Mentioned in the Bible by name

Saul, Paul

Saul was fully in favor of killing Stephen (he applauded, was glad about it).
[As the story of Stephen ends, Saul is introduced. He was from Tarsus in Cilicia, present-day southern Turkey. Like Stephen, he was a Greek-speaking Jude, see Acts 22:3. According to tradition, he was born in 8 AD, but it could have been sometime between 5 BC and 10 AD. It is likely that Saul was one of those who argued against Stephen in the Cilician synagogue, see Acts 6:9.
Luke introduced the apostle Paul by his first name, Saul, which was a common name derived from the first king of Israel. The name means "asked for in prayer." The name Saul is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Saul. On some occasions, the more Hebrew form "Saul" is used when quotations are rendered in Aramaic, see Acts 9:4, 17. From Acts 13:9 onwards, the name Paul is used. The reason for the change is not given, but Paul is a purely Roman name meaning "the little one." It aptly describes the apostle to the Gentiles and his growing humility over the years.]
On the same day, a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered [forced to flee] to the regions of Judea and Samaria.

But Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the Lord's disciples. [The sentence begins with the word "but" and describes the contrast introduced in the previous chapter between Philip and Saul. Philip continues to spread the church while Saul continues to persecute it, see Acts 8:40; 8:3.] Saul went to the high priest [in Jerusalem, probably Annas, see Acts 4:6]

Saul [finally] got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could not see. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.

Then the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called 'Straight Street' and ask at the house of Jude for a man named Saul from Tarsus, for he is praying [to me there right now].

Then he ate and regained his strength.
Saul stayed with the disciples in Damascus for a few days,

But Saul grew more and more powerful [he developed more and more and became more skilled] and left the Jews in Damascus speechless when he proved (presented scripture after scripture, compared and examined to prove) that Jesus is the Messiah.
[Based on Paul's more detailed account in Gal. 1:17–18, he spent three years in Arabia before going to Jerusalem. Arabia is the great desert east and south of Damascus. It corresponds to present-day Saudi Arabia. Most Bible scholars place this event between verses 22 and 23, and that Saul returns to Damascus after his time in solitude.]

but Saul found out about their plan. They kept watch at the city gates [the seven gates of Damascus] day and night to kill him.

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. But they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe he was a disciple.

[Barnabas now thinks of Saul, who is not far from Antioch in his hometown of Tarsus, see Acts 9:30; Gal. 1:21. The road there takes five days, the sea route twelve hours. This event probably took place in the early 40s AD.]
Barnabas then went to Tarsus to try to find Saul. [The word indicates that some effort was involved in the search.]

They did so and sent the aid with Barnabas and Saul to the elders [church leaders in Jerusalem].
[Claudius was the fourth emperor of the Roman Empire and reigned from 41 to 54 AD. Several extra-biblical sources confirm that there were several years of poor harvests in the Roman Empire during his reign. In Judea, there was a famine in 46 AD. Egyptian documents also confirm a great famine around the Nile due to floods in 45-46 AD. Agabus is also mentioned in Acts 21:10–11, where he prophesies that Paul will be imprisoned in Jerusalem.]

When Barnabas and Saul had completed their mission in Jerusalem [delivering the financial gifts, see Acts 11:29–30], they returned [to Antioch] and took with them John, who was called Mark.

[Barnabas and Saul had returned to Antioch after leaving the collected funds in Jerusalem, see Acts 11:29-30. They also brought with them Barnabas' cousin, John Mark, see Acts 12:25; Col. 4:10. The Acts of the Apostles now shifts its focus from Peter and the church in Jerusalem to Saul (who will soon be called Paul) and his missionary journeys to the Gentiles.
About ten years earlier, the first Christians had come to Antioch because of the severe persecution in Jerusalem, see Acts 11:19. Many had since come to faith, and Barnabas had been sent there to help, see Acts 11:22–24. Due to the rapid growth, more teachers were needed, so Barnabas sought out Saul in Tarsus, see Acts 11:24-26. Eight years had passed since Saul's dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. It is therefore in this large church in Antioch that people now gather for prayer and fasting.]
But in Antioch [in Syria], in the church that was there, there were [active] prophets and teachers:
both (Gk. te) Barnabas [who had come from Jerusalem to help the new congregation, see Acts 11:22–30]
and Simeon,
who was called Niger [meaning black/dark in Latin and probably indicating that he was from North Africa – may have been the same Simeon who carried Jesus' cross, see Mark 15:21], and Lucius from Cyrene [who was probably among the first to come to Antioch, see Acts 11:20],
[in addition] Manaen
who had grown up with [who was foster brother/childhood friend of] the tetrarch Herod [Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded (Mark 6:14–29), ruled over Galilee from 4-39 AD], and Saul.
[The grammar in this verse, the word for "and" (Gk. kai) between the first three and last two names, suggests that the first three were prophets and the last two were teachers. These five people from very different backgrounds formed a shared leadership in the church. Saul's Hebrew name was Saul, which means "asked for in prayer," but from Acts 13:9 onwards and throughout the rest of the New Testament, he is referred to by his Greek name Paul, which means "the little one."]

They were in holy service before the Lord and fasted. [The basic text's leitourgounton has been translated as "holy service". Our word "liturgy" comes from this Greek word, which is composed of two words: "public" and "service." The word is used to describe the temple service of the Old Testament priests, see Luke 1:23. Here, the word is used to refer to Christian worship and seems to mean that the five worshipped God in prayer and praise, but also that they used their gifts to prophesy and teach.]
Then the Holy Spirit said [through one of the prophets], "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

He was close to [associated with] Cyprus's proconsul Sergius Paulus, who was a sensible (intelligent) man.
[Sergius Paulus held the highest Roman office on the island. Luke uses the exact Roman terms that varied from place to place and from decade to decade. Cyprus had become a proconsular province with a proconsul during the reign of the fourth Roman emperor, Claudius, from 41 to 54 AD. Previously, the island had been ruled by a propraetor.]
Sergius Paulus summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.

Saul, also called Paul [which was his Roman name used in Greek-speaking areas], was then filled with the Holy Spirit and stared intently at him

Paul [now mentioned first] and his companions [Barnabas and John Mark] sailed from Paphos [on Cyprus] to Perga in [the Roman province] Pamphylia.
[The journey took 3-4 days. Perga was the capital of the province of Pamphylia and was located a few kilometers inland. If the boat docked at the port city of Attaleia (today's Antalya on the southern coast of Turkey), they traveled 15 km overland to Perge. If the boat had cargo for Perge, they sailed all the way along the Kestros River. They seem to have made only a short stop in Perge, but on the return journey they stopped and preached in both Perge and Attaleia, see Acts 14:25.]
There John [Mark] left them and returned to Jerusalem.
[Something happened that caused John Mark to leave them and return to Jerusalem. Paul writes that he encountered many obstacles and dangers during his travels, see 2 Cor. 11:26. It may have been the hardships ahead, malaria, or disagreement over leadership, with Paul now taking the lead, that made Mark want to go home – we do not know. However, this event meant that Paul did not trust Mark on his next journey and refused to let him accompany him, see Acts 15:39. But after a few years, this attitude changed. He calls Mark a "fellow worker" in Col. 4:10 and "a faithful minister with me" in 2 Tim. 4:11.]

Then Paul stood up [a murmur seems to arise among those present in the synagogue], he signaled with his hand [to silence them] and said:
"Men of Israel [Jude] and you [non-Jews] who fear (revere, worship) God, listen to me.

When they left the synagogue, many Jews and devout proselytes [those who had converted to Judaism] followed Paul and Barnabas. They spoke to them and urged them to remain in God's grace (power).

But when the Jews saw all the people, they were filled with jealousy and contradicted what Paul said [how the Old Testament prophecies speak of Jesus] and blasphemed [spoke disparagingly and contemptuously about Jesus].

Then Paul and Barnabas answered boldly: "It was necessary that the word of God [about salvation through Jesus] be spoken to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we turn to the Gentiles.

But the Jews incited respected godly women and the leading men of the city. They started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their area.

He listened as Paul preached [probably in the town square]. Paul fixed his gaze on him, and when he saw that the man had faith that he could be healed

When the people saw what Paul had done, they shouted in Lycaonian, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"

They called Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, since he was the one who spoke. [Paul and Barnabas did not yet understand what the people were saying because they spoke in their own language.]

When the apostles (messengers) Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes [to show grief and horror, see Matt. 26:65, they grabbed the collars of their tunics with their hands and tore them a few inches] and ran out among the crowd, shouting:

From Antioch [in Pisidia] and Iconium [the cities where Paul and Barnabas had recently been], some Jews arrived. They succeeded in winning over the people, and they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, believing him to be dead.

This led to Paul and Barnabas getting into a not insignificant dispute with them, and the subject was debated vigorously (intensely, without leading to any solution). It was therefore decided that Paul and Barnabas and some others among them [in the church in Antioch] should go up to the apostles and elders (church leaders) in Jerusalem with this question.

