Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



And when a serious debate broke out, the commander was afraid that Paul might [virtually] be torn apart by the mob, so he ordered his soldiers to go down [to the Council meeting] and forcibly remove Paul and take him to the battalion headquarters. The next night the Lord stood beside Paul [in a supernatural dream] and said, "Take courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also be my witness in Rome." When daylight came, [a group of] Jews conspired together, agreeing under oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. read more.
There were more than forty men who made this pact. They went to the leading priests and [Jewish] elders and told them, "We have bound ourselves under an oath [with serious consequences] to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. Therefore, [all of] you, together with the Jewish Council, should notify the commander so that he will bring Paul [back] down to you, as though you wanted to consider his case further. Then we will be ready to kill him, [even] before he comes near [you]." But Paul's nephew learned of their plot and went to the headquarters and told Paul [all about it]. So, Paul called for one of the officers and said [to him], "Take this young man to the commander; he has something [important] to tell him." So, the officer took Paul's nephew to the commander and said, "Paul, the prisoner, called for me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you." The commander took him by the hand, and walking along together, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?" And the lad said, "The Jews have plotted to ask you to take Paul down to the Council [meeting] tomorrow, as though you were going to question him further. But, do not listen to them, because over forty men have laid a plot and bound themselves under an oath [with serious consequences] neither to eat nor drink [anything] until they have killed him. They are now ready [to carry out the plot] and are just waiting for you to agree [to their arrangement]." So, the commander let the young man go, urging him, "Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me." Then he called two of his officers and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, along with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, by nine o'clock tonight." [Note: This was calculated according to Jewish time]. And he [also] requested that they furnish animals for Paul to ride so he could be brought safely to Felix, the governor. The commander then wrote a letter like this: "Claudius Lysias, [commander of the battalion, is writing] to His Excellency, Governor Felix. Greetings: This man [i.e., Paul] was grabbed by the Jews and almost killed by them when I discovered what they were doing and rescued him, after learning that he was a Roman citizen. So, I brought him before the Council because I wanted to know the reasons for the charges [they were] bringing against him. I found out that he was being accused over questions regarding their law, but that they had no charges against him deserving of the death penalty, or [even] of being kept in prison. And when I was told that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, also ordering his accusers to present their case against him in front of you." So, the soldiers took charge of Paul and took him at night to Antipatris [Note: This was a town on the road between Jerusalem and Caesarea] as they were ordered. The next day the soldiers allowed the horsemen to go on with Paul, while they [themselves] returned to headquarters. When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul before him. And when the governor read the letter, he asked what province Paul was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia, he said, "I will hear your case fully when your accusers also get here." Then he ordered that Paul be kept [under guard] in Herod's palace.

The next night the Lord stood beside Paul [in a supernatural dream] and said, "Take courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also be my witness in Rome." Verse Conceptsevangelism, kinds ofempiresGuidance, Results OfMissionaries, Task OfNecessityNightRomeWitnesses, To Jesus ChristVisions At NightWitness To The GospelWitnessingtestimonyfollowing

[Upon His arrival] they brought to Him a man afflicted with a paralytic disease, [being carried on his cot. See Mark 2:3]. When Jesus saw [the evidence of] their faith [i.e., the man's four friends breaking open the roof and lowering him through it. See Mark 2:4-5], He said to the paralytic, "Son, cheer up, your sins are forgiven." Verse ConceptsdiseasesHeart, HumanSin, And God's CharacterSonsParalyticsAttitudes Of FaithChrist's Knowledge Of BelieversBedsSaved By FaithChrist ForgivingGod Has ForgivenTake Courage!Overcoming ObstaclesNervousness

He said to them, "Do not be amazed. You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was crucified, [are you not]? He has risen from the dead. He is not here. Look at the place where they laid Him. Verse ConceptsEasterLowering PeopleChrist Is Risen

But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up, and do not be afraid." Verse ConceptsPersonal ContactGet Up!

The next night the Lord stood beside Paul [in a supernatural dream] and said, "Take courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also be my witness in Rome." Verse Conceptsevangelism, kinds ofempiresGuidance, Results OfMissionaries, Task OfNecessityNightRomeWitnesses, To Jesus ChristVisions At NightWitness To The GospelWitnessingtestimonyfollowing






Am I not a free man? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? [See Acts 9:17; I Cor. 15:8]. Are you people not [the result of] my work in [the service of] the Lord? Verse ConceptsPaul, Apostle To GentilesOne's DeedsWorking For The Lord

Then last of all, He appeared to me also, as someone born abnormally. [Note: This probably refers to Paul being converted later than the rest of the apostles]. Verse ConceptsResurrection Of Christ, AppearancesUntimelinessChrist AppearingEnd Of ActionsAbortion

And he said [to me], 'The God of our forefathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One [i.e., Jesus], and to hear His voice [speaking to you]. Verse ConceptsChrist, Character OfPredestination, Of PersonsHearing God's WordKnowing God's WillGod Appointing OthersKnowing FactsRighteousness Of Christ

But, get up onto your feet, for the reason I have appeared to you is to appoint you a minister and witness of both the things you have [already] seen of me and the things I will [reveal when] appearing to you. Verse ConceptsDivine PurposesWitnesses, To Jesus ChristChrist AppearingWitness To The GospelGet Up!Why It HappenedPurposeRisingMinistry

The next night the Lord stood beside Paul [in a supernatural dream] and said, "Take courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also be my witness in Rome." Verse Conceptsevangelism, kinds ofempiresGuidance, Results OfMissionaries, Task OfNecessityNightRomeWitnesses, To Jesus ChristVisions At NightWitness To The GospelWitnessingtestimonyfollowing

And when he got close to Damascus, suddenly a [bright, See 22:6] light from the sky shone all around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Saul replied, "Who are you, sir?" And the voice said, "It is I, Jesus, whom you are persecuting, read more.
but get up, and enter the city [of Damascus] and [there] you will be told what you must do." And the men who were traveling with Saul were speechless, having heard the sound, but not seeing anyone. Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes but could not see anything, so had to be led by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind and neither ate nor drank anything. Now [in the meantime] the Lord spoke in a vision to a certain disciple named Ananias [who lived] in Damascus. He called to him by name, "Ananias." "Yes, Lord, here I am" Ananias replied. The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to Straight Street and ask for a person named Saul, from Tarsus, at the home of Judas; you will find him [there] praying." (Now Saul had seen [in a vision] a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him, restoring his sight). But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many people about how much harm this man has done to your holy people at Jerusalem. And [now] he is here with authority from the leading priests to tie up [and imprison] everyone who calls on your name." But the Lord replied to him, "Go on your way, for Saul is someone I have especially chosen to carry my name to the [unconverted] Gentiles, kings and the Israelites. I will show him how many things he will have to suffer for my name's sake." So, Ananias left and went to Judas' house and placed his hands on Saul saying, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you as you were traveling on the road [to Damascus] sent me so you could receive your sight [back] and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Then the Lord spoke to Paul in a night vision [i.e., a divinely given dream]: "Do not be afraid, but speak up and do not hold [anything] back, Verse ConceptsNightVisions And Dreams In ScriptureVisions At NightThose Who Saw VisionsDuring One NightDepressionFear And WorryspeakingBeing Scaredpreachingreassurance

And I saw [and heard] the Lord saying to me, 'Hurry up, get out of Jerusalem quickly, because the people [here] will reject your testimony about me.' Verse ConceptsAcceptance, Of The GospelVisions And Dreams In ScriptureNot Believing PeopleHurrying Others OnSubsequent Witness To Christheartbeat

The next night the Lord stood beside Paul [in a supernatural dream] and said, "Take courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also be my witness in Rome." Verse Conceptsevangelism, kinds ofempiresGuidance, Results OfMissionaries, Task OfNecessityNightRomeWitnesses, To Jesus ChristVisions At NightWitness To The GospelWitnessingtestimonyfollowing

The next night the Lord stood beside Paul [in a supernatural dream] and said, "Take courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also be my witness in Rome." Verse Conceptsevangelism, kinds ofempiresGuidance, Results OfMissionaries, Task OfNecessityNightRomeWitnesses, To Jesus ChristVisions At NightWitness To The GospelWitnessingtestimonyfollowing