God worked powerfully through Paul enabling him to do extraordinary miracles. These miracles parallel those of Peter (Acts 5:15-16) including items of cloth that had touched Paul being used in healing the sick and demon-possessed. These items were symbols of God’s power working through the apostle and contained no magical power in themselves. Some traveling Jewish exorcists who saw Paul’s miracles decided to invoke Jesus’ name over those who had evil spirits. Luke highlights the seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva who tried this. When they invoked Jesus’ name, the spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognise, but who are you?” There is no magical benefit in Jesus’ name to those who do not belong to Him. Then the man possessed by the spirit overpowered them and sent them fleeing from the house naked and wounded. As people found out about this story, they responded in awe, and Jesus’ name was held in reverence. This also led all those who had become believers to confess their prior involvement in the magic arts and they brought their books and publically burned them all. The total value of the destroyed volumes was equivalent to fifty thousand pieces of silver (the value of about fifty thousand days of labour). For the sixth time, Luke reported on the spread of the gospel and the growth of the church.

Is there something from your life prior to belief that still has a hold on you? Confession to others can help you move forward in freedom (Jas 5:16).

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul headed inland to Ephesus. On his way in, he found twelve disciples and something in their interaction prompted him to ask if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. They responded that they had not even heard that the Holy Spirit had been given. These twelve were referred to as disciples and Paul spoke of “when they believed” therefore they must have been believers and yet not received the Holy Spirit. Paul asked them what they were baptised into and, like Apollos, they only knew of John’s baptism. Paul explained that John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for the nation of Israel to prepare for the coming Messiah that was fulfilled in Jesus. With a fuller understanding, they were baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. After their baptism, Paul laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues and prophesying. The Holy Spirit came upon new believers in different ways throughout the book of Acts and didn’t follow a set pattern. At some key junctures in the establishment of the church, He came upon believers very visibly. At other times believers received the Holy Spirit with no fanfare (most of Paul’s missionary journeys). Paul affirmed in Romans 8:9 that all believers have the Holy Spirit, for whoever does not have the Holy Spirit is not a Christian.

In Ephesus, Paul taught boldly in the synagogue for three months. Once again he spent his time reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. Paul expected people to believe based on sound reasoning, not fanciful faith. While he enjoyed an extended time without opposition, eventually opposition arose from some who were stubborn and continued in unbelief. When they started badmouthing the Way (Christianity), Paul left the synagogue along with those who had believed and began to meet in the hall of Tyrannus. He continued to teach in that hall for another two years and all who lived in Asia heard the gospel of salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus. The province of Asia was the area on the west coast of modern-day Turkey. During this time the churches of Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis were founded (Col 4:13) and some believe all seven of the churches of Revelation 2-3 were also founded but this cannot be confirmed.

Today some don’t put a lot of weight on baptism and yet it was clearly an important part of identifying as a believer in Jesus throughout the book of Acts. Have you been baptised? If not, why not?

After Gallio’s decision, Paul remained in Corinth for a while before he set sail for Syria. Priscilla and Aquila traveled with him. In Cenchreae Paul had his hair cut off because a vow he had taken was concluded (Num 6:2, 18). When they arrived at Ephesus, Paul left them there. He again went into the synagogue to reason with the Jews. These Jews were more receptive than most. They asked him to stay longer but he declined, saying he would return to them if God willed (Jas 4:13-15). Some Greek manuscripts include that Paul’s reason for leaving was to keep a feast in Jerusalem, perhaps the Passover. When Paul landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church in Jerusalem, then he continued down to Antioch. After spending time with his sending church, Paul embarked on his third missionary journey. This time he moved through the region of Galatia and Phrygia. Paul strengthened the believers from the churches he established on his second missionary journey.

