Christian Standard Bible
Acts 20:16
16For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.
Acts 20:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Acts 20:16
14When he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went on to Mitylene. 15Sailing from there, the next day we arrived off Chios. The following day we crossed over to Samos, and the day after, we came to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost. 17Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and summoned the elders of the church. 18When they came to him, he said to them, “You know, from the first day I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time,
Read all of Acts 20Acts 20:16 word by word
κεκρίκει γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος παραπλεῦσαι τὴν Ἔφεσον, ὅπως μὴ γένηται αὐτῷ χρονοτριβῆσαι ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ· ἔσπευδεν γὰρ εἰ δυνατὸν εἴη αὐτῷ τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς πεντηκοστῆς γενέσθαι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- Paulὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- PaulΠαῦλοςPaulos · PaulG3972
- had determinedκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
- to sail byπαραπλέωparapleō · to sail pastG3896
- EphesusἜφεσοςEphesos · EphesusG2181
- becauseὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
- heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- wouldγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- notμήmē · notG3361
- spend the timeχρονοτριβέωchronotribeō · to spend timeG5551
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- AsiaἈσίαAsia · AsiaG773
- he hastedσπεύδωspeudō · to hastenG4692
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- it wereεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- possibleδυνατόςdunatos · ableG1415
- atεἰςeis · towardG1519
- JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414
- the dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- of Pentecostπεντηκοστήpentēkostē · PentecostG4005
Cross-references for Acts 20:16
- Acts 20:13We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul on board, because these were his instructions, since he himself was going by land.
- Acts 18:21but he said farewell and added, “I’ll come back to you again, if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.
- Acts 19:21After these events, Paul resolved by the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem. “After I’ve been there,” he said, “It is necessary for me to see Rome as well.”
- Acts 21:4We sought out the disciples and stayed there seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
- Acts 12:13He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.
- Acts 24:17After many years, I came to bring charitable gifts and offerings to my people.
- Romans 15:24whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while.
- Acts 2:1When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.
- Exodus 34:22“Observe the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering at the turn of the agricultural year.
- 1 Corinthians 16:8But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,
Commentaries on Acts 20:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16To sail by Ephesus - Not to touch there at this time. To be at Jerusalem the day of pentecost - That he might have the opportunity of preaching the kingdom of God to multitudes of Jews from different places, who would come up to Jerusalem at that feast; and then he no doubt expected to see there a renewal of that day of pentecost in which the Spirit was poured out on the disciples, and in consequence of which so many were converted to God.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16To sail by Ephesus - The word “by” in our translation is ambiguous. We say to go by a place, meaning either to take it in our way and to go to it, or to go past it. Here it means the latter. He intended to sail past Ephesus without going to it. For he hasted - Had he gone to Ephesus, he would probably have been so delayed in his journey that he could not reach Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost. The day of Pentecost - See the notes on Acts 2:1.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-16Verses 13-16 Paul hastened to Jerusalem, but tried to do good by the way, when going from place to place, as every good man should do. In doing God's work, our own wills and those of our friends must often be crossed; we must not spend time with them when duty calls us another way.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16The Feast of Pentecost was one of the three Jewish feasts that required Jewish men to travel to Jerusalem and worship (see study note on 2:1–4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. came the next day over against Chios--now Scio: one of the most beautiful of those islands between which and the coast the sail is so charming. They appear not to have touched at it. next day we arrived--"touched" or "put in." at Samos--another island coming quite close to the mainland, and about as far south of Chios as it is south of Lesbos. tarried--for the night. at Trogyllium--an anchorage on the projecting mainland, not more than a mile from…Read the comment
Topics related to Acts 20:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Acts 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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