Acts 20:14
And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.
Original Language Analysis
ὡς
when
G5613
ὡς
when
Strong's:
G5613
Word #:
1 of 12
which how, i.e., in that manner (very variously used, as follows)
συνέβαλεν
he met
G4820
συνέβαλεν
he met
Strong's:
G4820
Word #:
3 of 12
to combine, i.e., (in speaking) to converse, consult, dispute, (mentally) to consider, (by implication) to aid, (personally) to join, attack
εἰς
at
G1519
εἰς
at
Strong's:
G1519
Word #:
5 of 12
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
τὴν
G3588
τὴν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
6 of 12
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
αὐτὸν
him
G846
αὐτὸν
him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
9 of 12
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ἤλθομεν
and came
G2064
ἤλθομεν
and came
Strong's:
G2064
Word #:
10 of 12
to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
Historical Context
This occurred in AD 57 during Paul's third missionary journey as he hastened to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost (Acts 20:16). Assos was a major port in the Roman province of Asia with a harbor on the Adramyttian Gulf. The coastal route from Troas to Assos by sea was shorter than the land route, but Paul chose to walk, possibly to maximize his time with the Ephesian elders or for private devotion.
Questions for Reflection
- Why might Paul have chosen to walk alone to Assos rather than sail with his companions, and what does this reveal about his preparation for suffering?
- How does Luke's resumption of the "we" narrative enhance the credibility of Acts as eyewitness testimony?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And when he met with us at Assos—Paul rejoined Luke and the traveling party at Assos after walking alone approximately 20 miles from Troas while his companions sailed. The Greek verb συμβάλλω (symballō, "met with") suggests a planned rendezvous, indicating Paul's deliberate choice to travel by land while the ship made its coastal voyage.
We took him in (ἀναλαβόντες, analabontes)—literally "having taken him up" aboard the ship. Came to Mitylene—a significant port city on the island of Lesbos, approximately 30 miles south of Assos. This verse marks the resumption of the "we" sections in Acts (16:10-17; 20:5-21:18; 27:1-28:16), indicating Luke's eyewitness participation. Paul's solitary walk may have provided time for prayer and reflection as he journeyed toward Jerusalem and the suffering he knew awaited him (Acts 20:22-23).