Acts 20:16-17
Context20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus 1 so as not to spend time 2 in the province of Asia, 3 for he was hurrying 4 to arrive in Jerusalem, 5 if possible, 6 by the day of Pentecost. 20:17 From Miletus 7 he sent a message 8 to Ephesus, telling the elders of the church to come to him. 9
1 map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.
2 tn Grk “so that he might not have to spend time.” L&N 67.79 has “ὅπως μὴ γένηται αὐτῷ χρονοτριβῆσαι ἐν τῇ ᾿Ασίᾳ ‘so as not to spend any time in the province of Asia’ Ac 20:16.”
3 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
4 tn Or “was eager.”
5 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
6 tn Grk “if it could be to him” (an idiom).
7 sn Miletus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor about 45 mi (72 km) south of Ephesus.
8 tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
9 tn The words “to him” are not in the Greek text but are implied. L&N 33.311 has for the verb μετακαλέομαι (metakaleomai) “to summon someone, with considerable insistence and authority – ‘to summon, to tell to come.’”