Acts 20:14-16 · Bible study
Acts 20:14-16 Commentary: Paul's Urgent Voyage Past Ephesus
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
The significance of Paul's coastal journey from Assos to Miletus and his decision to sail past Ephesus to reach Jerusalem for Pentecost.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul's coastal voyage shows his urgent determination to reach Jerusalem for Pentecost, causing him to bypass Ephesus to avoid delay.
- Key words: χρονοτριβῆσαι (spend/wear away time), the only NT use, underscoring Paul's aversion to wasted hours; ἔσπευδεν (was hastening), imperfect tense describing his ongoing urgency.
- Main debate: Whether Paul's haste was primarily about evangelistic opportunity (Calvin, Clarke) or also about delivering the collection and clearing his apostolic position (JFB).
- Theological theme: Faithfulness involves strategic prioritization; the Gospel seizes every opportunity, even through travel and personal sacrifice.
- Best use: A case study in missional intentionality, setting up Paul's farewell to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17, 38).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
14And when he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.
15Sailing 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.
16Paul 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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
14When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and came to Mitylene.
15Sailing 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.
16For 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.
KJV King James Version 1769
14And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.
15And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.
16For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
14And when he met us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.
15And sailing from thence, we came the following day over against Chios; and the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after we came to Miletus.
16For 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 at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
14and when he met with us at Assos, having taken him up, we came to Mitylene,
15and thence having sailed, on the morrow we came over-against Chios, and the next day we arrived at Samos, and having remained in Trogyllium, on the following day we came to Miletus,
16for Paul decided to sail past Ephesus, that there may not be to him a loss of time in Asia, for he hasted, if it were possible for him, on the day of the Pentecost to be at Jerusalem.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
14And when he met with us at Assos, having taken him on board, we came to Mitylene;
15and having sailed thence, on the morrow arrived opposite Chios, and the next day put in at Samos; and having stayed at Trogyllium, the next day we came to Miletus:
16for Paul thought it desirable to sail by Ephesus, so that he might not be made to spend time in Asia; for he hastened, if it was possible for him, to be the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
14And when he had met with us at Assos, we took him in and came to Mitylene.
15And sailing thence, the day following we came over against Chios: and the next day we arrived at Samos: and the day following we came to Miletus.
16For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, lest he should be stayed any time in Asia. For he hasted. if it were possible for him, to keep the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 20:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The commentators agree that Acts 20:14, 16 records a carefully timed coastal voyage. Paul, having walked from Troas to Assos while his companions sailed (v. 13), rejoins the ship at Assos, and the party then works its way south along the Asia Minor coast, spending each night in or near a harbour: Mitylene (capital of Lesbos), the channel opposite Chios, Samos with an anchorage at Trogyllium, and finally Miletus. The itinerary shows a deliberate pace, not rushed but planned for efficiency.
The key interpretive point is Paul's decision to 'sail past Ephesus' (v. 16). As Barnes and Gill note, this means he intentionally bypassed the city to avoid being delayed by the large Christian community there. The Greek word for 'spend time' (χρονοτριβῆσαι) is unique in the New Testament (Vincent): it carries the sense of wearing away time, almost 'frittering' it. Paul was hurrying (ἔσπευδεν, imperfect, he was in a state of haste) to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost.
Calvin and Clarke both stress that Paul's haste was not about observing the Jewish feast as a matter of law. Rather, they agree, he wanted the opportunity to preach to the large gathering of diaspora Jews at Pentecost, to deliver the collection from the Gentile churches, and to show his solidarity with the Jerusalem church. The travel narrative thus sets the stage for his emotional farewell to the Ephesian elders at Miletus (v. 17ff.), a moment made necessary precisely because he could not visit them in person.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Evangelistic urgency view: Paul hurries to Pentecost to preach to the gathered diaspora Jews (Calvin, Clarke).
- Collection delivery view: Paul needs to deliver the Gentile offering to Jerusalem and clear his apostolic record (JFB).
- Personal devotion view: Paul walks to Assos for solitude and prayer, and his haste reflects internal spiritual discipline (Matthew Henry).
