Acts 20:16

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.

The companions of Paul went down to the ship and embarked without him, sailing down to the city of Assos on the Adramyttene Gulf. The distance by water is about forty miles, while the trip overland is only about half as far. Paul had so ordered it, intending to make the trip afoot and to have them take him into the ship, to pick him up in the evening or on the next day. Paul was worn out with the labors and the excitement of the past weeks, not to speak of the constant menace due to Jewish hatred. A small journey afoot, therefore, though it was made after a night without sleep, would give him the opportunity to be alone in prayer with his Lord, besides affording the diversion of constantly shifting scenery along the way, a relief for body and mind. Note: There is much room for thought here for such as can read between the lines, both as to the burdens borne by a faithful preacher and to the necessity of solitude and recreation at times. When Paul had joined his companions on the ship at Assos, either the same evening or the next morning, and had been picked up by them, they went on to Mitylene, a harbor on the eastern coast of the island of Lesbos, where they anchored for the night, the channel being somewhat dangerous to navigate in the dark. The following day they made good headway, being able to reach a point near the mainland opposite the island of Chios, where they anchored for the night. Their next station was the island of Samos, south of the Caystrian Gulf, and southwest of Ephesus. To reach the island, they struck directly across the gulf and thus did not land at Ephesus. From Samos they crossed to the mainland, having some delay at Trogyllium, probably to take on or unload a part of the cargo. But from there it was only a short run to Miletus, the port at the mouth of the Maeander, a populous and important city, with a large inland trade, where the vessel was to stay for several days. The trip from Troas to Miletus had thus taken from Monday morning to Saturday evening. And Paul did not take the time to stop off somewhere and take a coastwise boat to Ephesus, for he had decided not to stop there on this trip, the delay such an action might occasion being his main reason. His hurry was due to the fact that he wanted to be in Jerusalem for the Festival of Pentecost. This plan left him barely seven weeks from the time he had started from Philippi, and approximately three of these were now gone.