Bible Stories for Adults

Paul's Imprisonment and Appeal to Rome

Acts 21-26

Next Week - Paul's Journey to Rome and Shipwreck (Acts 27-28)
Bible Words to Remember:
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth." Acts 13:47

What plans did Paul make after spending a couple of years in Ephesus during his third journey?
Acts 19:21-22
Besides checking up on things, what did Paul intend to do by passing through Greece?
1 Corinthians 16:1-4
What were Paul's plans after taking the offerings to Jerusalem church?
Romans 15:23-28
Did Paul sense any danger in his plans to go to Jerusalem?
Romans 15:31-32

How were Paul's plans to go to Jerusalem in time for the Passover changed?
Acts 20:3b
What target date did Paul set for arriving in Jerusalem after he missed Passover?
Acts 20:16
Did Paul believe the dangers in Jerusalem were gone since he missed Passover?
Acts 20:22-23
Why would Paul go to Jerusalem if prison and hardship was facing him?
Acts 20:24

How did the Ephesians respond to Paul's determination to go to Jerusalem despite the danger?
Acts 20:36-38
Was the concern for Paul's safety because of their friendship?
Acts 21:4-6
How did God test Paul's obedience to His call to go to Jerusalem even further?
Acts 21:10-11
Had Paul heard of the accuracy of Agabus' prophesies?
Acts 11:27-30

How did the Christians in Caesarea respond to this vivid prophesy?
Acts 21:12
Did all of this change Paul's mind?
Acts 21:13-16

Besides giving the contributions from the churches, what did Paul do in Jerusalem?
Acts 21:17-19
How did the Jerusalem Christians, who focused on Jews, respond to this report?
Acts 21:20-22
How did they feel they could disprove these rumors that Paul turned Jews from their traditions?
Acts 21:23-24
How did Paul go further than just paying for their purification expenses?
Acts 21:26
Why did Paul do this when he knew the rumors were false?
1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Did Paul's efforts accomplish their desired goal?
Acts 21:27-29
Temple had 13 stone signs with:
Let no Gentile enter within the balustrade and enclosure surrounding the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will be personally responsible for his consequent death.
What did other Jews think about a Jew bringing a forbidden Gentile into the temple?
Acts 21:30

What happened when the mob noise was heard in the Tower Antonia (at NW corner of temple)?
Acts 21:31-36
Was the commander able to understand anything about the situation through the commotion?
Acts 21:37-38
Besides speaking fluent Greek, how did Paul inform the commander who he was?
Acts 21:39-40

Was Paul able to quiet the frenzied mob enough to talk to them?
Acts 22:1-2
Besides speaking their language, how did Paul try to become like a Jew to win the Jews?
Acts 22:3-4, 12-15
How did he transition further into his Christian faith?
Acts 22:17-18, 21

Was the crowd satisfied with Paul's explanation of why he spent time with Gentiles?
Acts 22:22
Did this help the commander understand why the mob was so upset?
Acts 22:23-24
How did Paul keep himself from being flogged?
Acts 22:25, 29
What did the commander decide to do to get to the bottom of this near-riot?
Acts 22:30

How did Paul's stand before the Sanhedrin take an immediate bad turn? .
Acts 23:1-5
Knowing that the Jews would not accept his testimony, what defense did Paul take?
Acts 23:6
Did this statement have any effect?
Acts 23:7-10
With things getting hotter and hotter, how was Paul assured he was doing the right thing?
Acts 23:11

Having blown their chance to nail Paul before the commander, what did the Jews decide to do?
Acts 23:12-15
How did this plan fall apart?
Acts 23:16-18a, 22
What did the commander decide to do?
Acts 23:23-24

How would Governor Felix know what to do with Paul?
Acts 23:25-30
Did the army have any trouble taking Paul to Caesarea?
Acts 23:31-32
Did Felix have Paul held in the federal prison?
Acts 23:35
Felix - Raised as a slave, Got position since brother Pallas was close to Nero, cruel & oppressive
Tacitus (Roman historian): Felix exercised the power of a king in the spirit of a slave

How were the Jewish leaders more prepared this time?
Acts 24:1
What three charges did the Jews bring against Paul?
Acts 24:5-9

How did Paul address the charge of being a troublemaker and stirring up riots?
Acts 24:11-13
How did Paul address the charge of being a ringleader of the Nazarene sect?
Acts 24:14-16
How did Paul address the charge of trying to desecrate the temple?
Acts 24:17-21

With no basis to punish Paul, but in trouble with the Jews for other reasons, what did Felix do?
Acts 24:22-23, 27
Did Felix forget entirely about Paul during this time?
Acts 24:24-26

How long did it take the new governor to learn about Paul's case?
Acts 25:1-2
What did the Jewish leaders as Festus to do?
Acts 25:3-5
How did the prosecution and defense arguments go during this trial?
Acts 25:7-8

Faced with upsetting his new constituency with an inevitable acquittal, what did Festus do?
Acts 25:9
What did Paul think of this idea?
Acts 25:10-12
Note: Emperor Nero was too young to rule, so his tutor, Seneca, led in his place
Seneca was a positive & just leader, Paul would have stood trial before Seneca
Seneca's brother was Gallio, Achaia proconsul who sided with Paul (Acts 18:12-17)

Who came to visit the new governor just a few weeks after Festus took office?
Acts 25:13
Why was Paul brought to trial before King Agrippa?
Acts 25:24-27
How did King Agrippa reply after Paul told his story?
Acts 26:28-29
What did King Agrippa think about everything he had heard?
Acts 26:30-32