Luke introduces this verse with one of his favorite transitional formulas, “and it came to pass” (King James Version), which merely is a Semitic way of beginning a new phase in the narrative. To render this literally, as it has often been done, makes little sense. In the present context it introduces a subordinate clause, which is handled by most translators as “when…” (Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Phillips; “and when” Revised Standard Version). Since this is the beginning of a new section, as well as a new chapter, it is possible to do as the Good News Translation has done and not translate this as a subordinate clause: we said good-bye to them and left.

The verb rendered said good-bye may simply mean “had parted from” (Revised Standard Version, New English Bible). By giving this verb its literal force, the Jerusalem Bible seems to have over translated: “tore ourselves away from them” (see Luke 22.41, where this verb appears also).

Throughout this chapter (and especially in Chapter 27) Luke uses a number of technical nautical terms, the first of which is translated by the Good News Translation as left; this same word has been rendered “set sail” (Revised Standard Version, Phillips, New English Bible) and “put to sea” (Jerusalem Bible). Sailing straight across (see 16.11) is also a technical term used in sailing; as the word indicates, it describes a ship making a straight course. Commentators believe that this implies that the wind was coming from the northeast, and this would explain once again why it was much easier for Paul to send for the Ephesian elders than for him to go to them in Ephesus. Luke apparently outlines the journey day by day in this verse: the first day was from Miletus to the small isle of Cos, the second was from Cos to Rhodes, and the third was from Rhodes to Patara, the port city of Lycia. Since Cos and Patara are the names of the main cities on the islands, as well as the names of the islands themselves, it is quite likely that Luke intended the reader to understand that these were the cities where the ship stopped.

Some manuscripts add “and Myra” after Patara. While it is possible that these words were accidentally dropped from the Greek text, it seems more likely that they were added under the influence of 27.5. This phrase does not appear in the text of most modern translations, but it is given in the margins of several—for example, Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .