Jeremy Hoover

1. What did Paul do when he arrived in Thessalonica (2)? Was this normal? How long did he stay? What did he teach in the synagogue (2-3)?

2. Did the Messiah have to suffer and rise from the dead because that's what Jesus did, or did Jesus "fit in" with what was already taught in the Old Testament (3)?

3. What results did Paul see (4-9)? What was the aftermath of Paul's ministry in Thessalonica (5-9)?

4. Why were the Berean Jews "of more noble character than those in Thessalonica" (11)?

5. Although Paul's message was generally well received in Berea, there was still some controversy. How did this come about (13)?

6. How did Paul end up being alone in Athens (16)? What did he see that bothered him (16)? How did he respond (17)?

7. In what two places did Paul preach (17)?

8. Why did the philosophers take Paul to the Areopagus (18-21)?

9. What was the content of Paul's defense/sermon in the Areopagus (22-31)? How does this sermon differ from when he preaches to Jews?

10. How much scripture did Paul use in this sermon? What constitutes a "biblical" sermon?

11. What was the response to Paul (32)? What was the basis for the contention some had with Paul?

16:1-5 -- Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
1. Why did Paul circumcise Timothy? Didn't this put Timothy under the law? What modern parallels do you see where we can "give" on a point of doctrine or tradition for the sake of others?

2. What did Paul do as he visited these cities? How were they strengthened and what was the result?

3. What principles have you learned from Acts about when/how/why the church increases in number?

Acts 16:6-10 -- "The Macedonian Call"
1. How did Paul determine where to go and not go? Why do you think the Spirit blocked them from going to certain places? Is this a valid way of looking for guidance today?

2. Note that "Luke" is now traveling with the group (10).

Acts 16:11-15
1. What do you learn about Lydia?

2. What are the implications for evangelism? Where might we go to find a high likelihood of receptive people?

Acts 16:16-40 -- Controversy, Arrest, Conversions
1. Why was Paul bothered by the slave-girl's prophecy? Was it false?

2. Why were her owners angry that Paul healed her? What did they do?

3. What was the basis of the charges against Paul and company? Were the charges true? Were the charges true from the perspective of the slave-owners?

4. What happened to Paul and Silas? What happened to Luke and Timothy? How did Paul and Silas respond?

5. What happened next? How did the jailer respond? How did Paul respond to the jailer?

6. How was the jailer converted?

7. Why did Paul not leave quietly when his release was granted?

8. What was their final act before leaving the city?

1. What is significant about the why the "certain individuals" came from Judea to Antioch (1)? What did they do when they arrived?

2. How did they decide to resolve the problem (2)? Who decided this (2-3)?

3. What strategy did Paul and Barnabas use en route to Jerusalem that likely helped them (3)?

4. What was the environment like when they arrived in Jerusalem (4)?

5. What conflict arose (5)?

6. Who spoke for the apostles and elders? Why (7)?

7. What is the main point of Peter's statement (7-11)?

8. How did Paul and Barnabas contribute to the discussion (12)?

9. What is remarkable about James' interpretation of scripture (15)?

10. What is James' judgment (19-21)? Does this still hold the Gentiles under the law? What is the point of these prohibitions?

11. How did the apostles and elders resolve this problem outside Jerusalem (22-23)?

12. What do you see that is interesting in the letter from the apostles and elders (23-29)?

13. How was this situation resolved (30-35)? What good came of it?

14. What happened next between Paul and Barnabas (36-41)? Who was right and who was wrong?

15. What does this chapter teach us about decision-making in the church?

1. How has Paul and Barnabas' evangelistic strategy developed (1)? What is their strategy?

2. Were they successful on this occasion (2)?

3. What were the two different reactions to their preaching (1-2)?

4. How did Paul and Barnabas respond to the negative response (3)?

5. How was the delivery of their message enhanced (3)? Were they always able to perform signs and wonders? What does this teach about the Holy Spirit and God?

6. What was the continued reaction (5-6)? How did Paul and Barnabas respond? Was this cowardly? When is it ever the right time to leave an evangelistic opportunity and how would you know?

