This chapter begins a series of trials before Roman officials, two governors (Felix and Festus) and a king (Agrippa II). Chapter 24 focuses on Paul’s defense before Felix.

At this trial, the Jews are represented by a professional orator named Tertullus who tries to flatter Felix into condemning Paul. He refers to Paul as a plague, a creator of dissension among Jews around the world, a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He accuses him of only one crime, profaning the temple.

The apostle begins his defense to Governor Felix by denying that they can prove the charge against him, because it is not true. He confesses his allegiance to “the Way” and his hope of resurrection from the dead. When Felix hears of the resurrection, he has some knowledge of the matter and desires to hear more from Paul privately.

Soon, Felix and his Jewish wife, Drusilla, have a private Bible study with the inspired apostle. Paul speaks of the faith in Christ and reasons with them about righteousness, self-control (temperance, KJV) and the judgment to come. Felix realizes how badly his life compares to God’s standard and trembles in fear. He puts Paul off to wait for a more convenient time.

Thousands of people have died waiting for an easier time to put off sin and obey the gospel. Please do not be one of them!

Felix spends the next two years hoping for a bribe to release Paul. He is ultimately succeeded by Porcius Festus. Paul will answer to the new Roman governor in the next chapter.

--Roger Hillis

Chapter 23 continues with Paul’s explanation of his change from Judaism to Christianity as he tells them that he has acted with a completely clear conscience at all times. Realizing that some of his listeners are Sadducees and some are Pharisees, Paul mentions “hope and resurrection of the dead” as the basis for their criticism of him. This has the immediate effect of dividing the Jews with the Pharisees not wanting to “fight against God.”

Verses 8-9 provide a brief explanation of one of the major differences between Pharisees and Sadducees. The Sadducees did not believe in an afterlife, including resurrection, angels and spirits. They believed that this life was all there is. The Pharisees, on the other hand, were convinced that there is an entire spiritual realm, another level of existence beyond the physical, that includes our immortal souls, the part of man created in the image of God, that will live forever.

The Pharisees’ belief in the spiritual realm (what the book of Ephesians calls, “the heavenly places”) and the Sadducees’ disbelief is what causes “a loud outcry” and a “great dissension.”

The commander is afraid that Paul might be pulled to pieces by the two groups and takes him back into the barracks again for his protection.

The Lord assures Paul that he will bear witness of Him at Rome, just as he has in Jerusalem. We then learn of a conspiracy against Paul by more than forty Jews who agree together not to eat or drink until Paul is dead. When Paul’s nephew hears about the plot, he informs the commander who subsequently has Paul safely transported to Caesarea.

This is another example of how God can use unknown, otherwise insignificant people to accomplish His will. Maybe that means that He can even use you and me.

--Roger Hillis

Paul begins his defense in the Hebrew language by referring to the Jews as “brethren and fathers.” He is showing his respect for them and he captures their attention as “they kept all the more silent.” He continues on to describe his own Jewish heritage.

Paul tells them of his early rabbinical training as he sat under the teaching of the highly respected Gamaliel. (Do you remember him from Acts 5:34-40?) He describes his attitude of persecution against the early Christians and then his trip to Damascus to continue his efforts to make havoc of the church.

And then a truly life changing event happens. The resurrected Lord appears to Paul personally. Remember that he was called, Saul, at that time. (It was necessary for an apostle to see the Christ after His resurrection – Acts 1:22. That’s one of the reasons there are no apostles today.)

This is what changed Saul of Tarsus, Christian hater and persecutor into the apostle Paul, gospel preacher and defender of the faith of Jesus Christ. He knew that Jesus had been put to death on that Roman cross. He had no doubt in his mind, whatsoever, that Jesus had died on Golgotha. And now that he has seen Him alive, Paul realizes that Jesus of Nazareth is truly the Messiah.

Paul relates how the Lord brought him together with Ananias who teaches him the gospel and baptizes him into Christ to wash away his sins. He tells them that he returned to Jerusalem, was praying and while in a trance, Christ commissioned him as an apostle (“one sent”) and sent him to preach to the Gentiles.

The idea of God showing mercy to the Gentiles is just too much for these zealous Jews. They begin shouting their protest and the Roman commander retreats with Paul into the barracks and decides to scourge him to get to the real truth. Told that Paul is a Roman citizen, the commander backs away and instructs Paul to appear the next day before the Jewish Sanhedrin Council.

--Roger Hillis

Paul and his companions, after leaving the city of Miletus, sail to Cos, Rhodes, Patara, Cyprus and Syria before landing at Tyre. Finding disciples there, they stay for seven days. (Notice that the church at Tyre had men, women and children.)

Next, they travel to Ptolemais where they spend one day with the brethren and then continue on to Caesarea. At Caesarea, they stay with the godly family of “Philip the evangelist.” Our last discussion of Philip goes all the way back to Acts 8.

A prophet from Judea, named Agabus, comes to Caesarea and predicts that, if Paul goes to Jerusalem, he will be arrested and delivered to the Gentiles (Romans). Paul insists that he is willing not only to be arrested, but to die for the Lord. That is total commitment, a complete surrender of his life to God. The Lord expects and deserves nothing less from every disciple, including you and me. See Mark 12:28-30.

When the group (including Luke; remember the “we”) comes to Jerusalem, Paul meets with the elders of the church and gives them many details about his work among the Gentiles. While they “glorified the Lord” for the good news, they were also concerned about the perception that Paul was teaching Jews “to forsake Moses,” including circumcision and other Jewish customs. Paul helps to pay the expenses of four men who have taken a vow (verses 23-26) as proof that he still respects Moses and Jewish tradition.

Some Jews from Asia stir up the multitude with an accusation that Paul had taken a Gentile, Trophimus the Ephesian, into the temple. The charge is false, but many people believe that Paul is guilty. (We should learn from that to always hear all the facts before we make a decision about a person’s guilt or innocence.)

Paul is about to be beaten to death, when a Roman commander, Claudius Lysias (Acts 23:26), hears the uproar and come in to rescue him. The apostle asks for permission to speak to the assembled multitude and begins to do so, in the Hebrew language, as Chapter 22 begins.

--Roger Hillis

Paul spends more time in Macedonia/Greece as Chapter 20 begins.

In verse 4, we are introduced to those who were traveling with Paul on this third preaching journey. He was accompanied, at this time, by Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica. (By the way, Secundus probably is not a proper name as much as it informs us that he was a slave, or former slave, who was the “second” child born in his family. “Tertius” [Romans 16:22], who was Paul’s scribe in writing the book of Romans, was probably the third child born into his master’s group of slaves.) Gaius of Derbe and Timothy are also on the journey with Paul as are Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. Luke is also present, although he does not mention himself by name. (Did you remember that Luke wrote the book of Acts?) But he does include himself throughout the book with pronouns like “us” (verse 5) and “we” (verse 6).

As these spiritual soldiers move on, we find them next at Troas. The disciples come together on the first day of the week to remember their Savior’s death for their sins. Paul preaches to them and, as he prolongs his message, a young man named Eutychus falls asleep, falls from the third story window where he was seated and falls to his death. Paul brings him back to life and then continues his message until daybreak the next morning. (That’s quite a long sermon, don’t you think?)

Paul and his companions set out on a ship and sail to Miletus. From there, he calls for the elders of the church at Ephesus to come to him. The rest of the chapter contains his discussion with these elders, Paul’s only recorded sermon to believers. All the others were to convert sinners.

There are many lessons for churches, elders and preachers in this discourse of Paul’s. We should serve the Lord with humility. We must teach people privately and from house to house to repent. He tells us to be certain to declare “the whole counsel of God.” We must be on the alert for false teachers, inside and outside the church. We must rely on the word of God to build us up spiritually. He encourages us to help those who are weak.

They pray together, weep together and then the elders accompany Paul to the ship which will take him on to his next destination.

--Roger Hillis

Chapter 19 finds Paul in ancient Ephesus. In New Testament times, Ephesus was a Roman city in Asia Minor. It is now part of modern day Turkey.

