Special Sub-Topic: Paul's Missionary Journeys Click Here To Play: Paul's Missionary Journeys

In Acts Chapter 13, the church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas off on a missionary journey to Asia Minor. They set sail from Seleucia and landed at a place called Salamis. On what island in the Mediterranean did they land?

Cyprus. While the church at Antioch prayed and fasted, the Holy Spirit asked for Paul and Barnabas to be "set apart". After the church laid hands on the two missionaries, they set sail across the Mediterranean. On Cyprus they visited the town of Salamis and went to the synagogue to preach the good news of Jesus. (Acts 13:2-5) Cyprus lies to the south of modern-day Turkey.

On Paphos on the same island in Acts 13, the missionaries met a man described as a magician and false prophet. His Greek name was Elymus. What was his surprising Jewish name?

Bar-Jesus. "Bar-Jesus" meant that his father's name was Jesus. He was associated with the pro-consul Sergius Paulus but tried to prevent the official from listening to the Gospel. Paul described Elymus as "you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy" in Acts 13:10. Paul then called down temporary blindness on him and, at seeing the miracle, the pro-consul believed in Paul's message.

In the city of Lystra in Asia Minor, Paul performed a certain miracle. The crowds then hailed Paul as the god Hermes and Barnabas as Zeus. What miracle did Paul work?

Healed a lame man. Paul and Barnabas sailed from Cyprus to Pamphylia. They preached in Antioch of Pisidia. At Lystra Paul healed a man born lame, "seeing that he had faith to be made well." The citizens hailed the missionaries as two Greek gods, bringing oxen and garlands. Seeing their intentions to make offerings to them, the missionaries tore their clothes and tried to convince the crowds that they were only ordinary people. (Acts 14:8-18)

Before setting out on their second journey in Acts Chapter 15, Paul and Barnabas had an argument and parted ways. Paul and Silas set off together, reaching the city of Troas. There, in Acts 16, Paul had a vision of someone asking for help. Who appeared in the vision?

A Macedonian. Paul wished to revisit the churches in Asia Minor but Barnabas insisted in taking John Mark along. Paul thought the young man unreliable and took Silas instead. Paul and Silas travelled overland to Asia Minor. In Troas Paul had a vision of a Macedonian man asking them to come to help the people in Macedonia (a part of the Greek peninsula). Paul set sail for Phillippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia. (Acts 16:8-12)

Where in Philippi did Paul meet Lydia of Thyatira?

Outside the city gates. Lydia is described as a believer who was a seller of purple goods (Acts 16:14). On the Sabbath Paul went out of the city to the river, certain of finding people at prayer. Lydia listened to Paul and believed in Jesus. She and her household were baptized and then she insisted that the missionaries stay at her home.

In Philippi, Paul and Silas were imprisoned after rebuking an evil spirit in a slave girl. What had the demon enabled the girl to do?

Foretell the future. According to the text, the slave girl brought her owners much profit by foretelling the future. With the demon expelled, that income disappeared. The owners dragged the missionaries into the market place where the crowds beat and imprisoned them. At midnight an earthquake opened the doors of the prison. It gave Paul the opportunity to preach Jesus to the jailer who was then baptized. (Acts 16:16-34)

What did Paul have in common with Aquila and Priscilla, whom he met in Corinth?

They were all tentmakers. In his other (later) epistles to the various churches, Paul described how he worked with his hands, earning his keep by making/repairing tents. Aquila and Priscilla lived at Corinth because they had to leave Rome when Jews were expelled from that city, and Paul worked for a time with them. (Acts 18:2-3)

In Acts Chapter 19, Paul set out on a third journey. In the city of Ephesus there lived seven brothers. Who stripped and beat them?

A demon. Because sick people were cured by just touching Paul's handkerchief, the seven sons of the high priest Sceva decided to also expell demons by using Jesus' name. In an amusing passage, the demon stood up against the brothers, saying: "Jesus I know and Paul I know; but who are you?" The demon overcame them, stripped and beat them. The tale spread through Ephesus, causing many people to esteem Jesus' name. (Acts 19:12-18)

During the silversmiths' riot in Ephesus, what did the crowd shout for two solid hours?

"Great is Diana of the Ephesians!". The silversmith Demetrius saw his trade in idols seriously diminished by Paul's preaching. He persuaded his fellow craftsmen to start a riot to protect the interests of their patron goddess Artemis/Diana. Although Paul did not enter the fray himself, some of his companions were seized. The crowd shouted for two hours before the town clerk managed to pacify the rioters. (Acts 19:24-35)

The man named Eutychus is well-known for falling asleep while Paul preached. He fell to his death at midnight. After Paul brought him back to life, until what time did Paul's sermon continue?

Daybreak. Travelling through Greece and returning to Troas, Paul took his leave of the church with a speech lasting until midnight. Eutychus sat in the window, falling three storeys down to his death. Paul went down, raised the man to life and continued his farewell speech until daybreak. (Acts 20:6-11)