Paul's Second Missionary Journey
Acts 17:1-15
Paul and Barnabas parted company because of a disagreement they had
about John Mark. The young
man had earlier left their company and returned to Jerusalem.
Barnabas wanted to give John Mark,
his nephew, another chance, but Paul preferred not to take him on
the next trip. So Barnabas and
John Mark went one way, and Paul chose Silas to accompany him on
a trip in another direction.
Besides Paul and Silas there were two more preachers on the journey; a
young Christian named
Timothy and Luke, the physician.
They arrived in Thessalonica (thes uh luh NIKE uh) which was a seaport
town. Paul preached in the
Jewish synagogue for three Sabbaths. Many Jews and Greeks
believed his teaching, but his
enemies, the Jews who didn't believe, began stirring up trouble again,
and Paul and Silas had to leave
the city at night under the cover of darkness.
They went to Berea (buh REE uh). The people there listened to
Paul, but they also searched the
scriptures to be sure what Paul was saying agreed with the scriptures
they accepted as the word of
God. Of course, the teachings were in perfect harmony because God, who
had inspired the scriptures,
was also guiding Paul's preaching.
The Bible says the Bereans were more noble than the people in
Thessalonica because they wanted
to prove that Paul's words were true.
The Jews in Thessalonica came to Berea and started causing trouble for
Paul, so the Christians sent
him to Athens, but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea intending to
join Paul as soon as possible.
Memory Verse:
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who
does not need to be
ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. NIV
or
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to
be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth. KJV
Second Timothy 2:15