The verb translated “to winter” describes the intentional choice to remain in a particular harbor, city, or household during the storm-prone months. In the Mediterranean world navigation virtually ceased from mid-November to early March because violent northeasterly systems made travel deadly. For missionaries, soldiers, merchants, and ordinary travelers alike, “wintering” was an accepted discipline of patient waiting under God’s providential ordering of the seasons.

New Testament Occurrences

Acts 27:12 – During Paul’s voyage to Rome, the crew sought “to reach Phoenix, and winter there,” revealing both the practical hazards of seamanship and the apostle’s forced dependence on decisions of unbelieving mariners.

1 Corinthians 16:6 – Paul tells the Corinthian church, “Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter,” highlighting strategic planning for extended ministry, hospitality, and mutual encouragement.

Titus 3:12 – Paul instructs Titus, “Make every effort to come to me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there,” again demonstrating foresight and the value of seasonal stability for teaching and team building.

Acts 28:11 – After the shipwreck on Malta, Luke notes, “After three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island,” showing how God used a forced delay to open doors for healing, evangelism, and witness to the islanders.

Historical and Cultural Setting

1. Nautical Realities: Classical writers (e.g., Vegetius, Seneca) confirm that sailing beyond mid-autumn was avoided. Safe harbors with supplies, fresh water, and protection from northerly gales were sought. Phoenix on Crete, Nicopolis in Epirus, and Malta’s northeastern inlet met these criteria.

2. Roman Travel Etiquette: Guests lodged for months with hosts; letters of recommendation secured food and lodging; churches became hubs of seasonal care (cf. Romans 16:1–2). Wintering thus strengthened inter-congregational bonds.

3. Economic Factors: Grain shipments from Egypt to Italy paused, creating scarcity in Rome. The Alexandrian ship of Acts 28 was part of this supply chain. Delays underscored God’s sovereign timing over imperial logistics.

Ministry Significance

• Strategic Rest and Instruction: By planning to winter in Corinth and Nicopolis, Paul modeled balanced ministry—periods of intense itineration followed by extended teaching, administration, and disciple making (cf. 2 Timothy 2:2).

• Hospitality and Fellowship: Winter stays deepened relationships. The believers in Corinth would “send me on my way wherever I may go” (1 Corinthians 16:6), illustrating covenant generosity.

• Evangelistic Opportunity in Hardship: The shipwreck-imposed winter on Malta led to healing Publius’s father and many sick (Acts 28:8–9). Delays, though inconvenient, became providential platforms for the gospel.

Theological Reflection

Seasons belong to the Creator (Genesis 8:22; Psalm 74:17). Recognizing winter’s limits teaches humility and trust. Paul’s flexibility portrays obedience to divine boundaries without fatalism; he sought prudent shelter yet remained open to Spirit-led change (Acts 27:10-11, 25).

Practical Applications for Contemporary Believers

1. Ministry Planning: Schedule rhythms of rest, study, and relationship-building, respecting physical and environmental constraints.

2. Holy Use of Delay: Unexpected pauses—illness, travel restrictions, cultural “winters”—can become fruitful times for prayer, mentoring, writing, and local outreach.

3. Hospitality: Churches today can mirror first-century hospitality by opening homes and resources to missionaries, students, refugees, and those displaced by crisis.

Intertextual Echoes

Though the Old Testament lacks an exact linguistic counterpart, its seasonal imagery anticipates the practice. Wisdom notes “To everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1), and the prophets portray winter rains as blessings of covenant faithfulness (Zechariah 10:1). Paul’s wintering experiences thus resonate with a biblical theology that unites natural cycles, human prudence, and divine mission.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 3914 underscores more than meteorological realism; it reveals a pattern of Spirit-directed stewardship of time, resources, and relationships. Whether by deliberate choice (1 Corinthians 16:6; Titus 3:12) or enforced hardship (Acts 27–28), “wintering” becomes an arena where God’s servants wait, labor, and witness—confident that the Lord of seasons is advancing His unthwarted purposes.