But
we who went ahead to the ship set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard, and came to Mitylene. Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus. For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 20:13-16
Acts 20 [11.] When he had gone up, and had broken bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, he departed. They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted.
Acts 20 [13.] But we who went ahead to the ship set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard, and came to Mitylene. Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus. For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 20 [17.] From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly. When they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews; how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus. Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there; except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me. But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.
Meaning:
After the night at Troas, when Eutychus was restored to life (Acts 20:7-12), Paul and his companions continued south along the coast of Asia. Luke, who was on the ship, records the journey day by day like a travel diary. The details may seem ordinary, but they reveal Paul’s priorities and his sense of urgency.
- “Intending himself to go by land”
The others sailed around the cape from Troas to Assos, but Paul chose to walk, a journey of about thirty kilometres (some twenty miles). Luke does not say why. Paul may have wanted to visit believers on the way, or simply to have time alone after an exhausting night. Jesus too often “withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Before facing the dangers ahead in Jerusalem, solitude with God would have been precious.
- “We took him aboard, and came to Mitylene”
From Assos the ship moved from one island to the next: Mitylene on Lesbos, past Chios, to Samos, and then to Miletus on the mainland. Ships of that time usually sailed along the coast by day and anchored at night. Luke’s exact knowledge of the places and stages of the voyage reflects an eyewitness account. Travel by sea was always uncertain, and the psalmist praises God who rescues “those who go down to the sea in ships” (Psalm 107:23).
- “Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus”
Paul loved the church in Ephesus, where he had worked for about three years. But a visit there would have meant many farewells and delays, and perhaps renewed danger after the riot (Acts 19:28-30). Instead he called the elders to meet him at Miletus (Acts 20:17). He was willing to forgo a visit he would have enjoyed in order to fulfil his calling.
- “He was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost”
Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, came fifty days after Passover (Leviticus 23:15-16). It was one of the three feasts when Jewish men gathered at Jerusalem: “in the feast of unleavened bread, in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tents” (Deuteronomy 16:16). Arriving for Pentecost would allow Paul to deliver the gift from the Gentile churches at a time when the city was full of Jews from every nation, as on the day the Spirit was poured out (Acts 2:1). His determination recalls Jesus, who “intently set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51), knowing what awaited him there.
The Significance of Acts 20:13-16
- Making the most of time
Paul organized his journey around what mattered most. Scripture urges believers to live “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16).
- Saying no to good things
Paul skipped a visit to a church he loved so that he could do what God had called him to do. Sometimes faithfulness means choosing the best over the good.
- Solitude and fellowship
Paul walked alone and then rejoined his companions. Both quiet time with God and the support of fellow believers sustain those who serve.
Cross-References:
Luke 9:51: "he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem," Jesus’ resolve, echoed by Paul.
Luke 5:16: "But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed." The value of time alone with God.
Ephesians 5:16: "redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Using time wisely.
Philippians 3:14: "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Paul’s single-minded purpose.
Conclusion: Paul walked to Assos, then sailed with his companions from island to island down the coast to Miletus, passing by Ephesus because he was hurrying to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost. The travel details show his priorities, his urgency and his willingness to give up good things for the sake of his calling. The passage encourages believers to use their time with purpose and to keep their eyes on what God has given them to do.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible