“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.”
My Notes
What Does Acts 20:16 Mean?
"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." Paul is racing toward Jerusalem. He deliberately bypasses Ephesus — a city he loves, where he spent three years — because stopping there would cost too much time. He has a deadline: Pentecost in Jerusalem. The urgency drives his routing decisions.
This verse reveals Paul as a strategic planner who manages his time against clear priorities. He doesn't stop at every opportunity; he evaluates each against his primary objective. The phrase "if it were possible" acknowledges the uncertainty of ancient travel — winds, shipping schedules, and roads could all delay the plan. Paul plans with determination but holds the timeline with humility.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What 'Ephesus' in your life do you need to sail past right now — not because it's bad, but because something else takes priority?
- 2.How do you distinguish between good opportunities and essential ones?
- 3.What does Paul's combination of determination ('he hasted') and humility ('if it were possible') teach you about planning?
- 4.When has saying no to something you love been necessary for saying yes to your primary calling?
Devotional
Paul sailed past Ephesus. The city where he'd spent three years. The community that wept on his neck when he left. The church he'd poured his life into. And he didn't stop. Because he had somewhere more important to be.
This is one of the most practical lessons in the New Testament about the discipline of priority. Not every good thing deserves your time right now. Paul loved Ephesus. But stopping there would have consumed days he didn't have. He had a Jerusalem deadline. And the love he had for Ephesus didn't override the urgency of his primary calling.
Saying no to good things in order to do the right thing is one of the hardest disciplines in the spiritual life. The visit to Ephesus would have been wonderful. The reunions, the teaching, the fellowship. All genuinely good. And Paul sailed past it because he knew the difference between good and essential.
If you feel pulled in a hundred directions — all of them good, many of them meaningful — Paul's example gives you permission to sail past some of them. Not because they don't matter. Because something else matters more right now. You can love Ephesus and still sail past it. Priorities aren't about what you don't care about. They're about what you care about most.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus,.... Which is said, by some, to be about four hundred furlongs from Miletus, and, by…
To sail by Ephesus - The word “by” in our translation is ambiguous. We say to go by a place, meaning either to take it…
To sail by Ephesus - Not to touch there at this time.
To be at Jerusalem the day of pentecost - That he might have the…
Paul is hastening towards Jerusalem, but strives to do all the good he can by the way, ōs en parodō̂ "as it were by…
For Paul, &c. In the midst of a large Christian congregation, such as we know to have existed in Ephesus, there would…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture