ACTS 21 26-40

         WeekLy BooK oF Acts 

26 - Then Paul went with the men, ritually purifying himself along with them, and they went into the temple, and gave notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.

     27 Then when the week was almost over, some Hebrew leaders from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law, Jerusalem and the temple! He even brought Greeks into the temple and has made common this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together and seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.

     31 And as they were looking to kill him, word came to the tribune/officer of the cohort (tenth part of a Roman legion) that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 So he took soldiers and Roman centurions and ran down to them. And when the people saw the officer and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 And the tribune arrested him and ordered him to be bound with not one chain, but two, and asked who he was and what it was he has done. 34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some were shouting another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the confusion, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 35 When they came with Paul to the steps, the soldiers actually carried him because of the violence of the crowd. 36 And the mob followed, crying out, “Away with him!” {Triggered by Satan the adversary, first gone rogue one.. And they became unreasonable.}

     37 And as they were about to go into the barracks, Paul said to the officer, “May I tell you something?” And he said, “Do you know Greek?38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men, called the Assassins, out into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, “I’m a Jew (a Hebrew) from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”

     40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying.. (To be continued.)

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By Necessity Paraphrased

Weekly ‘Enter the Story’ Reading & Study

ACTS 18 17-28

         WeekLy BooK oF Acts 

17 - And after that the mob seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But proconsul Gallio paid no attention to any of it.

     18 Paul stayed a while longer in Corinth [a year and a half all together] and then he took leave of the brothers and sisters and set sail for Syria. Priscilla and Aquila went with him. At Cenchreae he cut his hair, as part of a vow. 19 And they arrived at Ephesus, whereupon he went to the synagogue and reasoned with the Hebrews (Jews). 20 They asked him to stay longer, 21 but he said, “I’ll return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.

     22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up (to Jerusalem) and greeted the church, and then he went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

     24 Meanwhile a Hebrew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately [akribós - with exact precision] the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only about the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more fully. {Explaining the blessing of the Holy Spirit, the Presence of God the Father with us.} 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia (of Greece) the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to make him welcome. When he arrived in Corinth, he was a great help to those who through grace believed, 28 for he persuasively refuted the non believing Hebrews in the synagogue, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ [Christos - anointed one, messiah].

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By Necessity Paraphrased

Annual Weekly Reading & Study

W𝕖𝕖𝕜𝕝𝕪 B𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕠𝕗 A𝕔𝕥𝕤 13 43-52

43 After the service, many Jews and a number of Gentiles who worshiped God went with them. Paul and Barnabas persuaded them all to remain faithful to God who had treated them with undeserved kindness and grace. 44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when some from the synagogue saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying and were heaping abuse on him! 46 But Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. [To Israel, they did after all birth Messiah/“savior of the world”after being separated (quarantined?) to do so.] Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of aionion [pertaining to an age, eonian] life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles! [God’s plan. HE blinded them, so all have been blind, Jn.12:39,40.] 47 The Lord has given us this command, "I have placed you here as a light for the Gentiles. You are to take the saving power of God to people everywhere on earth." 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the Lord's message. And those who had been appointed for aionion/of the age life became believers. 49 And the word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 Then the Jewish leaders stirred up the influential religious women and the leading men of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. 51 So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (/Presence of God).

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     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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