Study Desk

But when the people saw that Alexander was a Jew, they all began shouting the same thing. For two hours they continued shouting, "Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis …!"

I say this because someone might see this trouble today and say we are rioting. We could not explain all this trouble, because there is no real reason for this meeting."

When the trouble stopped, Paul invited the Lord's followers to come visit him. After encouraging them, he told them goodbye and left for Macedonia.

On his way through Macedonia he had many words of encouragement for the followers in various places. Then he went to Greece

and stayed there three months. Paul was ready to sail for Syria, but some Jews were planning something against him. So he decided to go back through Macedonia to Syria.

These men went first, ahead of Paul. They waited for us in the city of Troas.

We went on ahead of Paul and sailed for the city of Assos, planning to meet him there. This is what he told us to do because he wanted to go by land.

I always did what was best for you. I told you the Good News about Jesus in public before the people and also taught in your homes.

I know only that in every city the Holy Spirit tells me that troubles and even jail wait for me.

Be careful for yourselves and for all the people God has given you. The Holy Spirit gave you the work of caring for this flock. You must be shepherds to the church of God, the people he bought with his own blood.

We found the Lord's followers there and stayed with them for seven days. They warned Paul not to go to Jerusalem because of what the Spirit had told them.

After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came from Judea.

But he said, "Why are you crying and making me feel so sad? I am willing to be put in jail in Jerusalem. I am even ready to die for the name of the Lord Jesus!"

After this, we got ready and left for Jerusalem.

So Paul took the four men with him. The next day he shared in their cleansing ceremony. Then he went to the Temple area and announced the time when the days of the cleansing ceremony would be finished. On the last day an offering would be given for each of the men.

"The high priest and the whole council of older Jewish leaders can tell you that this is true. One time these leaders gave me some letters. The letters were to the Jewish brothers in the city of Damascus. I was going there to arrest the followers of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.

"I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?' The Lord answered, ‘Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that I have planned for you to do.'

Then Paul called one of the army officers and said to him, "Take this young man to the commander. He has a message for him."

But don't believe them! More than 40 of them are hiding and waiting to kill him. They have all promised not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Now they are waiting for you to say yes."

Get some horses for Paul to ride so that he can be taken to Governor Felix safely."