At the end of chapter 20 the elders from Ephesus escorted Paul to the ship in Miletus.
Acts 21:1-6:
21:1But as it came-to-pass (for) us to be led-up (by ship), having been pulled-away from them, having run-straight we went into Coos, and on the next (day) into Rhodes, and-from-there into Patara, .2and having found a ship passing-through into Phoenicia having gone-on (board) we were led-up (by ship). .3But having lit-up Cyprus and having left it down on the-left, we sailed into Syria, and we went-down into Tyre for there the ship was unloading the cargo.
.4But having found the learning-disciples we remained-on there seven days, the-people-who said to Paul by means of the spirit not to go-on into Jerusalem. .5But when it came-to-pass (for) us to fully-equip the days, having gone-out we journeyed, all-people sending us forward together with women and children until outside of the city, and having knelt-down on the shore, having prayed .6we pulled-ourselves-away-from one-another, and we ascended into the ship, but those-people returned into (their) own-places.
After Paul and those with him drew away from the elders at Miletus, they (including Luke) went by ship on a straight course southwards into Coos, and the day next in order they went into Rhodes, then Patara. When they found a ship heading for Phoenicia (Acts 11:19) they went on board. They sailed south of Cyprus traveling close-by it whereby they could see it clearly, and not stopping they kept on sailing into Syria landing in Tyre where the ship discharged its freight.
In Tyre, Paul and those with him searched-for (looked-up) and found the learning-disciples (students) – he did not go into the nearest Judean synagogue – and they stayed on in that place for seven days.
During this time these learning-disciples spoke to Paul telling him not to presently keep going-on (not to tread upon, set foot on) Jerusalem. The Greek texts include the phrase “by means of the spirit” which may indicate:
However, there is no recorded response from Paul or those with him to this. Paul had the opportunity not to carry-on in his journey towards Jerusalem at this time. Conditional upon Paul's own free-will decision of whether to go or not to go, the result would determine how God and the Lord Jesus Christ would instruct Paul on how he should continue and proceed carrying-out his ministry.
It is worth noting here that Paul’s journey to Jerusalem at this time agrees with Acts 19:21, 20:22 and 23, 21:14, 23:1 and 11, 27:24; II Timothy 4:7 and 8.
When the days which were needed to be completely prepared (fitted-out, totally provisioned with all necessary equipment and ready to proceed, refer to verse 3 above) had ended, Paul and those with him journeyed out to meet the ship and all the people, men and women (wives) and children, were going outside the city with them (accompanying them, escorting them). Then they put their knees down on the ground in the kneeling position on the shore of the sea and prayed.
Then Paul and those with him drew themselves away from these holy-people (Christians) and went up into the ship, but the holy-people of Tyre returned to their homes. All of them showed great respect and love towards one another. There is no record of anyone even suggesting that Paul was disobeying God or the Lord Jesus Christ.
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