What is clear: Paul made a deliberate choice to bypass Ephesus in order to reach Jerusalem more quickly for Pentecost, displaying strong determination and single-minded commitment to his mission.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Why Paul sailed past Ephesus | All commentators agree it was to avoid spending time in Asia so he could reach Jerusalem quickly for Pentecost. | Calvin and Clarke emphasize missionary opportunity at the feast; JFB adds the collection and clearing his apostolic reputation; Gill says he wanted to avoid detention by the brethren. |
| Why Paul walked from Troas to Assos | Most accept it was a deliberate choice, but motivations are inferred from the text. | Matthew Henry suggests solitude for prayer or to visit friends en route; Cambridge Bible proposes a shorter or rougher land route; no clear consensus. |
| Significance of Pentecost for Paul | Pentecost was a major Jewish feast drawing large crowds, making it an ideal time for ministry. | Some (Clarke, Calvin) see it primarily as an evangelistic opportunity; others (JFB) connect it with the delivery of the collection and the public clearing of his name; a minority read it as Paul still observing Jewish customs (a debated point across traditions). |
| The role of the 'we' narrative | This is a first-person travel diary (Luke is present), giving historical verisimilitude. | No significant debate, the 'we' sections are widely accepted as eyewitness testimony across conservative and mainline scholarship. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The voyage described in Acts 20:14, 16 follows a standard coastal route for ancient ships in the eastern Aegean. Vessels typically hugged the coast, anchoring for the night; the distances match a three- or four-day journey from Assos to Miletus. Mitylene was the main harbour of Lesbos, a large island with a famous city. Chios lay about five miles off the mainland, and the ship spent a night in its lee. Samos was another celebrated island, and the crew anchored at Trogyllium, a promontory on the mainland opposite Samos, before reaching Miletus the next day.
Miletus was a major port city near the mouth of the Meander River, about 35 miles (55 km) south of Ephesus. It had a strong Jewish community and, by this time, a Christian presence, Paul would later leave Trophimus there sick (2 Tim 4:20). While Miletus was not his destination, it offered a convenient place to summon the Ephesian elders without entering the city itself.
The most striking historical detail is Paul's resolute hurry. Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks, fifty days after Passover) was one of three annual festivals that drew large crowds of Jewish pilgrims to Jerusalem (Exod 34:22; Acts 2:1). Paul had been collecting funds from the Gentile churches for the Jerusalem poor (Acts 19:21; Rom 15:25, 26), and he likely wanted to deliver this gift at the feast when the church would be most visibly gathered. The phrase 'if possible' (v. 16) underlines the uncertainty of ancient travel, wind, weather and ship schedules could easily frustrate even the best plans. Paul's willingness to skip a beloved church like Ephesus shows how important this single goal was to him.
Walking from Troas to Assos (v. 13) while the ship sailed suggests that Paul may have wanted time alone, as Matthew Henry proposes, or that he took a more direct land route to save time. Either way, the journey reflects an apostle under divine compulsion, pressing forward toward a set goal.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Acts 20:14, 16. The inclusion of 'and stayed at Trogyllium' (v. 15) appears in most early manuscripts (including the Western text) and is accepted by the critical editions (NA28/UBS5). Some manuscripts omit the phrase, possibly due to scribal oversight, but the external evidence favors its originality.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Acts 20:14, 16 has been read primarily as a travel narrative that sets the stage for Paul's speech to the Ephesian elders. Early and medieval commentators (e.g., John Chrysostom) focused on Paul's pastoral heart, he could not visit Ephesus but still summoned its leaders to Miletus, showing his care. The Reformation commentators (Calvin, Geneva Notes) stressed Paul's prioritisation of preaching the Gospel over ritual observance; they saw his Pentecost journey as a model of missional urgency rather than legal obligation. In the Wesleyan tradition (Clarke) the passage illustrated the apostolic use of the Jewish calendar for evangelism. Modern homiletics often uses the phrase 'sail past Ephesus' as a metaphor for sacrificial decision-making in ministry, letting go of a cherished connection to fulfill a greater calling.
The itinerary itself has been used in travel literature and Bible atlases to trace Paul's third missionary journey, grounding the narrative in verifiable geography.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Intentional travel, intentional mission. Paul's coastal route and his decision to walk part of the way show he planned his journey to maximize impact while minimizing delay. Not every stop is a sermon; sometimes faithfulness means moving on.
- The wisdom of bypassing a good thing for the best thing. Paul sailed past Ephesus, a church he loved and where he had spent three years, because going there would have slowed him from reaching Jerusalem. Love can require saying 'not now' even to what is precious.
- Pentecost as a gospel opportunity. Paul's urgency was not about religious obligation but about seizing a harvest moment. He saw the feast as a gathering where the Gospel could be proclaimed to many, the same Spirit that filled the first Pentecost still moves through God's people.
Five-point outline
- The geography of obedience: every port Paul entered or passed tells a story of deliberate choice.
- Walking and sailing: Paul's partnership with his team (they go ahead by boat, he walks) models shared leadership and mutual trust.
