Thematic Bible: Persecuted


Thematic Bible



There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, Verse Conceptsevangelism, motivation forempiresCaesarCommands, in NTPunishment, Legal Aspects OfRefugeesGood Wives ExamplesAquilaRoman EmperorsGroups Sent Away






and brought them before the chief magistrates. "These men," they said, "are Jews, and they are making a great disturbance in our town. Verse ConceptsFalse Accusations, Examples OfTroubling Groups Of Peoplerelentless



While Gallio was governor of Greece the Jews made a concerted attack upon Paul, and brought him before the governor. "This fellow," they said, "is trying to induce people to worship God in ways that are against the law." Before Paul could open his lips, Gallio said to the Jews, "If some misdemeanor or rascality were involved, Jews, you might reasonably expect me to listen to you. read more.
But as it is only a question of words and titles and your own law, you must look after it yourselves. I refuse to decide such matters." And he drove them away from the court. Then they all seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio paid no attention to it. Paul stayed some time longer, and then bade the brothers goodbye and sailed for Syria, with Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut, because of a vow he had been under.

But when her masters saw that their hopes of profits were gone, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them to the public square, to the authorities, and brought them before the chief magistrates. "These men," they said, "are Jews, and they are making a great disturbance in our town. They are advocating practices which it is against the law for us as Romans to adopt or observe." read more.
The crowd also joined in the attack on them, and the magistrates had them stripped and beaten. After beating them severely, they put them in jail, and gave the jailer orders to keep close watch of them. He, having had such strict orders, put them into the inner cell, and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, suddenly there was such an earthquake that the jail shook to its foundations; all the doors flew open, and everybody's chains were unfastened. It woke up the jailer, and when he saw that the doors of the jail were open, he drew his sword and was just going to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted out, "Do not do yourself any harm! We are all here!" Then he called for lights and rushed in, and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas. He led them out of the jail and said to them, "Gentlemen, what must I do to be saved?" "Believe in the Lord Jesus," they said, "and you and your household will be saved!" Then they told God's message to him and to all the members of his household. And right then in the night, he took them and washed their wounds, and he and all his household were baptized immediately. Then he took them up to his house and offered them food, and he and all his household were very happy over their new faith in God.

At Iconium in the same way, they went to the Jewish synagogue and spoke with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused their message stirred up the heathen and poisoned their minds against the brothers. They spent some time there, speaking fearlessly and relying upon the Lord, who bore witness to his gracious message by letting signs and wonders be done by them. read more.
But the people of the town were divided, some siding with the Jews and some with the apostles. And when there was a movement on the part of both the heathen and the Jews with the authorities to insult and stone them, and they became aware of it, they made their escape to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and the country around,