Continuing from chapter 19:
Acts 20:1-6:
20:1But after the tumult stopped, Paul, having sent-after the learning-disciples and having encouraged (them), having greeted (them) he went-out to journey into Macedonia. .2And having gone-through those parts and having encouraged them with much word he went into Greece. .3And having done three months, (after) a deliberate-determination on him by the Judeans having come-to-pass, (when he was) being about to be led-up (by ship) into Syria he became of a knowing to return by means of Macedonia. .4And there followed-helpingly-together with him Sopater (the son) of Pyrrhus a Berean, and Aristarchus and Secundus – Thessalonians, and Gaius a Derbean, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus – Asians, .5and these-people having gone-forth remained (for) us in Troas. .6But we sailed-out after the days of the unleavened away-from Philippi and we went towards them continuously-until five days into Troas where we spent seven days.
After the tumult (uproar, clamor among the people) ceased, Paul sent for the learning-disciples (students) and then he encouraged them (exhorted them, called them beside him, as a concerned father and/or mother would invite their children close to them under their arms so as to help them to do what is right).
Then he greeted them (saluted, drew them to himself bidding farewell) and he went from Ephesus and journeyed northwards into Macedonia traveling through those regions encouraging the learning-disciples with a lot of the Word of God. Included in the period of time covered in Acts 20:1 is that fact that after Paul left Ephesus he came into Troas where he was concerned for the Corinthian holy-people and awaited Titus’ arrival to him from Corinth. However, because Titus did not arrive, Paul left Troas and continued on his journey into Macedonia and met up with Titus there (refer to II Corinthians 2:12 and 13, 7:5-16). It was at that time that Paul wrote the Book (letter/epistle) of “II Corinthians” (refer to II Corinthians 8:16-23).
Then Paul went southwards into Greece, which includes Corinth, where he spent three months, during which time he wrote the Book (letter/epistle) of "Romans." The length of time covered during verses 1-3 was about nine months.
When Paul was on the point of going by ship in the direction of Syria which he had previously spoken about, it became personal knowledge to him (he was informed and thus of the opinion) that he should return by means of Macedonia cross-country because some Judeans purposefully willed some plot (conspiracy) against him.
The people who were following together with him helping and supporting him on this journey were Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus – however, at this point he sent them on ahead of him and told them to stay in Troas, while he and Luke traveled over land northwards until they reached Philippi. The previous reference to Luke being in Paul’s company was Acts 16:10-17 where Luke wrote the pronoun “we”.
After the days of "unleavened" which were the days around the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread of 58 AD, they sailed from Philippi. It took them five days to reach Troas.
In Troas they stayed for seven days.
[Reference: Acts 9:23 and 24, 19:21, 21:29, 27:2; Romans 15:23-26; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7 and 10; Philemon 1:24.]
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