- The word that is worth a sermon: χρονοτριβῆσαι, the only NT use, warns against wasting time on secondary things when the primary calling presses.
- Pentecost's double meaning: for Paul it was both a Jewish feast and a Christian opportunity; the old calendar made new in Christ.
- Set-up for a farewell: because Paul could not go to Ephesus, he called the elders to Miletus, producing one of the most poignant speeches in Acts (20:17, 35).
Illustration hooks
- Airport decisions: A traveler with a tight connection skips a tempting layover to catch the only flight that gets home in time. The choice costs something but it matters.
- Church calendar conflict: A pastor turns down a speaking request from a sister congregation because a family crisis or a key church event needs their presence first. Faithfulness means priorities.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it selfish to say no to good opportunities in order to keep a commitment elsewhere?
- How do we decide when to hurry and when to linger in our spiritual lives?
- Did Paul make a mistake by not visiting Ephesus one last time?
Leading a Discussion
This passage takes us on a journey, literal and spiritual. Paul is racing against time, skipping a familiar city, and trusting his team. As you read, ask what drives your own decisions about time, relationships, and calling.
Discussion questions
- Look at the list of place names in vv. 14, 15. What does the detail of this itinerary tell you about the kind of journey Paul and his team were making?
- Why do you think Paul chose to walk from Troas to Assos (v. 13) while the others sailed? What might this say about his personality or priorities?
- Read v. 16. Paul 'had determined' to sail past Ephesus. What reasons does Luke give for this decision? Can you think of other reasons from the context?
- The word χρονοτριβῆσαι (spend time) literally means 'to wear away time.' How does that picture change how you see Paul's urgency?
- What does Paul's desire to be at Jerusalem for Pentecost reveal about his mission strategy? Why did that feast matter so much to him?
- Have you ever had to pass up a good opportunity, even a spiritual one, because something else was more pressing? How did you decide?
- How does this passage help you think about your own priorities in seasons of busyness or travel?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Acts 20:17 | From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to himself the elders of the assembly. |
| II Timothy 4:20 | Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick. |
| Exodus 34:22 | “You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s end. |
| Acts 2:1 | Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. |
| Acts 12:13 | When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. |
| Acts 18:19 | He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. |
| Acts 18:21 | but taking his leave of them, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. |
| Acts 19:21 | Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that Paul hurried to Jerusalem by Pentecost to preach to the crowds of Jews gathered there. He hoped for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit like the original Pentecost, expecting many conversions as a result.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the phrase "to sail by Ephesus" means to sail past it, not to visit. He notes that Paul deliberately avoided going to Ephesus because stopping there would have delayed him too much to reach Jerusalem in time for Pentecost.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary highlights the precise nautical details of Paul's voyage, noting the Greek variations for "next day" and the technical seafaring term for "touched" at Samos. It explains that Paul bypassed Ephesus because he was hastening to Jerusalem for Pentecost and could not risk delays.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators highlight Paul's deliberate haste in bypassing Ephesus, noting he chose to sail past rather than stop in Asia because he was racing to reach Jerusalem in time for Pentecost. They present this as a practical, time-driven decision that explains his otherwise surprising avoidance of a beloved church.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that Paul deliberately sailed past Ephesus to avoid being delayed there. His urgent race to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost was not about observing the feast but about seizing the opportunity to preach the Gospel to the many Jews gathered there from all nations.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB explains that Paul's decision to sail past Ephesus stemmed from his urgent need to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost, a goal that was uncertain with over three weeks of the seven-week journey already gone. Paul wanted to deliver the collection from the western churches, observe the feast, and clarify his apostolic standing before the large assembly in Jerusalem.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that Luke's specific mention of "the first day of the week" signals deliberate Sunday observance, not an accident of Paul's schedule. He sees this as Scripture's first trace of Christians gathering weekly for worship, noting that the custom arose naturally among Gentile believers before Jewish Christians. Lange adds that Sunday keeping is evangelical custom, not legal requirement.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Paul chose to walk the famously brutal road to Assos rather than sail with his companions, deliberately taking the harder path. He sees two possible reasons: Paul wanted to do good among friends along the way, or he sought solitude for deeper communion with God.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights two rare Greek words in this verse. The word for "arrived" literally means to bring one thing alongside another, like bringing a ship to an island, implying only a brief touch. The phrase for "spending time" suggests wasting or frittering away time, carrying the idea of rubbing something out.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Paul deliberately bypassed Ephesus because it lay on the opposite side of the bay, sacrificing that visit to reach Jerusalem quickly. His urgency was driven by Pentecost, when the largest gatherings of people would be present.