifth century; when the bishop of it, with others, subscribed a letter of Leo the First, sent into the east; and about the year 440, there was a synod of thirteen bishops convened in this place, on account of a certain ordination; and in the seventh century, a bishop of the church at Rhegium was present in the sixth council at Constantinople; in the eighth, Constantine, bishop of Rhegium, was in the Nicene synod f1356 : and we came the next day to Puteoli ; the Syriac version adds, a city of Italy; it was formerly called Dicearchia f1357 , from the strict justice used in the government of it: it had its name of Puteoli, either a putore, from the rankness and ill smell of the waters of it, through the sulphur and alum in them; or a puteis, from the wells about it, the waters of which, by Pausanias, are said to be so hot, as in time to melt the leaden pipes through which they flow, who calls it a town of the Tyrrhenians; by Pliny it is placed in Campania, and so Jerom says, Puteoli a city, a colony of Campania, the same that is called Dicearchia. Josephus also speaks of it as in the same country; for he says, that Herod and Herodias both came to Dicearchia, (or Puteoli), and found Caius (the emperor) at Baiai, which is a little town in Campania, about five furlongs from Dicearchia; and he also in another place says, the Italians call Dicearchia, potiolouv , Potioli; which is the same word the apostle here uses, and which is the Latin Puteoli corrupted; it is said to be first built by the Samians: frequent mention is made by writers f1363 , of pulvis Puteolanus, the dust of Puteoli; which being touched by the sea water, hardens into a stone; and was therefore used to bank the sea, break the waves, and repel the force of them: that it was a place by the sea side, may be learned from the sea being called after its name, mare Puteolanum f1364 , the sea of Puteoli; so Apollonius Tyaneus is said to sail from this place to Rome, whither he came in three days; to this port the ships of Alexandria particularly used to come, and hither persons were wont to go to take shipping for Alexandria f1366 ; it is now called by the Italians Pozzuolo, and lies about eight miles from Naples; and according to the following story of the Jews, must be an hundred and twenty miles from Rome; who tell us f1367 , that Rabban Gamaliel, and R. Eleazar ben Azariah, and R. Joshua, and R. Akiba, went to Rome, and they heard the noise of the multitude at Rome, from Puteoli, an hundred and twenty miles: the story is a fable designed to signify the vast number of people at Rome, and the noise, hurry, and tumult there; but perhaps the distance between the two places may not be far from truth: and as fabulous is the account which R. Benjamin gives of this place Puteoli, when he says it was called Surentum, a great city which Tzintzan Hadarezer built, when he fled for fear of David.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-16 - The common events of travelling are seldom worthy of being told; but the comfort of communion with the saints, and kindness shown by friends, deserve particular mention. The Christians at Rome were so fa from being ashamed of Paul, or afraid of owning him, because he was prisoner, that they were the more careful to show him respect. He ha great comfort in this. And if our friends are kind to us, God puts it into their hearts, and we must give him the glory. When we see thos even in strange places, who bear Christ's name, fear God, and serv him, we should lift up our hearts to heaven in thanksgiving. How man great men have made their entry into Rome, crowned and in triumph, wh really were plagues to the world! But here a good man makes his entr into Rome, chained as a poor captive, who was a greater blessing to the world than any other merely a man. Is not this enough to put us for ever out of conceit with worldly favour? This may encourage God' prisoners, that he can give them favour in the eyes of those that carr them captives. When God does not soon deliver his people out of bondage, yet makes it easy to them, or them easy under it, they have reason to be thankful.
Greek Textus Receptus
οθεν 3606 ADV περιελθοντες 4022 5631 V-2AAP-NPM κατηντησαμεν 2658 5656 V-AAI-1P εις 1519 PREP ρηγιον 4484 N-ASN και 2532 CONJ μετα 3326 PREP μιαν 1520 A-ASF ημεραν 2250 N-ASF επιγενομενου 1920 5637 V-2ADP-GSM νοτου 3558 N-GSM δευτεραιοι 1206 A-NPM ηλθομεν 2064 5627 V-2AAI-1P εις 1519 PREP ποτιολους 4223 N-APM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
28:13 {We made a circuit} (perielqontes). Second aorist active of periercomai, to go around, old verb, already in #19:13. See also #Heb 11:37; 1Ti 5:13. But Westcott and Hort read perielontes after Aleph B (from periairew) as in #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 (enqudromew, #16:11). {Rhegium} (rhegion) is from rhegnumi, to break off, the place where the land breaks off, the southern entrance to the straits of Messina. {A south wind sprang up} (epigenomenou notou). Genitive absolute again, and for all the world like that fatal south wind in #27:13, but with no bad results this time, though the weather was plainly treacherous at this early season. {On the second day} (deuteraioi). this is the classical use of the predicate adjective, "We second day menw as in #Lu 24:22; Joh 11:39; Php 3:5 instead of the adverb (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 657). {To Puteoli} (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 harbor for the Alexandrian ships from Rome. Portions of the great mole are said to be still visible.
