They were united in purpose and trusted one another’s faithful service—an example of how cooperation and shared mission can strengthen believers.
But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas (Acts 20:5). Here in Acts 20 Luke resumes the first-person narrative (“we” and “us”) after a period of writing in the third person, indicating that he has rejoined Paul’s missionary team. The companions mentioned in the previous verses traveled ahead while Paul remained behind for a time, and they all converged at Troas, a significant port city in the Roman province of Asia. Troas was located near the Aegean Sea in what is now northwestern Turkey, making it a strategic place for travel and commerce. By the time Paul arrived, he found that his fellow workers had already set up camp and were awaiting his arrival so they could continue their journey together.
The brief phrase, were waiting for us at Troas, spotlights both the unity of Paul’s ministry team and the historical detail that Luke contributes as an eyewitness. Luke had previously stopped using “we” and “us” when Paul left Philippi in Acts 16. Now, in Acts 20:5-6, he switches back to first-person plural language, a strong internal indicator that Luke was personally present at these events. That presence lends vividness and credibility to the account, showing that the author was an active participant, not merely reporting secondhand information. Meanwhile, Troas itself appears multiple times in the New Testament as a place from which Paul sailed to Macedonia (Acts 16:11) and later performed a miraculous healing (Acts 20:9-12).
This verse also comes during Paul’s third missionary journey, likely taking place in the late AD 50s. By gathering with his companions in Troas, Paul prepared to continue encouraging churches across Macedonia and Greece. This reunion underscores how the early believers worked as a cohesive group to spread the gospel, relying on coordinated efforts and divine guidance to reach as many places as possible.
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Acts 20:5 meaning
But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas (Acts 20:5). Here in Acts 20 Luke resumes the first-person narrative (“we” and “us”) after a period of writing in the third person, indicating that he has rejoined Paul’s missionary team. The companions mentioned in the previous verses traveled ahead while Paul remained behind for a time, and they all converged at Troas, a significant port city in the Roman province of Asia. Troas was located near the Aegean Sea in what is now northwestern Turkey, making it a strategic place for travel and commerce. By the time Paul arrived, he found that his fellow workers had already set up camp and were awaiting his arrival so they could continue their journey together.
The brief phrase, were waiting for us at Troas, spotlights both the unity of Paul’s ministry team and the historical detail that Luke contributes as an eyewitness. Luke had previously stopped using “we” and “us” when Paul left Philippi in Acts 16. Now, in Acts 20:5-6, he switches back to first-person plural language, a strong internal indicator that Luke was personally present at these events. That presence lends vividness and credibility to the account, showing that the author was an active participant, not merely reporting secondhand information. Meanwhile, Troas itself appears multiple times in the New Testament as a place from which Paul sailed to Macedonia (Acts 16:11) and later performed a miraculous healing (Acts 20:9-12).
This verse also comes during Paul’s third missionary journey, likely taking place in the late AD 50s. By gathering with his companions in Troas, Paul prepared to continue encouraging churches across Macedonia and Greece. This reunion underscores how the early believers worked as a cohesive group to spread the gospel, relying on coordinated efforts and divine guidance to reach as many places as possible.