As Paul converts people to the Lord in Ephesus, another new congregation is established. The church in Ephesus will be a powerful influence for good. Paul will later write a letter to the church in Ephesus that becomes a part of the New Testament. Also, in Revelation 2 and 3, when seven churches in Asia Minor receive letters from the Lord, Ephesus is one of those congregations (Revelation 2:1-7).

The chapter begins (verses 1-7) as Paul finds twelve men who had been baptized with John’s baptism. Upon further teaching, they are baptized in the name of the Lord.

Paul preaches for three months in the synagogue of Ephesus and then sets up a teaching situation in a local school for two years. This allows the whole province of Asia to hear the gospel (verses 8-10).

After performing many kinds of miracles (the Bible calls them “unusual miracles”), Paul casts out a demon which some “itinerant Jewish exorcists” had failed to remove. These miracles have their intended effect (John 20:30-31) and many people come to faith. Their repentance is shown by their willingness to burn many expensive books of magic. The Bible makes this powerful statement: “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”

One more incident concludes chapter 19 (verses 21-41). A man named Demetrius, along with others of his fellow silversmiths, recognizes the danger to his trade caused by former idol worshipers converting  to Christianity. So they put together a protest against Paul and his companions. For a long time, they cry out “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” (Some Bible translations call her “Artemis of the Ephesians.” Diana was her Roman name and Artemis was her Greek name.) The whole city is in an uproar and chaos is reigning with some citizens not even knowing what is happening. Finally, the city clerk resolves the crisis by telling the silversmiths to pursue legal action against Paul and his friends or else to simply drop the matter.

--Roger Hillis

Paul’s journey takes him next to Corinth, an ancient city of immorality and depravity. If the first century had a place that could be called “Sin City,” it would have been Corinth. It seems like an unlikely harvest field for the gospel and yet, the Lord makes it clear to Paul that “I am with you” and “I have many people in this city.”

One of the most encouraging things that happens in Corinth is Paul’s providential encounter with Aquila and Priscilla. They work together as tentmakers and will continue to be a constant source of encouragement throughout Paul’s life. Everyone should have such faithful companions in the gospel as Aquila and Priscilla. And everyone needs to be that kind of friend for others.

Paul preaches in Corinth for a year and six months. “And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.”

But once again, a group of Jews arrests Paul and take him this time to Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia. He refuses to hear the case and Paul eventually leaves Corinth. He travels to Syria, then to Ephesus and Caesarea, finally returning to Antioch, where this second journey had started.

Acts 18:23 marks the beginning of Paul’s third preaching journey. He begins by revisiting the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples everywhere.

A side note involves Aquila and Priscilla, whom Paul had left in Ephesus. An eloquent preacher named Apollos comes to Ephesus and begins preaching, although he is only familiar with the baptism of John. Aquila and Priscilla take him aside and teach him the full truth he does not know. When Apollos goes into Achaia, specifically Corinth, he powerfully preaches that Jesus is the Christ, using the Scriptures as proof.

We must always use the Bible when we teach others. The gospel is God’s power of salvation.

--Roger Hillis

Paul’s second preaching journey continues in Acts 17 as he and his companions travel to Thessalonica, Berea and Athens, establishing new churches in each of these metropolitan areas.

Their first stop in this chapter is Thessalonica, where they spend three weeks teaching about the Christ in the Jewish synagogue. They convert “a great multitude,” mostly Gentiles along with a few Jews. (Wouldn’t it be interested to know exactly how many were baptized into Christ there? We will have to wait until we make it to heaven to ask.)

Thessalonica is the local church that will receive two letters from Paul. They are perhaps the earliest epistles he wrote (Galatians may or may not have been first?). Paul wanted to spend more time with them but could not so he wrote them to try to strengthen them spiritually.

Soon, a group of jealous Jews gather some evil men from the marketplace (“certain lewd fellows of the baser sort,” KJV) and they run Paul out of town. His next stop is Berea.

The Jews at Berea are described as being “more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Again, we are told that “many of them believed,” both Jews and Gentiles alike. Jews from Thessalonica hear about Paul’s success and send more troublemakers to force Paul to leave Berea also. He leaves Silas and Timothy there to help the new disciples and moves on to Athens.

