New King James Version
Acts 20:16
16For 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost.
Context of Acts 20:16
14And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15We 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. 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. 17From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 18And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you,
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 20:13Then 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.
- Acts 18:21but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.
- Acts 19:21When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed 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.”
- Acts 21:4And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.
- Acts 12:13And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.
- Acts 24:17“Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation,
- Romans 15:24whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.
- Acts 2:1When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
- Exodus 34:22“And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end.
- 1 Corinthians 16:8But I will tarry 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries