Gary Gleans

                                                                                     Acts 18:23-28 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor   and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, provi

                                                                                  Acts 18:18-23 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.   When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch. After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.   As Paul leaves Corinth after a long and fruitful ministry, he begins his return trip back towards his sendin

But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews   made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal,   saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.”    But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint.    But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” And he drove them from the tribunal.   And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.   Paul had been promised protection in the passage before this one.  The promise is obviously fulfilled in this passage.  God can protect His followers and confuse His enemies even using an unbelieving judge.  His power is on display in this text and should encourage every person who strives to adva

                                                                             Acts 18:1-11 After this Paul   left Athens and went to Corinth.   And he found a Jew named   Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife   Priscilla, because   Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them,   and   because he was  of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.  And   he reasoned in the synagogue   every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.  When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul   was occupied with the word,   testifying to the Jews that the Christ was   Jesus.   And when they opposed and reviled him,   he shook out his garments and said to them,   “Your blood be on your own heads!   I am innocent.   From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”   And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius   Justus,   a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.   Cris

                                                                        Acts 17:22-34 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.   For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription:   ‘To the unknown god.’   What therefore you worship   as unknown, this I proclaim to you.   The God who made the world and everything in it, being   Lord of heaven and earth,   does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands,   as though he needed anything, since he himself   gives to all mankind   life and breath and everything.   And   he made from one man every nation of mankind to live   on all the face of the earth,   having determined allotted periods and   the boundaries of their dwelling place,   that they should seek God,   and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.   Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,   for    “‘In h