Acts 16
(Paul's second missionary journey continued. Click on map to enlarge...)
1 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess that believed; but his father was a Greek.
(Paul and Silas went to Derbe and Lystra. In Lystra, they met up with Timothy. Timothy's mother was a believing Jew but his father was a Greek (implying unbelief). This was the Timothy to whom Paul wrote the epistles named 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.)
2 The same was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
(Timothy was "well reported of" by the believers at Lystra and Iconium.)
3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
(Paul had Timothy come with him on this second missionary journey. Timothy was circumcised because of the Jews who all knew that Timothy's father was a Greek. Timothy's circumcision was not done by necessity but as a "hurdle." This was not something Timothy had to do (like during the Law) but it would stop other Jews from questioning his belief. This was done for the benefit of others.)
4 And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem.
(The decrees of the council in Jerusalem were delivered to the churches.)
5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
(The churches were strengthened in faith and increased in number daily as a result of the decrees established at the council in Jerusalem that encouraged preaching the Gospel to Gentiles.)
6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;
7 and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not;
(They went throughout Phrygia and Galatia but were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. They approached Mysia and they decided to head towards Bithynia but the Spirit would not permit them.)
8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
(So, they passed by Mysia and came to Troas. Paul and Silas were obedient to the Holy Spirit.)
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
(Paul had a vision of a man calling him to Macedonia. Was this vision and calling the reason the Holy Spirit forbade them to go to Asia? Notice, from this point on, Luke started using the words "we, us" instead of "they, them." Luke was from Troas and now had joined Paul's second missionary journey.)
10 And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
(They immediately set things in order to go to Macedonia.)
11 Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;
12 and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a Roman colony: and we were in this city tarrying certain days.
(From Troas they went to Samothrace and the next day to Neapolis, then to Philippi where they stayed for days.)
13 And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women that were come together.
14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul.
15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
16 And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.
17 The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim unto you the way of salvation.
(Paul and Silas were met by a girl possessed by a spirit of divination. She was used by her masters to make money. Notice, what she stated was a fact: these men were servants of the Most High God, who proclaimed unto you the way of Salvation.)
18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.
(She cried out for many days that Paul and Silas were the servants of the Most High God and showing the way of Salvation. However, Paul was grieved and cast out the spirit. Why did he let her cry out for many days? She was saying a right what (that they were servants of God and showing the way of Salvation). However, she had a wrong how (by a spirit of divination) and wrong why: Paul would not have wanted people to think she was with Paul. People would have followed her after Paul left.
Notice, Paul cast this spirit out of her with the same method that Peter used to do his first healing: Paul first stated a preface where he was the subject (Peter's preface was "silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give to you"), then he made a statement in the Name of Jesus Christ where the object of the spiritual warfare was the subject of the statement. Paul spoke to the spirit and told it to come out of her.)
19 But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers,
20 and when they had brought them unto the magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans.
(Her masters were mad that they would not make money off of her any longer so they accused Paul and Silas of troubling the city. Again, the conflict was the Law, this time as it related to these people being Romans.)
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
(Paul and Silas were beaten and then cast into prison.)
24 who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
(Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God and the prisoners heard them. This was definitely rejoicing and being exceedingly glad from suffering for Christ (Matthew 5:11-12). This would also be proof these men were completely surrendered to God.)
26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
(A great earthquake shook the foundation of the prison and opened all the locks.)
27 And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
(The jailer was about to commit suicide because he thought the prisoners escaped. He would have been responsible for the escapes, if that happened.)
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
(Paul cried out that they were all still there.)
29 And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
(The jailer asked what to do to be saved.)
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.
32 And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house.
(They preached the Word of the Lord to the jailer and his house.)
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately.
(The jailer's family washed the wounds on Paul and Silas, and became believers.)
34 And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.
35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go.
36 And the jailor reported the words to Paul, saying, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore come forth, and go in peace.
37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.