7. What did Paul do in Lystra that was worthy of attention (8-10)? Who healed the man?

8. Why did they not go to a synagogue first?

9. What was the reaction of the crowd to the healing (11-13)?

10. How did Paul and Barnabas respond (14-18)? What is the content of the sermon? Why is it devoid of scriptural references? Is it a "biblical" sermon if it does not use the bible? What points are made and how are they made?

11. What happened next (19)? How did Paul respond (20)? Why did he go back into the city when earlier he fled at the threat of violence (cf. v. 6)?

12. What did Paul and Barnabas do after leaving Derbe (21)? What functions did they perform during these return trips (22-23)? What pattern do you discern?

13. How did Paul and Barnabas end their first missionary journey (26-28)?

In his commentary on Acts, Luke Timothy Johnson points out how Luke (the writer of Acts) correlates the trial of Jesus with the person of Stephen (Acts 7), the resurrection of Jesus with the prison experience of Peter (Acts 12), and the beginning of Jesus' ministry with the beginning of Paul's ministry.

Luke's main objective with the latter is to establish Paul's ministry as correlated with Jesus and the kingdom of God. Below is a chart that shows these correlations.

Below are study questions to help you work through Acts 13. What do you think? What questions do you have?

ACTS 13 -- Barnabas and Saul Begin Their Missionary Activity

The Sending (1-3)

1. What mission did Barnabas and Saul return from? (12:25)

2. Where did they return to? (1)

3. What was the function of the prophets and teachers? Were these "assumed" roles or roles given by the Holy Spirit? (1-2)

4. Was this a Sunday worship? An extended period of worship? Were the worship and fasting concurrent or complimentary? (2)

5. Who commissioned Barnabas and Saul? (2)

6. Did the believers know what/where they were setting Barnabas and Saul apart for? (2)

7. How were Barnabas and Saul set apart by the believers? (3)

Cyprus (4-12)

1. How did Barnabas and Saul know where to go? (4)

2. What did they do when they arrived on Cyprus? (5) Why start in a Jewish synagogue? What evangelistic lesson do you learn from this?

3. What incident happened in Cyprus? (6-12)

4. What "power" does this incident reveal God's power over? How is this seen in how the incident plays out?

5. Who witnessed this incident and how did he respond? (12) What is significant about his response? Why is he mentioned as being "intelligent"? (7)

6. What "teaching" did the proconsul witness? (12)

7. What evangelistic lesson do you learn from this conversion?

Pisidian Antioch (13-52)

1. What happened as Barnabas and Saul reached shore in Pamphylia? (13) What does this foreshadow? (15:36-41)

2. What was their strategy in Pisidian Antioch? (14)

3. When Paul was invited to speak, what did he speak about? (16-41)

4. What is the content of Paul's speech? What are the key points?

5. How did the people respond to Paul's preaching? (42-43)

6. What happened on the following Sabbath? How did "the Jews" respond? (44-45)

7. How did Paul and Barnabas respond to the Jews? (46-47)

8. How did the Gentiles respond to Paul and Barnabas' declaration? (48)

9. What does the phrase "all who were appointed for eternal life" mean? (48)

10. What were the results for the gospel? (49, 52)

11. What conflict occurred? (50) What resulted from this conflict? (51-52)

Several things come to pass in this chapter: Peter is the main character but exits the scene "to another place", leaving the leadership in Jerusalem in the hands of James; Paul and Barnabas are reintroduced; and a tyrant is dispatched by the power of God.

1. Who is the main character in this chapter?

2. How is Herod described in this chapter?

3. What did the church do while Peter was in prison (5)? Why?

4. How did Peter understand what happened to him (9)? What did he then realize (11)?

5. What happened when Peter arrived at a meeting of believers (12-14)? What did the believers think (15)?

6. What does "he left for another place" mean (17)? Why is this important?

7. What did Herod do as a result of Peter's escape (18-19)? What happened next to Herod (20-23)? Why?

8. Why is the success of the word of God linked to Herod's demise?

9. What lessons did you learn from Herod? What lessons did you learn from Peter?