Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 27:33
Verse 33. While the day was coining on] It was then apparently about day-break. This day is the fourteenth day that ye have-continued fasting] Ye have not had one regular meal for these fourteen days past. Indeed we may take it for granted that, during the whole of the storm, very little was eaten by any man: for what appetite could men have for food, who every moment had death before their eyes?
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 33. And while the day was coming on , etc.] Between midnight and break of day: Paul besought them all to take meat; to sit down and eat a meal together: saying, this day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried ; or have been waiting for, or expecting; that is, as the Arabic version expresses it, a shipwreck; for fourteen days past, ever since the storm begun, they had expected nothing but shipwreck and death: and continued fasting, having taken nothing : not that they had neither ate nor drank all that while, for without a miracle they could never have lived so long without eating something; but the meaning is, they had not eaten anyone regular meal all that while, had only caught up a bit now and then, and ate it, and that but very little.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 30-38 - God, who appointed the end, that they should be saved, appointed the means, that they should be saved by the help of these shipmen. Duty is ours, events are God's; we do not trust God, but tempt him, when we saw we put ourselves under his protection, if we do not use proper means such as are within our power, for our safety. But how selfish are me in general, often even ready to seek their own safety by the destruction of others! Happy those who have such a one as Paul in their company, who not only had intercourse with Heaven, but was of a enlivening spirit to those about him. The sorrow of the world work death, while joy in God is life and peace in the greatest distresse and dangers. The comfort of God's promises can only be ours by believing dependence on him, to fulfil his word to us; and the salvation he reveals must be waited for in use of the means he appoints. If God has chosen us to salvation, he has also appointed tha we shall obtain it by repentance, faith, prayer, and perseverin obedience; it is fatal presumption to expect it in any other way. It is an encouragement to people to commit themselves to Christ as their Saviour, when those who invite them, clearly show that they do s themselves.
Greek Textus Receptus
αχρι 891 PREP δε 1161 CONJ ου 3739 R-GSN εμελλεν 3195 5707 V-IAI-3S ημερα 2250 N-NSF γινεσθαι 1096 5738 V-PNN παρεκαλει 3870 5707 V-IAI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM παυλος 3972 N-NSM απαντας 537 A-APM μεταλαβειν 3335 5629 V-2AAN τροφης 5160 N-GSF λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM τεσσαρεσκαιδεκατην 5065 A-ASF σημερον 4594 ADV ημεραν 2250 N-ASF προσδοκωντες 4328 5723 V-PAP-NPM ασιτοι 777 A-NPM διατελειτε 1300 5719 V-PAI-2P μηδεν 3367 A-ASN προσλαβομενοι 4355 5642 V-2AMP-NPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
33. While the day was coming on (acri de ou emellen hmera ginesqai). Lit., until it should become day: in the interval between midnight and morning.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
27:33 {While the day was coming on} (acri hou hemera emellen ginesqai). More likely here acri hou (for acri toutou h"i) with the imperfect emellen, has its usual meaning, "until which time day was about to come on (ginesqai, present middle infinitive, linear action)." That is Paul kept on exhorting or beseeching (parekalei, imperfect active) them until dawn began to come on (cf. verse #39 when day came). In #Heb 3:13 acri hou with the present indicative has to mean "so long as" or while, but that is not true here (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 975). See on Ac 2:46 for the same phrase for partaking food (metalambanw trofes, genitive case) as also in #27:34. Paul wanted them to be ready for action when day really came. "Fourteenth day" repeated (verse #27), only here in the accusative of duration of time (hemeran). It is not clear whether the "waiting" (prosdokwntes, present active participle predicate nominative complementary participle after diateleite, Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 1121) means fourteen days of continuous fasting or only fourteen successive nights of eager watching without food. Galen and Dionysius of Halicarnassus employ the very idiom used here by Luke (asitos diatelew). {Having taken nothing} (meqen proslabomenoi). Second aorist middle participle of proslambanw with the accusative meqen rather than the more usual meden. Probably Paul means that they had taken no regular meals, only bits of food now and qen.
