Page 97 - Acts Student Textbook

Study Section 19 – Completion of Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
and the fulfillment of his arrest and suffering in Jerusalem
(21: 1- 23:35)

19. 1 Connect.

This section is a continuation of the completion of Paul’s Third Missionary Journey. It also has
the fulfillment of the heavily emphasized prediction about Paul’s arrest and suffering in
Jerusalem. In it we see the power of absolute surrender. When one is completely surrendered
to God, there is great power available to accomplish God’s purposes. In this study section you
will learn from 4 aspects of power in Paul’s life: (1) The power of one purpose (21:1-16); (2) The
power to endure false accusations (21:17-36); the power to testify in the face of opposition (21:37-
23:11); the power to persevere through suffering (23:12-35).

19.2 Objectives.

1. The student should be able to describe what it means to live a life in the power of
absolute surrender to God’s usage through Paul’s experience.

2. The student should be able to discuss the power of one purpose as we see it in Paul’s
journey to Jerusalem(21:1-16)

3. The student should be able to explain how to endure false accusations as Paul encountered those
in Jerusalem (21:17-36)

4. The student should be able to explain the power to testify in the face of opposition (21:37-23:11)

5. The student should be able to investigate the power to persevere through suffering (23:12-35).

19.3- Completion of Paul’s Third Missionary Journey and the fulfillment of his arrest and
suffering in Jerusalem (21: 1- 23:35)

The power of one purpose (21:1-16)

Paul’s group (including Luke) set sail from Miletus. (It is not clear whether or not the other
men, who were messengers of the churches, were still in the company. 20:4 says these
accompanied Paul to Asia. Some, including Luke, left Troas before Paul and took him in at Assos
(20:13, 14). They sailed south to the island of Cos, then to the island of Rhodes. From there they
sailed to the city of Patara. They found a ship to Phoenicia and sailed on it to Tyre and visited with
the disciples for seven days.

At Tyre the Church was founded after Stephen’s death (Acts 11:19; 15:3; cf. Mk 7:24). There Paul
received a prophetic warning of the impending danger in Jerusalem (21:1-6).

What could have been wrong for Paul to have followed the prophet’s instructions not to go to
Jerusalem?

The disciples told Paul through the Holy Spirit not to go to Jerusalem (21:4). This was a similar
message to what others had given (20:23). This refers to the presence of prophets in this local

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