99. Adrias
Lexical Summary
Adrias: Adriatic Sea

Original Word: Ἀδρίας
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Adrias
Pronunciation: ä-dree-äs'
Phonetic Spelling: (ad-ree'-as)
KJV: Adria
NASB: Adriatic
Word Origin: [from Adria (a place near its shore)]

1. the Adriatic sea (including the Ionian)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Adria.

From Adria (a place near its shore); the Adriatic sea (including the Ionian) -- Adria.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of uncertain origin
Definition
the Adriatic, the name of a sea
NASB Translation
Adriatic (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 99: Ἀδρίας

Ἀδρίας (WH Ἁδρ.), , , Adrias, the Adriatic Sea, i. e., in a wide sense, the sea between Greece and Italy: Acts 27:27, (cf. B. D. under the word ; Dict. of Greek and Rom. Geog. under the word Adriaticum Mare).

Topical Lexicon
Geographical Scope in the First Century

In Luke’s narrative the “Adriatic Sea” designates the broad stretch of water between Crete and the central Mediterranean, not merely the narrow gulf between Italy and the Balkans known by that name today. Classical writers such as Strabo and Ptolemy use the same wider sense, embracing the Ionian Sea and waters east of Sicily. Recognizing this historical usage resolves any supposed tension between Acts 27:27 and modern geography and affirms the accuracy of Luke’s detail.

Context within Paul’s Voyage

After departing Fair Havens on Crete, the Alexandrian grain ship bearing Paul to Rome was caught in a violent northeaster. For fourteen days the vessel drifted westward in darkness until “the sailors sensed they were approaching land” in the Adriatic (Acts 27:27). The precise time marker, “the fourteenth night,” highlights the sustained peril from which the Lord ultimately rescued all who were on board. The reference to the Adriatic situates the ship’s track naturally between Crete and Malta, aligning with prevailing wind patterns and ancient shipping lanes.

Theological Themes and Divine Providence

1. Assurance in the midst of chaos. While the crew feared ruin, Paul confidently declared, “Not one of you will perish” (Acts 27:22). The mention of the Adriatic, a notoriously difficult corridor, magnifies God’s sovereignty over creation.
2. Fulfillment of Christ’s promise. Years earlier the Lord had told Paul, “You must testify in Rome” (Acts 23:11). Even the ungovernable sea could not nullify that word.
3. Evangelistic opportunity through adversity. Paul’s calm leadership during the storm modeled faith for pagans who had never heard the gospel. His later ministry on Malta (Acts 28:1-10) traces directly to this Adriatic ordeal.

Implications for Apostolic Mission

The Adriatic crossing underscores how Roman commerce facilitated gospel advance. Imperial grain routes linked distant provinces, giving Paul an involuntary yet strategic platform among sailors, soldiers, and fellow prisoners. Luke’s note roots the missionary account in verifiable maritime practice, encouraging readers to trust the historical grounding of the Acts narrative.

Historical Reliability and Scripture’s Accuracy

Skeptics once charged Luke with an anachronistic use of “Adriatic.” Archaeological and literary evidence now confirms that first-century speakers applied the name exactly as Acts records. The single occurrence thus becomes a micro-testimony to the meticulousness of the inspired writer, echoing similar confirmations in Acts 18:12 (“proconsul Gallio”) and Acts 19:31 (“Asiarchs”).

Practical Applications for Believers

• Trust God’s promises when circumstances seem adrift; His providence reaches even “the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).
• Lead courageously in crisis. Paul’s voice carried weight because he combined spiritual conviction with practical counsel (Acts 27:31).
• Recognize that detours may be divine appointments—souls were healed and saved on Malta because of an Adriatic storm.

Related Biblical Imagery of Sea Deliverance

Exodus 14, Jonah 2, and Psalm 107:23-30 portray the Lord ruling the waters. Acts 27-28 joins this line, portraying the same faithful God in the New Covenant era and foreshadowing the eschatological promise that “the sea shall be no more” (Revelation 21:1).

See Also

Acts 27:1-44; Acts 28:1-10; Psalm 107:23-30; Jonah 1:4-17; 2 Corinthians 11:25.

Forms and Transliterations
Αδρια Ἀδρίᾳ Ἁδρίᾳ αδροί αδροίς αδρούς Adria Hadria Hadríāi
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Acts 27:27 N-DMS
GRK: ἐν τῷ Ἁδρίᾳ κατὰ μέσον
NAS: as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about
KJV: in Adria, about
INT: in the Adriatic toward [the] middle

Strong's Greek 99
1 Occurrence


Ἁδρίᾳ — 1 Occ.

98
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