LEARN BY TOPIC

Paul’s journeys

Follow Paul’s story through Acts.

1. 1. Antioch: Paul is sent - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 13:1-3

   ¹ Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

   ² As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”

   ³ Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   A diverse community discerns, prays and sends Barnabas and Saul; mission begins with shared listening.

   Reflect

   • How does the Antioch community take part in sending Barnabas and Saul?

   Put it into practice

   Consult your community before taking on a new responsibility.

   Next lesson →

2. 2. Cyprus - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 13:4-12

   ⁴ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.

   ⁵ When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their attendant.

   ⁶ When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar Jesus,

   ⁷ who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.

   ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

   ⁹ But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him

   ¹⁰ and said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit and all cunning, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

   ¹¹ Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

   ¹² Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   The account contrasts a desire to hear God’s word with efforts to obstruct it; the proconsul is amazed at the teaching.

   Reflect

   • What draws the proconsul’s attention to the teaching about the Lord?

   Put it into practice

   Distinguish the biblical message from attempts to manipulate it.

   Next lesson →

3. 3. Philippi - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 16:11-40

   ¹¹ Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;

   ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.

   ¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

   ¹⁴ A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.

   ¹⁵ When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

   ¹⁶ As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

   ¹⁷ Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!”

   ¹⁸ She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.

   ¹⁹ But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

   ²⁰ When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city

   ²¹ and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”

   ²² The multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, then commanded them to be beaten with rods.

   ²³ When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.

   ²⁴ Having received such a command, he threw them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.

   ²⁵ But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

   ²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.

   ²⁷ The jailer, 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.

   ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!”

   ²⁹ He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,

   ³⁰ brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

   ³¹ They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

   ³² They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.

   ³³ He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household.

   ³⁴ He brought them up into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly with all his household, having believed in God.

   ³⁵ But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”

   ³⁶ The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out and go in peace.”

   ³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”

   ³⁸ The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

   ³⁹ and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.

   ⁴⁰ They went out of the prison and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, then departed.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Lydia offers hospitality and the jailer receives care in a crisis; Paul also requests fair treatment after imprisonment.

   Reflect

   • What changes in Lydia’s and the jailer’s lives after meeting Paul?

   Put it into practice

   Meet an immediate need while honoring the person’s dignity.

   Next lesson →

4. 4. Athens - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 17:16-34

   ¹⁶ Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.

   ¹⁷ So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.

   ¹⁸ Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.

   ¹⁹ They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which you are speaking about?

   ²⁰ For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.”

   ²¹ Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

   ²² Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.

   ²³ For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, I announce to you.

   ²⁴ The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands.

   ²⁵ He isn’t served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath and all things.

   ²⁶ He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons and the boundaries of their dwellings,

   ²⁷ that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

   ²⁸ ‘For in him we live, move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’

   ²⁹ Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man.

   ³⁰ The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,

   ³¹ because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”

   ³² Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”

   ³³ Thus Paul went out from among them.

   ³⁴ But certain men joined with him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul observes his surroundings and engages his listeners; he announces resurrection while the account records varied responses.

   Reflect

   • How does Paul use what he has observed in Athens to speak about God?

   Put it into practice

   Listen to someone’s questions before expressing your convictions.

   Next lesson →

5. 5. Corinth - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 18:1-17

   ¹ After these things Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth.

   ² He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,

   ³ and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.

   ⁴ He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

   ⁵ When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

   ⁶ When they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!”

   ⁷ He departed there and went into the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

   ⁸ Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.

   ⁹ The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent;

   ¹⁰ for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

   ¹¹ He lived there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

   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 persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”

   ¹⁴ But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I should bear with you;

   ¹⁵ but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.”

   ¹⁶ So he drove them from the judgment seat.

   ¹⁷ Then all the Greeks seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. Gallio didn’t care about any of these things.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul works with Aquila and Priscilla and teaches in Corinth; mission develops through relationships and persistence.

   Reflect

   • How do Aquila and Priscilla help Paul during his stay in Corinth?

   Put it into practice

   Recognize those who make everyday service possible.

   Next lesson →

6. 6. Ephesus - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 19:1-41

   ¹ While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

   ² He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

   ³ He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

   ⁴ Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Christ Jesus.”

   ⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

   ⁶ When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.

   ⁷ They were about twelve men in all.

   ⁸ He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.

   ⁹ But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

   ¹⁰ This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

   ¹¹ God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,

   ¹² so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.

   ¹³ But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

   ¹⁴ There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.

   ¹⁵ The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”

   ¹⁶ The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

   ¹⁷ This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

   ¹⁸ Many also of those who had believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds.

   ¹⁹ Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.

   ²⁰ So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.

   ²¹ Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

   ²² Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

   ²³ About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way.

   ²⁴ For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen,

   ²⁵ whom he gathered together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth.

   ²⁶ You see and hear that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods that are made with hands.

   ²⁷ Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”

   ²⁸ When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

   ²⁹ The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.

   ³⁰ When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him.

   ³¹ Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.

   ³² Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn’t know why they had come together.

   ³³ They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.

   ³⁴ But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

   ³⁵ When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?

   ³⁶ Seeing then that these things can’t be denied, you ought to be quiet and to do nothing rash.

   ³⁷ For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.

   ³⁸ If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.

   ³⁹ But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly.

   ⁴⁰ For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.”

   ⁴¹ When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Teaching changes practices and provokes economic conflict; the account distinguishes faith, commerce and crowd violence.

   Reflect

   • Why are the Ephesian craftspeople worried when people change their practices?

   Put it into practice

   Examine whether financial interests shape an ethical decision.

   Next lesson →

7. 7. Malta and Rome - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 28:1-31

   ¹ When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called Malta.

   ² The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the present rain and because of the cold.

   ³ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.

   ⁴ When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.”

   ⁵ However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn’t harmed.

   ⁶ But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

   ⁷ Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and courteously entertained us for three days.

   ⁸ The father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.

   ⁹ Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came and were cured.

   ¹⁰ They also honored us with many honors; and when we sailed, they put on board the things that we needed.

   ¹¹ After three months, we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose figurehead was “The Twin Brothers.”

   ¹² Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

   ¹³ From there we circled around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,

   ¹⁴ where we found brothers, and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to Rome.

   ¹⁵ From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

   ¹⁶ When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

   ¹⁷ After three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, “I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

   ¹⁸ who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me.

   ¹⁹ But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation.

   ²⁰ For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”

   ²¹ They said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you.

   ²² But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.”

   ²³ When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.

   ²⁴ Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.

   ²⁵ When they didn’t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one message: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,

   ²⁶ saying, ‘Go to this people and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive.

   ²⁷ For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, then I would heal them.’

   ²⁸ “Be it known therefore to you that the salvation of God is sent to the nations, and they will listen.”

   ²⁹ When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.

   ³⁰ Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house and received all who were coming to him,

   ³¹ preaching God’s Kingdom and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul receives hospitality in Malta and keeps teaching under custody in Rome; the ending portrays a message still being heard.

   Reflect

   • How does Paul keep welcoming people and teaching while under guard?

   Put it into practice

   Find a realistic way to serve within your present limits.