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Acts 16:31 They said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’

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Timothy Joins Paul and Silas (vv. 1-5): Paul met Timothy, a young believer with a Jewish mother and Greek father, in Lystra. To avoid offending Jewish communities, Paul circumcised Timothy before taking him along on the missionary journey. The team delivered the Jerusalem Council’s decision to churches, strengthening them.

Guidance by the Holy Spirit (vv. 6-10): The Holy Spirit redirected Paul’s team, preventing them from preaching in Asia and Bithynia. In Troas, Paul received a vision of a Macedonian man pleading for help, prompting the group to sail to Philippi, marking the gospel’s entry into Europe.

Lydia’s Conversion (vv. 11-15): In Philippi, Paul met Lydia, a wealthy businesswoman, by a river where she and other women prayed. She believed the gospel, was baptized with her household, and offered hospitality to Paul’s team.
Exorcism and Imprisonment (vv. 16-24): Paul cast out a spirit of divination from a slave girl, angering her owners who profited from her fortune-telling. They accused Paul and Silas of disrupting the city, leading to their beating and imprisonment.

The Philippian Jailer’s Conversion (vv. 25-34): While Paul and Silas prayed and sang in prison, an earthquake freed the prisoners, though none escaped. The jailer, fearing for his life, asked how to be saved. Paul and Silas shared the gospel, and he and his household believed and were baptized that night.

Release and Confrontation (vv. 35-40): The magistrates ordered Paul and Silas released, but Paul revealed his Roman citizenship, forcing an apology for their unlawful beating. After encouraging the new believers, Paul and Silas left Philippi.

Acts 16 portrays the gospel’s expansion into Europe under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, showcasing God’s power to save diverse individuals—Timothy, Lydia, and the Philippian jailer—through faith in Jesus, even amidst opposition, supernatural intervention, and personal sacrifice.

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Acts 15:11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.

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A Dispute Over Circumcision (vv. 1-5): Some Jewish believers from Judea insisted that Gentile converts must be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses to be saved, sparking a conflict with Paul and Barnabas, who opposed this requirement. The issue escalated, leading to a decision to consult the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem Council (vv. 6-21): Church leaders, including Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James, met to deliberate. Peter argued that God had already accepted Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, showing no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Paul and Barnabas shared evidence of God’s work among the Gentiles. James proposed a resolution, citing Scripture, to not burden Gentiles with the full Mosaic Law but to instruct them to avoid idolatry, sexual immorality, and certain dietary practices.

Decision and Letter (vv. 22-29): The council agreed and sent a letter to Gentile believers, affirming their inclusion in the faith without requiring circumcision, and outlining basic guidelines for unity with Jewish believers. The letter was delivered by Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas.
Response and Continued Ministry (vv. 30-35): The Gentile believers in Antioch rejoiced at the encouraging message. Judas and Silas stayed briefly to strengthen the church before returning to Jerusalem, while Paul and Barnabas continued teaching.

Paul and Barnabas Separate (vv. 36-41): Planning a second missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas disagreed over taking John Mark (who had previously abandoned them). They parted ways—Barnabas took Mark to Cyprus, and Paul took Silas through Syria and Cilicia—yet the gospel work multiplied through their separate efforts.

Acts 15 depicts the early church resolving a critical theological and cultural conflict through the Jerusalem Council, affirming that salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ for both Jews and Gentiles, while fostering unity amid diversity and expanding missionary efforts despite personal disagreements.

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Acts 14:22 Strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, ‘It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.’

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Ministry in Iconium (14:1-7): Paul and Barnabas preach effectively in the synagogue at Iconium, winning both Jews and Gentiles to faith. However, unbelieving Jews stir up opposition, dividing the city. When a plot to stone them emerges, they flee to Lystra and Derbe.

Healing and Misunderstanding in Lystra (14:8-18): Paul heals a man lame from birth, prompting the crowd to mistake them for gods (Barnabas as Zeus, Paul as Hermes). The priest of Zeus prepares a sacrifice, but Paul and Barnabas urgently redirect the people to the one true God.

Stoning of Paul (14:19-20): Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrive, persuading the crowd to stone Paul. Left for dead, he miraculously rises and returns to the city with Barnabas the next day before moving to Derbe.

Strengthening New Believers (14:21-23): After preaching in Derbe and making many disciples, they revisit Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, encouraging believers to persevere through hardships, appointing elders in each church, and entrusting them to God.

Return to Antioch in Syria (14:24-28): Completing their journey, Paul and Barnabas return to their sending church in Antioch, reporting how God opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

Acts 14 illustrates the resilience of Paul and Barnabas as they spread the gospel amidst miracles, misunderstandings, and violent opposition, emphasizing the necessity of enduring hardships to build and strengthen the early church, particularly among Gentile believers.

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