(Paul brought up a point that invoked Justice. They were beaten publicly and the magistrates wanted to release them privately, this was unjust. Paul also stated that he and Silas were Romans. Paul wanted to make these rulers conscious of what they did by having them personally release them.)
38 And the sergeants reported these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans;
39 and they came and besought them; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go away from the city.
40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
(The magistrates personally released them. Then, Paul and Silas were comforted by the believers in Lydia's house.)
Acts 17
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
(They passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia and ended up in Thessalonica. This was the church to whom Paul wrote the epistles named 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians.)
2 and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
(Paul's custom was to spend three Sabbaths in the synagogue discussing, with logic, what we know as the Old Testament. Whether this was everyday for two to three weeks or only on the Sabbaths, this verse did not state.)
3 opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom, said he, I proclaim unto you, is the Christ.
(The discussion concerned what the Old Testament stated about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ: The Gospel.)
4 And some of them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
("Not a few" meant many…because of Paul's "reasoning," many people believed.)
5 But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people.
6 And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
(It was being said that Paul and Silas had turned the world upside down, not just the city. Again, all of this was done because the Jews (people who held to the what of the Law of Moses) were not humble enough to consider another perspective on their beliefs.)
7 whom Jason hath received: and these all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
8 And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
9 And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
(Paul and Silas were sent away at night to Beroea. During the second missionary journey, this was the furthest point from their origin: Antioch.)
11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.
(Beroea had nobler men than did Thessalonica because they searched the scriptures daily to test Paul's teachings. The Beroeans sought understanding.)
12 Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few.
13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also, they came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the multitudes.
(Again, when the Jews heard that Paul was in Beroea, they went there and stirred up the people.)
14 And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still.
15 But they that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to him with all speed, they departed.
(Paul went to Athens while Silas and Timothy were in Beroea. Silas and Timothy were summoned to Athens to be with Paul.)
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols.
(While Paul waited for Silas and Timothy to arrive in Athens, his spirit motivated him to speak because he saw all the idols.)
17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with them that met him.
18 And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would this babbler say? others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
(These philosophers believed in satisfying the pleasures of the flesh above all else. Paul's emphasis of the power of the spirit over the flesh would have been in conflict with these philosophers' beliefs.)
19 And they took hold of him, and brought him unto the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by thee?
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.)
(These philosophers loved to hear new ideas, most likely because they dealt with the theoretical and none of their explanations were lacking contradictions. Consequently, they were open to hearing new theories. However, Paul's belief was based on a real event.)
(Verses 22-31: Paul's Sermon on Mar's Hill.)
22 And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious.
23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you.
(Paul used the Athenians beliefs to reach them for Christ, Paul adjusted to them. They had an altar to an unknown God because they knew that everything had to be explainable, yet all of their theories were contradictory. Paul praised them for their pursuit of answers and then stated he would be able to supply the answer.)
24 The God that made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 and he made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us:
28 for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
(Paul's opening sentence established he was speaking of the First Cause: the God before everything that physically existed. Paul stated facts about God and stated effects of these causes. He concluded this first sentence showing the agreement between him and their poets.
We have seen that sermons in the Book of Acts followed a two-step approach:
-1st Step: The premise (effect/what) was presented along with the reason (cause/why).
-2nd Step: Support from the scriptures was presented.
Here, Paul adjusted the 2nd Step and referenced "their scriptures" (poets) for support. Notice, Paul was helping these people by discussing a topic they liked to discuss. To this point, Paul had not preached, he had not told them what to do by pointing them to God.)
29 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.
(Paul built on the accepted premise of his first sentence. He established that we should not worship a spiritual God with physical things made by man. Notice, this was a major theme of the Book of Exodus, yet Paul was able to reach the same conclusion without referencing the Second Book of Moses. Notice also, this was preaching. Paul told them what they ought to do and pointed them to God. Even Paul did not begin by pointing people to God. Paul first helped people, then pointed them to God. Next, Paul needed to motivate his audience towards a new action.)
