AM June 9th Acts 20

June 9^th Acts 20 3. (The Third Missionary Journey)

Paul sails for Greece

1: And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. 2: And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 3: And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. 4: And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5: These going before tarried for us at Troas. 6: And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.

Paul leaves Troas

7: And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 8: And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 9: And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 10: And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 11: When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. 12: And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.

Paul goes to Miletus

13: And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. 14: And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene. 15: And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus. 16: For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

Paul called the believers together kissed them everyone and then left for Macedonia. In Macedonia Paul would have gone through all their cities meeting the believers and confirming them in the faith at Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea. What joy they would have greeted him and what blessing they would have had from his ministry. Eventually he arrived in Greece where he would have visited the believers in Athens and Corinth. He stayed there (Probably Corinth) about three months. But the Jews saw him coming and began to set a trap to catch him so he left for Syria after which he hoped to return to Macedonia. There were some believers that accompanied him, Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. Luke joined the group although he doesn’t mention himself by name. But he begins to use the ‘We’. Paul retraced his path back to Philippi where he stayed for the feast of Passover seven days and then he sailed over the Aegean sea to Troas. It took five days to reach Troas and they stayed at Troas for seven days. On the last day of his visit in Troas Paul met with the christians on the first day of the week to break bread. Paul preached a long time and late knowing that he was to leave in the morning. They were meeting on the third floor and a young man who was sitting on the window cill fell asleep and slipped out of the window. They all ran to the street and took him up as dead but Paul eventually found him and embracing him perhaps to hear his heart said don’t be troubled his life is still in him. He was probably bruised and shaken but ok. Then they resumed eating and Paul continued speaking until the dawn broke and then he departed. Luke and the company of disciples sailed ahead of Paul to Assos Paul wanted to travel by road. When they met at Assos they went on together to Mitylene. From there they sailed to Chios and the next day they arrived at Samos then they journeyed on to Trogyllium where they stayed the night and the next day they made it to Miletus. Paul missed out visiting Ephesus because he wanted to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. It would taken 50 days for Paul to travel from Philippi to Jerusalem.

• Paul sets out on a third Missionary journey what is his purpose this time?
• Make a note of the places he visits.
• What happens to the young man listening to Paul?