1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.
7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day. 8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Luke describes the journey from leaving the Ephesian elders at Miletus working their way down to Tyre, where their ship stopped to offload cargo. In Tyre, they sought out the local church and stayed with them for seven days. Luke says that the believers, through the Spirit, told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. Was Paul being disobedient in continuing to Jerusalem? That is unlikely because Acts 20:22, 21:14, and 19:21 suggest it was God’s will for Paul to go to Jerusalem. God’s later encouragement (Acts 23:11) strongly implies Paul was not working against God’s will. And in Acts 23:11, Paul declared that he had lived in good conscience up to that day. The likely explanation is that the believers, like those before them (Acts 20:23), had a revelation for Paul that he would suffer in Jerusalem and out of concern for his safety, they tried to dissuade him from going. When the seven days were up, all the believers, including wives and children, escorted Paul and his group to the beach and prayed corporately with the group before they again set sail.
They continued down with a one night stop at Ptolemais, again visiting with the believers there. They then continued to Caesarea where they stayed with Philip the evangelist (Acts 6:5; 8:4-40). Interestingly, Philip is the only person in the New Testament who is explicitly called an evangelist. Philip had four virgin daughters who prophesied (Acts 2:17). While they stayed there, Agabus, a prophet from Judea (Acts 11:28) came down and demonstrated his message from the Holy Spirit by tying his own hands and feet with Paul’s belt, explaining that the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem would bind Paul and deliver him to the Gentiles. Again we see the believers who heard the prophesy responding by urging Paul not to continue to Jerusalem. But Paul asked them why they would break his heart by crying for him when he was not only ready to be imprisoned but also die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul would not be persuaded, they stopped and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” Out of love and concern for Paul, they didn’t want him to go, but they were willing to submit to the Lord’s will over their own. Finally, they got ready and went up to Jerusalem along with some of the believers from Caesarea, and there they stayed with Mnason who was originally from Cyprus and an early believer. Staying with a believer who had persevered since Paul’s missionary journey to Cyprus would have been an encouragement to Paul.
It can be tough to let someone we love head out into the unknown to do God’s work. This is especially true for parents who may not understand why their child chooses to become a missionary. Our love shouldn’t hold them back. It should be an encouragement as we pray for them and entrust them to God’s will.
Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan
Struggles in the Christian Life: 2 Timothy 3-4