30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:
31 inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
(Paul stated the people now needed to repent because they were no longer ignorant. Paul supported this premise with something different than scripture or their "scripture." Paul stated an actual physical occurrence: God raised Jesus from the dead.)
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again.
(When they heard this different 2nd Step (resurrection of the dead), some people mocked Paul but some wanted to hear more.)
33 Thus Paul went out from among them.
(Paul preached a three sentence sermon, and left them wanting more.)
34 But certain men clave unto him, and believed: among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
(However, some would not leave Paul.)
Acts 18
1 After these things he departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.
(Paul left Athens for Corinth. This was the church to whom Paul wrote the epistles named 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians.)
2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome: and he came unto them;
3 and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they wrought, for by their trade they were tentmakers.
(Paul was a tentmaker.)
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
5 But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
(Verse 4 stated Paul reasoned in the synagogue on every Sabbath, which implied he did not reason in the synagogue on the other six days. Silas and Timothy met up with Paul in Corinth as he was preaching the Gospel to the Jews. Being "constrained" meant Paul felt "compelled and/or pressed upon." Paul truly felt a responsibility to deliver the Gospel!)
6 And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook out his raiment and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
(When Paul realized that his continued preaching to the Jews resulted in them blaspheming, Paul stated he would only go to the Gentiles from this point on.)
7 And he departed thence, and went into the house of a certain man named Titus Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
8 And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
(Paul converted many Corinthians, which would have led to a church being formed.)
9 And the Lord said unto Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace:
10 for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee: for I have much people in this city.
(The Lord spoke to Paul in a vision to continue to preach because there were many believers.)
11 And he dwelt there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
(Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half teaching the Word of God to the people.)
12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment-seat,
13 saying, This man persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
(Again, a main theme of the Book of Acts was stated: the conflict between the New Testament Church and the Law of Moses. These people spoke falsely about Paul to the government.)
14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked villany, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
15 but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters.
16 And he drove them from the judgment-seat.
(The government did not want to deal with a religious issue.)
17 And they all laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things.
18 And Paul, having tarried after this yet many days, took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila: having shorn his head in Cenchreae; for he had a vow.
(The people beat Sosthenes who would have succeeded Crispus once he became a believer in Jesus Christ. It appeared that Sosthenes also became a believer, which would be why the people would have beaten him. Paul left for Syria. Paul shaved his head in Cenchreae because he made a vow.)
19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
(Paul went to Ephesus. This was the location of the church to whom Paul wrote the Book of Ephesians.)
20 And when they asked him to abide a longer time, he consented not;
21 but taking his leave of them, and saying, I will return again unto you if God will, he set sail from Ephesus.
22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and saluted the church, and went down to Antioch.
(Paul landed at Caesarea and then went to Antioch. This ended Paul's second missionary journey. This second missionary journey was characterized by the evangelism to locations that make up a majority of the Epistles from Paul in the New Testament. This also began Paul's third missionary journey. Click on map to enlarge...)
23 And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.
(Paul went to Galatia and Phrygia to strengthen the disciples. Galatia was the site of the church to whom Paul wrote the Book of Galatians.)
24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the scriptures.
25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spake and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John:
(A man named Apollos taught diligently the scriptures but only knew as far as John the Baptist.)
26 and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately.
(Aquila and Priscilla (whom Paul met at Corinth) explained the way of God more accurately to Apollos. They expanded Apollos' Doctrine.)
27 And when he was minded to pass over into Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him: and when he was come, he helped them much that had believed through grace;
28 for he powerfully confuted the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
(During Paul's third missionary journey, he met Apollos, a Jew who was able to powerfully confute the Jews publicly. Paul had stated that he was going to reach out to the Jews and God supplied someone who would do this with power.)
(This post covered Paul's second missionary journey and the beginning of his third missionary journey.)
Day 318
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