Acts 20:16

16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. ^[a]

Acts 20:16 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 20:16

For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus
That is, to sail by it, without calling at it, as he did, for it lay by the shore before he came to Miletus; but he chose not to stop there, fearing he should be detained by the brethren there:

because he would not spend the time in Asia;
of which Ephesus was the metropolis:

for he hasted, if it were possible, for him to be at Jerusalem the
day of Pentecost:
which was near at hand; for it was but fifty days from the second day of the passover, which feast was over when he sailed from Philippi; and at Troas he stayed seven days, and he had been several days sailing already; see ( Acts 20:6 Acts 20:13-15 ) . And his great desire to be at the feast of Pentecost was not in order to keep that feast, according to the usage of the Jews; but that he might have an opportunity of preaching the Gospel to a great number of Jews, out of all countries, whom he knew would come to that feast.

Acts 20:16 In-Context

14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.

15 Sailing on from there, we arrived the next day opposite Chios. The day after that we arrived at Samos, and on the following day we came to Miletus.

16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

18 When they came to him, he said, “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.

Footnotes

• [a]. That is, Shavuot, the late spring feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; it is also known as the Feast of Harvest (see Exodus 23:16) or the Feast of Weeks (see Exodus 34:22).