Acts 20:13

ἡμεῖς, i.e., without Paul. Ἄσσον : south of Troas in the Roman province of Asia, and some miles east of Cape Lectum. The opposite coast of Lesbos was about seven miles distant. Its harbour gave it a considerable importance in the coasting trade of former days. A Roman road connected it with Troas and the Troad coast. The sculptures from the Temple of Athena erected on the hill on which Assos itself was built form some of the most important remains of archaic Greek art: most of them are now in Paris. “Assos” (Ramsay), Hastings' B.D., B.D. 2. Steph. Byz. describes Assos as situated ἐφʼ ὑψηλοῦ καὶ ὀξέος καὶ δυσανόδου τόπου. ἀναλαμβάνειν : assumere in navem; cf. Polyb., xxx., 9, 8. The only other instance at all parallel in N.T. is 2 Timothy 4:11, where we might render “to pick him up on the way,” Lightfoot, Biblical Essays, p. 437. διατεταγ.: with middle significance, cf. Acts 7:44; Acts 24:23; Winer-Moulton, xxxix., 3. πεζεύειν : “to go by land,” R.V. (margin, “on foot”): “de terrestri (non necessario pedestri) itinere,” Blass; a much shorter route than the sea voyage round Cape Lectum. The land journey was about twenty miles, Itin. Anton., B.D. 2. Probably Paul took the journey in this way for ministerial purposes; others suggest that he did so for the sake of his health, others to avoid the snare of the Jews, or from a desire for solitude. But it may be questioned whether this somewhat lengthy foot journey would be accomplished without any attendant at all. It does not follow, as has been supposed, that the ship was hired by Paul himself, but that he used its putting in at Assos for his own purpose.