Paul's 3rd Missionary Journey (28 ottob 52 anni – 1 agos 57 anni)

Descrizione:

Acts 18:23 - 21:36

Paul (probably accompanied by Timothy and Titus), with the help of the church in Syrian Antioch, heads from Syrian Antioch towards the region of Galatia. After visiting the believers in Derbe, Lystra, Iconium and Pisian Antioch, he makes his way to visit the church in Ephesus, just like he had promised during his second trip (see Acts 18:21).

While in Ephesus, a man named Apollos was there. He was fervent believer who misunderstood the gospel and the concept of baptism, but Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and corrected him. Paul also addressed the misinformed crowds, teaching them about baptism, laying his hands on twelve of them and they were indwelt with the Holy Spirit.

Also in Ephesus, some Jewish exorcists tried removing demons without having true faith in Jesus. The demons, not recognizing their authority, attacked the exorcists and overpowered them. This scared many other exorcists and sorcerers to abandon the practice and burn their books.

Paul stayed in Ephesus for two years, speaking with the Jews in the synagogue and later in the hall of Tyrannus. After hearing of the struggles in the church in Corinth, he composed his second letter (1 Corinthians) to them and sent it along with Timothy and another helper called Erastus (see 1 Corinthians 4:17). He also wanted to send Apollos to Corinth, but he refused, though he was sent later on to minister there (see 1 Corinthians 16:5-12 & Acts 18:27-28). Paul later wrote another letter to the church in Corinth (either the Severe Letter mentioned in 2 Corinthians 7:8 or 2 Corinthians itself), sending Titus and an unknown believer there to deliver it, as well as collect funds (see 2 Corinthians 8:17-19). Here he also met Gaius - a previous convert in Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 1:14) - and Aristarchus.

Some time later, a riot, caused by a silversmith named Demetrius, broke out in Ephesus. The mob seized Gaius and Aristarchus and dragged them into the theatre, but were later released. Paul, Gaius, and Aristarchus left Ephesus and headed for the city of Troas, where he hoped to visit Titus, though he could not find him there (see 2 Corinthians 2:12-13).

Not finding Titus there, Paul left for Macedonia, visiting the churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. While in Philippi, Titus met with Paul and gave him a good report of the ministry in Corinth (see 2 Corinthians 7:6-7,13-14). Paul soon left to go to Corinth to visit the believers there.

Paul only stayed in Corinth for 3 months, composing his letter to the church in Rome. He left as soon as he learned that the Jews there had plotted to kill him. He had planned to go straight back to Syrian Antioch, but decided to go back through Macedonia instead and visit the churches in Berea, Thessalonica, and Philippi. He was accompanied by a host of helpers: Sopater (from Berea), Aristarchus and Secundus (from Thessalonica), Gaius (from Derbe), and Tychicus and Timothy (from Asia). These men were sent ahead of him to Troas while he went away to visit the church in Philippi with Luke. For 5 days he stayed there, afterwards going to Troas to rejoin the group.

While in Troas, Paul raised a young man named Eutychus who had died after he fell asleep and fell from a third-story window while listening to Paul preach. Luke and the group then went by boat to Assos while Paul stayed behind a bit, he left and travelled by land to Assos. After some time there, they set sail for Miletus, followed by a trip to Ephesus.

In Ephesus, Paul addressed the elders of the church there, telling them that he knows imprisonment and affliction await him in Jerusalem. He also warns them of "fierce wolves" who will come to twist the truth and rip the church apart. He also told them that he probably would never see them again, encouraging them to remain strong. Paul and Luke then left to go to Jerusalem, sailing past Cyprus and landing in Tyre.

The disciples in Tyre begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but he insisted that he must. They prayed with him, and he went towards Ptolemais, visiting the believers there. He then left and went to Caesarea, meeting Philip the evangelist there, as well as Agabus, who prophesied about Paul's future imprisonment in Jerusalem. The believers there also urged Paul to not go to Jerusalem, but he insisted that he must.

After some time there, Paul, along with Luke and a number of other disciples, left for Jerusalem. Paul meets the elders in church of Jerusalem, visiting Mnason (an early convert) and James (the brother of Jesus).

A number of Jews assumed Paul had brought Trophimus, an uncircumcised Ephesian, into the Temple. They dragged Paul out of the Temple and beat him, hoping to kill him, but he was spared by the soldiers, arrested and carried (literally!) to jail, thus concluding his third missionary journey.

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