13 Then we went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, there intending to take Paul on board; for so he had given orders, intending himself to go on foot. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 We sailed from there, and the next day came opposite Chios. The following day we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium. The next day we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.
Verses 13-16 cover Paul’s travels from Troas to Miletus.
20:13
Then we went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, there intending to take Paul on board; for so he had given orders, intending himself to go on foot.
Luke and others sailed to Assos, a port city twenty miles south of Troas, where they were to meet Paul. Traveling by land was much shorter than by sea.
20:14
And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene.
After his 20-mile walk and joining the others who went ahead, Paul boarded a ship and sailed to Mitylene, a port city on the island of Lesbos west of Asia Minor.
20:15
We sailed from there, and the next day came opposite Chios.
Paul and his companions arrive in Chios by ship. Chios was the birthplace of the poet Homer.
The following day we arrived at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium.
Samos was the birthplace of Pythagoras, who founded the study of mathematics.
The next day we came to Miletus.
The group arrived at Miletus.
20:16
For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.
Paul decided to pass Ephesus to not spend time in the province of Asia. He did this to save time so he would arrive in Jerusalem on Pentecost, one month from this point.
PRINCIPLE:
Seizing opportunities is a priority for Christians.
APPLICATION:
Ephesians 5:17 says we are to buy up or redeem opportunities that God sets before us.
