Bible Stories for Adults

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey - Part 1

Acts 19

Next Week - Paul’s Third Missionary Journey - Part 2 (Acts 20-21:26)
Bible Words to Remember:
My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Where did Paul go on his first missionary journey? = Mainly Galatia
Acts 13:4-6a, 13-14; 14:1, 6 = Cyprus, Perga, P. Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe
How were they received in these places?
Acts 13:50; 14:4-5, 19 = Antioch - expelled, Iconium - plot to kill, Lystra - stoned
Did this opposition convince them to stop? = Filled with joy over those who were reached
Acts 13:51-52; 14:6-7, 20-21a = No, they just moved to a new city and started over
Did the fierce opposition at least keep them out of those towns?
Acts 14:21b-23 = No, they returned through the same towns fortifying the churches

Why did Paul go on a second missionary journey?
Acts 15:36 = To check up on the churches in Galatia he had planted
What path did Paul take on this journey to strengthen the churches?
Acts 15:41-16:1 = Syria to Cilicia to Derbe to Lystra; Picked up young Timothy
After revisiting the towns in Galatia, did Paul have an itinerary of places to go?
Acts 16:6-9 = If he did, he didn't get to use it - Holy Spirit led him to Greece
Who joined Paul , Silas and Timothy in Troas?
Acts 16:10 = Luke ("we") - Paul maybe found this doctor to help his thorn in the flesh

Where did they go to follow their call in Macedonia? = Samothrace - mountainous island landmark
Acts 16:11-12 = 2 day sail across Aegean to Philippi - Neapolis was port for Philippi
Who became the first new Christian in Europe? = Purple dye one of few fade-resistant
Acts 16:14 = Lydia, a wealthy woman at riverside on Sabbath (no synagogue)
Were only wealthy people in Philippi reached by Paul's outreach?
Acts 16:16-18 = A young slave girl was freed of a demon by the name of Jesus Christ
How were Paul and Silas thanked for setting this girl free from the demon?
Acts 16:19, 23 = Owners rebelled, P&S flogged & imprisoned & guarded
How did God use this mistreatment of His servants to further His cause?
Acts 16:26, 29-30, 33 = God opened doors, jailer & family became Christians
How did Paul turn his punishment from disgrace to respect for the new church in Philippi?
Acts 16:37, 39 = Illegal to punish Roman citizens without trial, officials on egg-shells

Where did they go after 2 months in Philippi? = 33mi to Amphipolis, 27mi to Apollonia, 40mi to Th
Acts 17:1 = Down the Egnatian Way - Great road from Adriatic Sea to Aegean Sea
How long was Paul in Thessalonica and why? = Macedonia capital, Business center, 200K pop
Acts 17:2, 5, 9 = 3 weeks, Jews rebelled, made Jason post bond that Paul would stop
Where did Paul and Silas go after being forced out of Thessalonica, and how were they received?
Acts 17:10-11 = Berea, 50 mi SW of Th, large population, welcomed the gospel
Did Paul stay longer with these people of more noble character who received the gospel eagerly?
Acts 17:13, 15 = No, Jews from Thess agitated the crowds, Paul taken to Athens

How were Paul and the gospel received in the world's center of philosophy?
Acts 17:17, 19 = They were intrigued by it, took him before chief court to hear more
How did Paul attempt to explain the gospel in terms the Athenians would understand?
Acts 17:22-23 = Let me tell you about the unknown god that you worship
Did the Council have any problem with anything he said? = a few Athenians became believers
Acts 17:32-34a = The resurrection was an issue to some, others wanted him to return
Why did Paul leave Athens even though he had open ears to his message?
Acts 17:21 = Athenians would listen to anything and commit to nothing, unreachable

Where did Paul go to find people who needed the gospel? = 4th largest city, main trade route
Acts 18:1 = Corinth, very immoral, Corinthian meant an immoral or perverse person
Did Paul take the rabbi approach of earning his own keep rather than being paid by his students?
Acts 18:2-5 = Yes; Found, converted & stayed with tentmakers Aquila & Priscilla
Why was he able to devote himself full-time to preaching when Silas & Timothy arrived?
2 Corinthians 11:9 = They brought gifts - likely from Philippi, maybe also Thessalonica

Why was Paul able to stay in Corinth so long even when he was strongly opposed by the Jews?
Acts 18:6-11 = God promised to protect him and did so; he stayed 18 months
What example does Luke give us of how God protected Paul as He had promised?
Acts 18:12-16 = Had new proconsul refuse to hear case against Paul by Jews
How did this also protect the new church in Corinth from further attacks?
Acts 18:17 = Greeks beat the new synagogue ruler as he left the court

How did Paul specially dedicate himself to the Lord his last weeks or months in Corinth?
Acts 18:18 = Took a Nazirite vow - no haircut, no wine...for specific time (Number 6)
How did God use Aquila & Priscilla to help spread His gospel? = Paul in Ephesus very short time
Acts 18:19-21 = They left Corinth with Paul & became missionaries to Ephesus
Did Paul go straight to Antioch from Ephesus to complete his second journey?
Acts 18:22 = No, he went to Jerusalem first, then to Antioch

