Acts 20:3
And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
Paul spent the three months at Corinth, where his work was completed. From there he planned to sail directly to Syria on his way toward Palestine and Jerusalem. As he was about to sail he learned that the Jews were lying in wait for him with a plot to take his life.
Because of that threat he gave up the sea voyage and purposed to return through Macedonia. He made the journey through Macedonia accompanied by fellow travelers for protection. The change of plans forced him to give up reaching Jerusalem for Passover, though he still hoped to arrive by Pentecost. The delay also kept him away from Jerusalem during a riot and massacre for which blame would have wrongly fallen on him.