Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 20]
Philippi or Troas to take them to Patara in Lycia. Hence the boat
stopped when and where Paul wished. That is possible, but not
certain, for Paul could simply have accommodated himself to the
plans of the ship's managers. {To take in Paul} (\analambanein
ton Paulon\). So in verse 14. Same use in 2Ti 4:11: "Picking
up Mark" (\Markon analab•n\). Assos was a seaport south of Troas
in Mysia in the province of Asia. {He had appointed}
(\diatetagmenos •n\). Past perfect periphrastic middle of
\diatass•\, old verb to give orders (military in particular). {To
go by land} (\pezeuein\). Present active infinitive of \pezeu•\,
old verb to go on foot, not on horse back or in a carriage or by
ship. Here only in the N.T. It was about twenty miles over a
paved Roman road, much shorter (less than half) than the sea
voyage around Cape Lectum. It was a beautiful walk in the
spring-time and no doubt Paul enjoyed it whatever his reason was
for going thus to Assos while the rest went by sea. Certainly he
was entitled to a little time alone, this one day, as Jesus
sought the Father in the night watches (Mt 14:23).
20:14 {Met us} (\suneballen h•min\). Imperfect active where the
aorist (\sunebalen\, as C D have it) would seem more natural. It
may mean that as soon as (\h•s\) Paul "came near or began to meet
us" (inchoative imperfect), we picked him up. Luke alone in the
N.T. uses \sunball•\ to bring or come together either in a
friendly sense as here or as enemies (Lu 14:31). {To Mitylene}
(\eis Mitul•n•n\). The capital of Lesbos about thirty miles from
Assos, an easy day's sailing.
20:15 {We came over against Chios} (\kat•nt•samen antikrus
Chiou\). Luke uses this _Koin•_ verb several times (16:1;
18:19), meaning to come right down in front of and the notion of
\anta\ is made plainer by \antikrus\, face to face with, common
"improper" preposition only here in the N.T. They probably lay
off the coast (anchoring) during the night instead of putting
into the harbour. The Island of Chios is about eight miles from
the mainland. {The next day} (\t•i heter•i\). The third day in
reality from Assos (the fourth from Troas), in contrast with \t•i
epious•i\ just before for Chios. {We touched at Samos}
(\parebalomen eis Samon\). Second aorist active of \paraball•\,
to throw alongside, to cross over, to put in by. So Thucydides
III. 32. Only here in the N.T. though in Textus Receptus in Mr
4:30. The word parable (\parabol•\) is from this verb. The
Textus Receptus adds here \kai meinantes en Trogulli•i\ (and
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