A long time is a vague expression of time, as is several days in verse 7. In both instances Luke uses one of his favorite expressions (literally “sufficient days” and “sufficient time”). This reference to time is better rendered as “many days” rather than being a reference to weeks. “Many weeks” would certainly have involved a couple of months or so, and by that time no one would have set out on a journey to Rome by ship.

It became dangerous to continue the voyage because the end of the sailing season was approaching. According to one ancient source, not much sailing was done after the middle of September, and it stopped entirely after November 11.

The exact date on which the day of Atonement (literally “the fast”) was celebrated differed from year to year, though it would it would have been either in September or October. Some commentators believe that this was the year A.D. 59, and that the fast came in this year on October 5. In any case, all the men considered that it was dangerous to continue the voyage to Sicily at this time. It is important in translating the final clause of this verse not to suggest that there was some religious factor involved in the danger of continuing the voyage. It was purely a matter of the season of the year. Therefore, in some languages one must translate: “because it was so late in the year, the day of Atonement was already passed.”

It may be very useful at this point to have some brief marginal note explaining the significance of the day of Atonement. However, even in translation some meaningful equivalent should be employed—for example, “the day on which atonement was made for sins,” “the day when there was a special ceremony for the atoning for sins,” or “the day which celebrated the forgiveness of sins.”

So Paul gave them this advice may be rendered as “so Paul advised them with the following words” or “so Paul warned them,” since the advice given is essentially in the form of a warning.

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 .