Athens was the center of Greek philosophy, culture and learning. Paul speaks to the Jews in the synagogue and to the Greek philosophers in the Areopagus, also known as Mar’s Hill.  He tells them about “the unknown God” whom they were worshiping in their ignorance. He calls them to repentance and a few are converted.

Nothing further is revealed about the churches in Berea and Athens.

--Roger Hillis

After Paul and Silas have gone through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches, they come to Derbe and Lystra. Here they add a young disciple named Timothy to their evangelistic team.

The relationship between Paul and Timothy was strong, and it would continue to grow and develop through the years. Paul would later say that he knew no one else so “like-minded” and commended him for his “proven character” (Philippians 2:20, 22). Timothy has the distinction of receiving two personal letters from Paul that became part of the New Testament, including the final letter Paul wrote shortly before his own death.

Not allowed by the Lord to go to Asia or Bithynia, the team comes to Troas where Paul receives what has been referred to as “the Macedonian Call” and so they travel to a Roman colony called Philippi. There are three major events in Philippi – the conversion of Lydia (verses 13-15), the arrest of Paul and Silas for casting a demon out of a young girl (verses 16-24), and the conversion of the Philippian jailer and his household (verses 25-34). Each of these accounts teaches us some important lessons.

In verses 13-15, we find that the church in Philippi begins with the conversion of some devout women, including Lydia. There is no Jewish synagogue there, which means there are not ten faithful Jewish males in the area. Paul preaches to a group of women who had gathered at the river side to pray, the gospel touches and opens their hearts and Lydia and her household are converted. Later, the church at Philippi had both elders and deacons (Philippians 1:1; all men – see 1 Timothy 3:1-13), but they started with women.

In verses 16-24, Paul casts a demon out of a young fortune teller who was making a lot of money for her owners. Incensed by this loss of income, they have Paul and Silas imprisoned. This shows us that God can use difficult circumstances to accomplish His will, as is seen in the next section of the text.

In verses 25-34, through a providential earthquake, Paul and Silas have the opportunity to teach the jailer and his household. They are baptized “the same hour of the night” and the Philippian church continues to grow.

The next morning, Paul and Silas are released. They spend a little time encouraging the new Christians and then move on with the gospel. Luke remains behind to further strengthen the church.

--Roger Hillis

Jesus came to break down barriers that had long existed, including male and female, rich and poor and, especially, between Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 3:28). He broke down “the middle wall of separation,” made “one new man from the two,” and reconciled them “both to God in one body through the cross.” The purpose was to make “peace” and welcome everyone from every possible background into His universal kingdom (Ephesians 2:14-17).

That was not easily accomplished. There were centuries, at least 15 or more, of hatred between the Jews and everyone else. Long engrained enmity dies hard. To sit beside a Gentile Christian in a worship service was a very difficult concept for a Jewish Christian to contemplate.

There was one issue that was especially contentious, the question of circumcision. For many generations, the Jews had considered circumcision to be a symbol of acceptance before God. A circumcised male was pleasing to the Lord; an uncircumcised person never would be acceptable.

While many Jews were willing to accept the idea that Gentiles could become Christians, this problem of circumcision remained. The solution that some came up with was simple. Gentiles who became Christians had to be circumcised. The only problem with that was that it was a “human wisdom” answer, not one that came from God. So when these “Judaizing teachers,” as they are often called, began to insist, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1), the unity of the body of Christ was in danger.

It was left to the inspired apostles to sort through this matter. This chapter shows us how they solved the dilemma, by appealing to command, apostolic example and inescapable conclusion (often called necessary inference). Using these standards of authority, it was determined that circumcision was not essential for salvation after all. Please notice that they did not take a vote of the attending parties to determine God’s will.

At the end of Chapter 15, Paul and Barnabas decide to go on another preaching tour. A disagreement arises between them about whether to take John Mark with them. In the end, Barnabas takes Mark and sails to Cyprus. Paul chooses Silas and goes a different direction. The inspired record follows the progress of Paul as he begins his second preaching journey.

--Roger Hillis