Back in Ephesus, a Jew named Apollos, who was originally from Alexandria, arrived. He was a gifted speaker who knew the Scriptures well. He had learned and accurately taught about Jesus, but his knowledge was deficient. He only knew about John’s baptism which was a baptism of repentance toward God. He still hadn’t undergone Christian baptism which symbolises a union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him teaching in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the things about God more accurately. When Apollos desired to cross over to teach in Achaia, the believers encouraged him and sent him off with a letter of commendation. When he arrived he was a great help to the believers there. Armed with a fuller, more accurate knowledge of Jesus, he presented powerful arguments against the Jews publicly showing that the Christ (the Messiah) was Jesus.

It is said that to spot a fake, you need to know the original extremely well. Do you know your Bible well enough to pick up when someone’s teaching is not accurate? What do you need to do to grow in your knowledge of God’s word?

Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that are easily applied to everyday situations. Consider carefully which of the sayings you’ve read today are particularly applicable to you today and in the coming week. What do you need to change or do more of to make use of God’s wisdom in your life?

Still alone, Paul travelled from Athens to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla. They had been ejected from Italy by Claudius who had issued an edict for all Jews to leave Rome. Because they shared the trade of tent-making, Paul stayed with them and worked with them. He continued to spend every Sabbath in the synagogues reasoning and trying to persuade the Jews and Greeks to believe in Jesus. No one can believe if they consider the claims about Jesus to be false, if they’re confused, or if they still have unanswered questions. Part of sharing the gospel is discussing and reasoning until the person is convinced of Jesus’ promise of eternal life.

When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, they found Paul preaching Jesus to the Jews. When they opposed him, he shook out his garment and said, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent.” Paul’s emotional response shows his great love for the Jews. But they were personally responsible for their rejection of God’s offer of salvation. Paul had fulfilled his obligation to tell them the good news of Jesus. After discussion and reasoning, if the person rejects Jesus’ offer of eternal life, further argument is likely pointless. Once again Paul turned his attention to the Gentiles and moved to stay with a man named Titius Justus who lived next door to the synagogue. Not all the Jews had rejected the message. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, and his whole household believed. This seemed to be the catalyst for many of the Corinthians who heard Paul to also believe and be baptised. Jesus personally encouraged Paul in a vision not to be afraid and to keep on speaking. Jesus promised to be with him and encouraged him with the revelation that many in the city belonged to Him. With renewed encouragement, Paul stayed on in the city for a year and a half and continued to teach God’s word in the city.

After a period of peaceful preaching, persecution again arose. When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jewish leaders united against Paul and took him before the tribunal. They accused him of teaching people to worship God contrary to the Mosaic law. Ironically his accusers were the ones who were not worshipping God correctly as they had rejected Jesus. Before Paul could offer a defence, Gallio dismissed the Jews’ charge. If it had been an issue of wrongdoing or crime, he would have accepted their complaint. At this point, the Roman government still considered Christianity as a facet of Judaism and therefore legitimate under Roman law. He told them that because it was about their own law, they should see to it themselves. When Gallio sent the Jews out of the tribunal, the Greeks seized Sosthenes, the new ruler of the synagogue, and beat him. Because he was unconcerned about religious matters, Gallio ignored this act of anti-Semitism.

Are you equipped to have discussions about the validity of the gospel message? Taking time to understand the evidence for the truth of the gospel will not only equip you but also strengthen your faith.

While Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, he was troubled when he saw the city was full of idols. So he spent time in the synagogues reasoning with the Jews and devout people there. Daily he went to the marketplace and reasoned with whoever happened to be there. He had discussions with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Some considered him a babbler but wanted to hear what he had to say. Others thought he was a preacher of foreign gods because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. So they took Paul to the Areopagus, also known as Mars Hill, wanting to know what new teaching he was presenting. They seemed only interested in the fact that Paul had a new idea. As a society they spent all their time in philosophy, looking for and sharing new ideas. But this openness to hearing a new idea allowed Paul to share the gospel message.

