ACTS 17 1-14

 Luke wrote “of the things fulfilled among us” paraphrased [ ] ref { } thots

     Book of the Acts of the First Believers

 (Where Did Paul Get His Message?)

(After being beaten, flogged and jailed in Philippi) 1 - They passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, and came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue, 2 so Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned from the Scriptures [how Jesus fulfilled the suffering messiah prophecies, and Isaiah 53:4 - “Surely He has borne our infirmities..”] 3 explaining and proving that it was predicted the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead [Ps.16:10] and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you is the Christ” [Christos - Christ, anointed one, messiah, from the Greek verb χρίω-chrio - to anoint]. 4 And some who were there were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas, as did many of the devout Greeks and quite a few of the leading women. 5 But the leaders were jealous, so they sought out some men from the market square, and persuaded them to form a mob and a rabble, and to set the city in uproar. {Hired agitators.} They attacked the house of Jason, 6 and forced him and some of the brothers out into the crowd, and then dragged them before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here! 7 Jason has received them! And they’re all acting against the decrees of Caesar! Saying there’s another king, Jesus!”

     8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard this. 9 They took money as security from Jason and the others, and then they let them go.

     10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the synagogue. 11 Now these people were more noble than those in Thessalonica, and received the word/message with all eagerness, and were examining the Scriptures daily to see if it were so. [Paul, previously Saul, had been a Pharisee, and was raised and educated in the scriptures.] 12 Many of them believed, with quite a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 13 But when the synagogue leaders from Thessalonica learned that the message of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there and agitated and stirred up the crowds there as well. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off by way of the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea for a while.

Next - 17:15-34

W𝕖𝕖𝕜𝕝𝕪 B𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕠𝕗 A𝕔𝕥𝕤 17 1-14

𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚍

1 - From Philippi, Paul and Silas went through Amphipolis and Apollonia, on their way to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue. 2 As was his habit, Paul went to the synagogue on Sabbath, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the scriptures. 3 Showing how Messiah had to suffer and die and then rise from death, saying, “This Jesus I’m talking about, is the Messiah.” [Ps.16:10, etc./Acts 2:27 (Eccles.9:5,10).] 4 Some were convinced and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God fearing Greeks and prominent women of the town. 5 But others were jealous, so they rounded up some bad characters and started a riot and came in search of Paul and Silas at one Jason’s house in order to drag Paul and Silas out into the riot. 6 Not finding them, they instead brought Jason and some others to the city council shouting, “The men, Paul and Silas, have been causing trouble all over, and now they are here too! And causing riots! 7 And Jason has made them welcome in his home! They are all breaking the law, proclaiming allegiance to a king named Jesus!” 8 This threw the officials and the crowd into turmoil. (Rome might consider such a thing, if it happened, to be a revolt and Rome had an “iron” fist.) 9 But then they made Jason and the others post a bond and let them go. 10 Later that night, the believers sent Paul and Silas to the neighboring town of Berea, and when they got there they went to the synagogue. 11 The Jewish (Hebrew) people of Berea were more conscientiously minded than those of Thessalonica. They listened to Paul’s message and they searched the Scriptures each day to see if what Paul and Silas were teaching was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did a number of prominent Greek women and some Greek men as well. 13 But when the leaders of Thessalonica heard Paul and Silas were teaching in Berea, they followed and stirred up a crowd against them. 14 So the believers hurried Paul on his way to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea for a while.

                         ~*~

     Very Brief Outline of Acts:

Jesus returns to where he was with the Father before his advent/visit (his brief first one).

The Holy Spirit/Presence of God is poured out on the believers who were in Jerusalem on the late Spring holy day of Pentecost. Peter speaks, there are 3000 new believers that day.

The good news message spreads, Peter is invited and goes to a Roman’s house and all believe. The first record of non Hebrew believers (besides likely some on Pentecost).

     Persecution breaks out.. jail. stoning. Pharisee Saul leads the persecution, but on his way to Damascus with papers for arrests, Jesus makes himself seen but is so bright Paul falls to the ground and is blinded. After two days he is healed and is a believer, and soon is called Paul. He wrote many (to most) of the New Testament letters, but spent a few years (it seems to me) exclusively listening to the Lord. He established many ‘churches’ in what’s called three missionary journeys, and met and worked with Mark and Luke, and quite a few others. (Luke wrote this Book of Acts.) His fourth journey is to Rome to trial as a prisoner. There’s a shipwreck on the way.. He wrote many of his letters while in prison and under ‘house’ arrest.

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