How did Paul begin his third journey? = Luke focuses on gospel spreading, not just biography
Acts 18:23 = Revisited Galatian churches, probably 1 year in Antioch
What new missionary started working during this time that Paul was in Antioch and Galatia?
Acts 18:24-25 = Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria taught John's baptism in Ephesus
Alexandria - Second largest city in Roman empire, More Jews than elsewhere outside Palestine
Alexandrian Jews found inner meanings to every recorded event in Scripture
Ephesus - Capital of Asia, Large and wealthy - Called the Treasure House of Asia
Seat of Pan-Ionian Games, Asylum for criminals, Center of magic & superstition

How did Apollos learn the message of salvation to complete the stories he knew about Jesus?
Acts 18:26 = Aquila & Priscilla took him aside & explained it, didn't confront in public
With Aquila & Priscilla in Ephesus, where could Apollos be more effective?
Acts 18:27-28 = He was sent to work in Corinth
How effective was Apollos in this wicked city?
1 Corinthians 1:11-15 = Very effective, some even argued that they were his disciples
How did Paul make it clear that he and Apollos were on the same team and not competitors?
1 Corinthians 3:4-9 = Paul planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow

Where did Paul go on his third journey after Galatia and who did he meet as he arrived?
Acts 19:1-3 = Disciples of John's baptism, possibly early converts of Apollos
Why was John's baptism incomplete? = John taught first stage of recognizing sin & repenting
Acts 19:4 = Jesus brought critical second stage of forgiveness for sins & salvation
What did these incomplete Christians do after hearing Paul's message of Jesus' gospel?
Acts 19:5-7 = They were baptized into Jesus' name and received the Spirit
Luke records the Spirit to 4 groups: Jews-2, Samaritans-8, Gentiles-10, Incomplete Christians-19

With a church developed by Aquila & Priscilla, did Paul spend his time teaching that church?
Acts 19:8 = No, he went first to the Jews in the synagogue as usual
How was he received by the Jews? = Tyrannus likely lectured till 11am, Paul during 11-4 siesta
Acts 19:9-10 = Rejected after 3 months, held discussions in a lecture hall for 2 years
How effective was Paul during this time? = handkerchiefs - really sweatbands; work aprons
Acts 19:11-12 = Became very popular and God did extraordinary miracles through Paul

How were Paul's extraordinary powers received in this center of magic?
Acts 19:13 = People tried to use his powers by referring to him
How did God make it clear that the name of Jesus wasn't just a new magic spell?
Acts 19:14-16 = He let an evil spirit acknowledge Jesus & Paul, but refuse exorcists
How did people respond when they heard that Jesus' name was too powerful for casual use?
Acts 19:17-20 = Realized Jesus was God, confessed, burned scrolls - drachma was day's wages
Ephesian Letters - Tiny scrolls with magical spells worn on necklace to bring success in life

After 3 months in the Ephesus synagogue and 2 years in the lecture hall, what did Paul decide?
Acts 19:21-22 = Time to move on, sights on Jerusalem, but visit Greece first
Besides checking up on things, what did Paul intend to do by passing through Greece?
1 Corinthians 16:1-4 (also Romans 15:26) = Take a collection for the poor in Jerusalem
After staying in the Ephesus area a little longer, how long did Paul spend in Ephesus total?
Acts 20:31 = 3 years, the longest of any stay anywhere

What incident led to Paul leaving Ephesus?
Acts 19:23-27 = Craftsmen who made souvenirs for visitors to temple of Diana upset
Artemis (Diana in Latin) - Multibreasted fertility goddess, statue fell from sky (likely a meteorite)
Temple of Artemis - One of the Seven Wonders of the World, 425' L x 220’ W x 60' T
127 marble pillars, each given by a king; Altar by greatest Greek sculptor, Praxiteles

What did the rest of the crafts union think about this threat? = Took G&A into 25K seat theater
Acts 19:28-29 = They were furious, focused on threat to Diana to get others upset
Did Paul find a place to hide so he wouldn't be lynched by this wild mob?
Acts 19:30-31 = No, he wanted to speak to the crowd, but was stopped
How organized was the crowd? = Jews tried to make sure they weren't blamed, didn't work
Acts 19:32-34 = Most didn't even know what was going on

Who finally stood up and stopped the mayhem? = Christians have not threatened Diana
Acts 19:35-37 = The city clerk, official representative of the city to Rome
What did the city clerk think should be done about the threat to the souvenir business?
Acts 19:38-39 = Let the union bring a case before the courts, handle it properly
Did the city clerk's efforts have any effect on the mob?
Acts 19:40-41 = Yes, it broke up so Rome wouldn't punish them for rioting
Did Paul immediately leave town because of the opposition?
Acts 20:1 = No, he waited for things to settle down - didn't leave the church in a mess