Standing amid the Council of the Areopagus, Paul used their apparent religiousness as an opening. He pointed to their many objects of worship including an altar with an inscription “To the unknown god”. They were trying to cover their bases but Paul explained to them that the God they worshipped as unknown was the God he was proclaiming. The God who made the earth and everything in it is also the Lord of heaven and earth and doesn’t live in temples made by man, of which they had many. He isn’t even served by human hands as if He needs anything. Instead, He is the one who gives all mankind life and breath and everything we need. Paul affirmed the Biblical account of creation declaring that from one man God created every nation of people throughout the earth and He determined where and when they would live. God did all of this so that man would look for Him even though He is not far from each one of us. Paul made it clear that everyone has the opportunity to seek for and find God. Paul used two quotes, one from one of their own poets, that show that they had some sense of who God was. Paul then pointed out that if God is our creator and we are His creation, then it is nonsensical to see Him as something made from gold or silver or stone created through our imagination. God allowed the Gentiles to act in religious ignorance but now the time had come for all nations to forsake their polytheistic (many gods) and idolatrous views of God and turn to a relationship with the true God. This was and remains important because God has appointed a time when he will judge the world through one man. He has confirmed this fact by raising him from the dead. The Athenians didn’t believe in life after deat, so at the message of the resurrection, some mocked him. But others were intrigued enough to ask him to speak again. When Paul left them, some joined him and believed. One, Dionysius, was a member of the Athenian council and another was a woman named Damaris.

A great way to begin a gospel conversation is to start with something the other person is interested in or a question they have. From there we can lead the conversation to how the topic relates to God. Will you pray for God to reveal an opportunity for a gospel conversation with someone today?

Luke changes back to the third person plural, “they”, indicating he remained in Philippi while Paul, Silas, and Timothy continued to Thessolonica. Following his customary approach, Paul went into the Synagogue over three Sabbaths and reasoned with them from the Scriptures. Because belief in something is a rational response, evangelism must involve reasoning with people using evidence. Paul explained and demonstrated from the Scriptures that the Christ needed to suffer and then rise from the dead. Then he proclaimed that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. Some of the Jews were persuated and they believed, along with many of the devout Greeks and many of the leading women. But the Jewish leaders again responded with jealousy, formed a mob, and attacked the house of Jason where they were presumably staying. They couldn’t find Paul, Silas, and Timothy, so they dragged Jason and some of the believers before the city authorities. They charged them with turning the world upside down and bringing their trouble to this city. They accused Jason of siding with them and plotting against Ceasar through political support of another king, Jesus. The people of the city were disturbed, probably because they couldn’t find Paul and his group to coroborate the charges. They took security from Jason and the others, to ensure no further unreset, and then released them.

The believers sent Paul and Silas (and Timothy) away by night to Berea. Despite the continued challenges they faced from doing so, Paul again went to the Jewish synagogue. Here he found Jews who were far more receptive to the gospel message. They received the word eagerly and examined the Scriptures daily for themselves to validate Paul’s claims. Because we are presenting the truth, we can confidently encourage people to go and examine the evidence for themselves before believing. Because of their openness, many of the Jews believed along with many Greek men and women of high standing. But when the Jews of Thessolonica heard that the gospel was being preached in Berea, they moved there and again stirred up the crowds. In response, the believers sent Paul to the coast but Silas and Timothy remained. They took Paul as far as Athens and then he sent for Silas and Timothy to join him.

The believers were accused of turning the world upside down. Do you have that effect on people—in a good way. Do others see in you a completely different way to live? Or are you just like them? The Jews in Berea were called noble or open-minded because of their willingness to learn and evaluate something fairly. Do you read God’s word with an open mind and a willingness to be changed by its truths?

Sometime later Paul and his team were heading back to the place of prayer alongside the river. A slave girl, who had a spirit within her that enabled her for fortune-telling, followed them declaring that they had the message of salvation which ironically she didn’t possess. Paul, perhaps annoyed at the constant interruption and not wanting the gospel message to be confused with the evil fortune-telling she was associated with, called out and commanded the spirit to leave her in the name of Jesus Christ. And it came out immediately.

