-  V.  A  PRISONER  FOR  CHRIST  -

Paul's plans - Acts 19: 21-22 - N. T. -

When all this was over Paul made up his mind to go back to Jerusalem through Macedonia and Achaia. 'After I have been there' he said 'I must go on to see Rome as well.' So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, ahead of him to Macedonia, while he remained for a time in Asia. 

Cf. - Romans 15:22-33 - N. T. - That is the reason why I have been kept from visiting you so long, though for many years I have been longing to pay you a visit. Now, however, having no more work to do here. I hope to see you on my way to Spain and, after enjoying a little of your company, to complete the rest of the journey with your good wishes. First, however, I must take a present of money to the saints in Jerusalem, since Macedonia and Achaia have decided to send a generous contribution to the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. A generous contribution as it should be, since it is really repaying a debt: the pagans who share the spiritual possessions of these poor people have a duty to help them with temporal possessions. So when I have done this and officially handed over what has been raised, I shall set out for Spain and visit you on the way. I know that when I reach you I shall arrive with rich blessings from Christ. 

But I beg you, brothers, by the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of the Spirit, to help me through my dangers by praying to God for me. Pray that I may escape the unbelievers in Judaea, and that the aid I carry to Jerusalem may be accepted by the saints. Then, if God wills, I shall be feeling very happy when I come to enjoy a period of rest among you. May the God of peace be with you all! Amen.

Cf. - 1 Corinthians 16:1-8 - N. T. - Now about the collection made for the saints: you are to do as I told the churches in Galatia to do. Every Sunday, each one of you must put aside what he can afford, so that collections need not be made after I have come. When I am with you, I will send your offering to Jerusalem by the hand of whatever men you give letters of reference to; if it seems worth while for me to go too, they can travel with me.

I shall be coming to you after I have passed through Macedonia - and I am doing no more than pass through Macedonia - and I may be staying with you, perhaps even passing the winter, to make sure that it is you who send me on my way wherever my travels take me. As you see, I do not want to make it only a passing visit to you and I hope to spend some time with you, the Lord permitting.  

Cf. - Acts 11:30+; 23:11 - 

Cf. - Romans 1:13 - N. T. - I want you to know, brothers, that I have often planned to visit you - though until now I have always been prevented - in the hope that I might work as fruitfully among you as I have done among the other pagans.

Cf. - 1 Corinthians 4:17 - N. T. - That is why I beg you to copy me and why I have sent you Timothy, my dear and faithful son in the Lord: he will remind you of the way that I live in Christ, as I teach it everywhere in all the churches. 

Ephesus: the silversmiths' riot - Acts 19:23-41 - N. T. -

It was during this time that a rather serious disturbance broke out in connection with the Way. A silversmith called Demetrius, who employed a large number of craftsmen making silver shrines of Diana, called a general meeting of his own men with others in the same trade. 'As you men know,' he said it is on this industry that we depend for our prosperity. Now you must have seen and heard how, not just Ephesus but nearly everywhere in Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and converted a great number of people with his argument that gods made by hand are not gods at all. 

This threatens not only to discredit our trade, but also to reduce the sanctuary of the great Diana to unimportance. It could end up by taking away all the prestige of a goddess venerated all over Asia, yes, and everywhere in the civilised world. This speech roused them to fury, and they started to shout, Great is Diana of the Ephesians!' The whole town was in an uproar and the mob rushed to the theatre dragging along two of Paul's Macedonian travelling companions, Gaius and Aristarchus. Paul wanted to make an appeal to the people, but the disciples refused to let him; in fact, some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent messages imploring him not to take the risk of going into the theatre.

By now everybody was shouting different things till the assembly itself had no idea what was going on; most of them did not even know why they had been summoned. The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and when some of the crowd shouted encouragement he raised his hand for silence in the hope of being able to explain things to the people. When they realised he was a Jew, they all started shouted in unison, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!' and they kept this crowd up for two hours. When the town clerk eventually succeeded in calming the crowd, he said, 'Citizens of Ephesus! Is there anybody alive who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of great Diana and of her statue that fell from heaven? Nobody can contradict this and there is no need for you to get excited or do anything rash. These men you have brought here are not guilty of any sacrilege or blasphemy against our goddess. If Demetrius and the craftsmen he has with him want to complain about anyone, there are the assizes and the proconsuls; let them take the case to court. And if you want to ask anymore questions you must raise them in the regular assembly. We could easily be charged with rioting for today's happenings; there was no ground for it all, and we can give no reason for this gathering.' When he had finished this speech he dismissed the assembly.

Cf. - Acts 9:2+; 16:19 - 

Cf. - Wisdom 15:12 - O. T. - What is more, he looks on this life of ours as a kind of game, and our time here like a fair, full of bargains. 'However foul the means,' he says 'a man must make a living.'

Cf. - Acts 17:29+; 20:4; 27:2 - 

Cf. - Colossians 4:10 - N. T. - Aristarchus, who is here in prison with me, sends his greetings, and so does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas - you were sent some instructions about him.

Cf. - Acts 16:20 -                                        -  PAGE  131  -

Paul leaves Ephesus

When the disturbance was over, Paul...       -  PAGE  132  -

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Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ Jesus, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to it function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 - 

I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself, but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He/She will glorify me, since all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine." - John 16:12-15 -

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