Acts 20:3

"And when he had spent three months there, and. plot was laid against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia"Three months": These "were the winter months (January to March)" (Reese p. 728). (Acts 20:16) "Paul's three months in Corinth are likely to have been during the winter, while he waited for the spring weather to open up navigation on the high seas" (Stott p. 317). While in Corinth, Paul writes the letter to the Romans (Romans 15:22; Romans 16:23). In addition, at Corinth the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem is finally fully gathered and they are ready to take this contribution to Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16:1). "A plot was laid against him by the Jews": The original plan was to sail directly from Corinth to Syria. "Very likely what happened was this: Often from foreign ports Jewish pilgrim ships left for Syria to take pilgrims to the Passover. Paul must have intended to sail on such. ship. On such. ship it would have been the easiest thing in the world for the fanatical Jews to arrange that Paul should disappear overboard and never be heard of again" (Barclay p. 161). "With. shipload of hostile Jews, it would be easy to find opportunity to murder Paul and dump his body overboard" (Stott p. 317).

This plot could also have been carried out on the road from Corinth to its eastern port, Cenchrea, or in the busy harbor at Cenchrea. At this time of year, the harbor would be very busy as the ships that had wintered there anxiously attempted to get under way and as Jewish pilgrims bound for Jerusalem packed the vicinity. "He determined to return through Macedonia": Thus throwing his enemies off-guard, and traveling in the opposite direction.