With the evil spirit gone, the slave girl’s owners rightly recognised that their hope of further profit had evaporated. So they took Paul and Silas and dragged them before the magistrates for disturbing the peace and allegedly teaching customs that were not lawful for Romans to observe. The magistrates didn’t follow due process but immediately tore off Paul and Silas’s clothes and had them beaten with rods and thrown into prison. At the instruction to keep them safely, the jailer had them put into the inner prison with their feet fastened in the stocks.

At about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns with all their fellow prisoners listening to them. Then an earthquake shook the foundations of the prison and all the doors were opened and their bonds were unfastened. The jailer woke to see the doors open and because he thought they’d all escaped, prepared to take his own life rather than face the death penalty from the Roman government. Paul stopped him and indicated that all the prisoners were still there. The jailer called for lights and then fell before Paul and Silas and asked them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Their answer was a clear and concise answer to this very important question, “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” This offer was made to him and anyone in his household who would believe. The jailer then took them, washed their wounds and was baptised. Throughout Acts, we have seen the immediate next step for all who have believed is to be baptised. Then the jailer fed them and rejoiced with his entire household because of his salvation.

The next day the magistrates sent a message to have Paul and Silas released. When the jailer relayed the message, Paul refused to be ushered out privately after the illegal public actions against them. Paul exercised his rights as a citizen under Roman law and called attention to the injustice against himself and Silas. The magistrates were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens so they apologised to them and asked them to leave the city. After leaving prison, they visited Lydia and the new believers and encouraged them before departing.

If you were unfairly beaten and thrown in prison, would you be praying and singing hymns into the night? If the doors of that prison were opened, would you stay where you were? As people around you watch your conduct, are they likely to come to you and say, “what must I do to be saved?” Your life should be a powerful testimony of God’s grace. If it isn’t, why isn’t it?

Having completed their visits to the churches Paul established on his first missionary journey, the three attempted to head to Asia. It is unclear exactly what was meant by Asia but likely referred to the area including the major city of Ephesus. But the Holy Spirit prevented them from preaching the gospel there at that time. How they were prevented is not stated. It could have been through circumstances, visions, prophecy, or some other means. What’s important is that God had other plans for them for the time being. They then attempted to go the Bithynia by way of Mysia but again they were stopped by the spirit of Jesus. This could refer to a special vision of the risen Lord, but likely is just another expression referring to the Holy Spirit. Finally, Paul saw a vision in the night of a man from Macedonia urging him to come to Macedonia to help them. Immediately they made plans to go to Macedonia concluding that God had called them to preach the gospel to them. This is the first occurrence of the word “we” which indicates that Luke joined the party from this point on.

Now a party of four, they set sail from Troas and headed to Samonthrace (an island), then Neapolis (an Aegean seaport in Macedonia), and then on to Philippi a leading city of the district of Macedonia. There they stayed for some days until the Sabbath to begin their outreach. They once again intended to begin their outreach in the synagogue, but because Philippi didn’t seem to have an established synagogue, they went outside the city to the riverside where they expected to find a place of prayer. They sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. They met a woman named Lydia, a Gentile from the city of Thyatira which was known for its purple dying of cloth. She was a worshipper of God but not yet a believer in Jesus (because she had not yet heard). The Lord opened her heart to hear what Paul had to say. Evidently, she and her family believed the message they heard because Paul would not have permitted them to be baptised if they had not believed in Jesus for eternal life. Showing hospitality, Lydia invited and insisted that Paul and his team stay with them in her home.

Even Paul had times when he thought he was moving forward in God’s will but the Holy Spirit prevented forward motion. He continued to press on in faith until God’s will became clear. Sometimes all you can do is plan and act with Biblical wisdom and then trust God to make things clearer over time.