Month: October 2024

When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Arstarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province. (vv. 1-2, NLT)

The the commander called two of his officers and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine 0’clock tonight. Also take 200 spearman and 70 mounted troops. Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix.” Then he wrote this letter to the governor:

“From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings!

This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived withe troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety. Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him. I soon discovered that the charge was something regarding their religious law – certainly not worthy of imprisonment or death. But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you.”

So that night a ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris. They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him to Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix. He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. “Cilicia,” Paul answered.

“I will hear your case myself when you accusers arrive,” the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the parison at Herod’s headquarters. (vv. 23-35, NLT)

The Commander brought Paul inside and ordered him lashed with whips to make him confess his crime. He wanted to find out why the crowd had become so furious. When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer standing there, “Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried>”

When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!”

So the commander went over and asked Paul, “Tell me, are a Roman citizen?”

“I certainly am,” Paul replied.

“I am too,” the commander muttered, “and it cost me plenty!”

Paul answered, “But I am a citizen by birth!”

The soldiers who were about to interrogate Paul quickly withdrew when they heard he was a Roman citizen, and the commander was frightened because he had ordered him bound and whipped.

The next day the commander ordered the leading priests into session with the Jewish high council. He wanted to find out what the trouble was all about, so he released Paul to him him stand before them. (vv. 24-30, NLT)

After this, we packed our things and left for Jerusalem. Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the house or Mnason, a man original from Cyprus and one of the early believers. When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly.

The next day Paul went with us to meed with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. After greeting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry. (vv. 15-19, NLT)

So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the day when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them.

The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him, yelling, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the an who preaches against our people everywhere and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He speaks against the Temple – and even defiles this holy place by bringing in Gentiles. (vv. 26-28, NLT)

The whole city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him. As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul.

Then the commander arrested him and ordered hi bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done. Someone shouted one thing and some another. Since he couldn’t find out the truth in all the uproar and confusion, he ordered that Paul be taken to the fortress. As Paul reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent the soldier had to lift him on their shoulders to protect him. And the crowd followed behind, shouting, “Kill him, kill him!” (vv. 26-36, NLT)

When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. While there, he encouraged the believers in all the town he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Styria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia. (vv. 1-3, NLT)

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? ” he asked.

“No”, they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.

And they replied, “The baptism of John.”

Paul said, “John’s baptism called for the repentance from in. But John himself told the people to believe in the One who would come later, meaning Jesus.’

And as soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all. (vv. 1-7, NLT)