The whole assembly fell silent. [In contrast to the lively debate that began the meeting, see verse 7. Barnabas and Paul had already shared their experiences from their missionary journey with the leaders in Jerusalem, see verse 4. Now they stand up and share this with everyone gathered.] They listened carefully to Barnabas and Paul as they told of the great signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

Then the apostles, the elders, and the whole assembly decided to appoint some men from among themselves and send them to Antioch [in Syria] together with Paul and Barnabas. They chose two leading men from among the brothers: Jude, called Barsabbas, and Silas [Silvanus].
[This is the only time Jude Barsabbas is mentioned. He may be the brother of Joseph Barsabbas, see Acts 1:23. The name "Bar-sabbas" literally means "born on a Sabbath." Silas is also known as Silvanus, which is the longer Latin form of his name, see 1 Pet. 5:12. He later accompanies Paul on his second journey, see Acts 15:32, 41; 16:25. Judas was a Jew from Judea and Silas was Greek. One person from each side of the conflict was chosen to accompany Paul and Barnabas and confirm the decision.]

Therefore, we have unanimously decided to appoint some men and send them to you along with our dear brothers Barnabas and Paul,

But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they taught and preached the word of the Lord together with many others.
[Verse 34 is an example of how a comment was accidentally included when the text was copied. Since comments were written in the same style and ink, there was a risk that they would be included when the text was copied. Often, the original text is the shorter version, but each difference must be examined and compared between different manuscripts. It should be mentioned that, compared to other ancient literature, the Bible has very few differences in manuscripts, and those that exist are often comments that have been included. The person who added the comment here wanted to solve the problem that Silas is mentioned again in Antioch in verse 40. However, the assumption that Silas remained creates an even greater conflict with verse 33, which clearly states that "they," both Jude and Silas, return to Jerusalem. There is really no problem with verse 40 to begin with. Verse 36 states "after some time." The events in verse 40 take place a few months later, and there is plenty of time for Silas to return to Antioch from Jerusalem, a distance of about 700 km (435 miles).]

[This is the second of Paul's three missionary journeys in the Acts of the Apostles. Initially, it is not a missionary journey but more of a follow-up visit to the churches that were started during the first journey in Asia Minor, now southern Turkey. But the Holy Spirit leads them further west to Macedonia and Achaia, present-day Greece, and in this way the gospel reaches Europe! The journey covers a distance of 500 miles by sea and land. The travel time was about 100 days. The journey begins around 49 AD and lasts about three years. The total cost of the boat trips was about 300-350 denarii per person. One denarius was equivalent to a worker's daily wage.]
After some time, Paul said to Barnabas, "We should go back and visit the brothers and sisters in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing."

But Paul did not think it was appropriate to take with them the one who had deserted them in Pamphylia [in the city of Perga, near present-day Antalya in Turkey] and had not accompanied them in their work.

Paul, on the other hand, chose Silas and set out, after the brethren (brothers and sisters in faith) had committed him to the Lord's mercy.

Paul wanted to take him on the journey, and out of consideration for the Jews in those parts, he took him and circumcised him, since everyone knew that his father was Greek.

At night, Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian stood and appealed to him (urged, welcomed): "Come over to Macedonia and help us!"
[How could Paul see that it was a Macedonian in the vision? Perhaps it was an inner knowing, or perhaps the man was dressed like a typical Macedonian. Unlike the Romans, the Macedonians were more lightly dressed, the men often went bare-chested, and it was also common for men to braid their hair. The most famous Macedonian was probably Alexander the Great, who lived from 356 to 323 BC. Everything in the vision (the man's appearance, hairstyle, clothing, and speech) made it completely obvious to Paul that he was a Macedonian.]

One of those who listened to us was a woman named Lydia. She was [originally] from the city of Thyatira and traded in purple cloth. [She was in a lucrative business. The city of Thyatira, on the other side of the Aegean Sea, was known for its textile industry, see Rev 2:18–29.] She was [already] a believer, and the Lord opened her heart so that she took in (listened intently to, held fast to) what Paul said.

She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God! They are proclaiming to you a way of salvation!"[Although these words were true, they were general. The expression "the most high God" in this part of the world referred to Zeus. Even "the way of salvation" was not clear enough. The Greco-Roman world was full of "saviors." The emperor, for example, called himself the savior of the people.]

She continued like this for several days. But Paul became angry and turned around and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) to leave her!" At that moment, the spirit left her.

When her masters saw that their hope of income was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the marketplace before the authorities.

At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. The other prisoners listened (attentively, with joy) to them.

But Paul cried out loudly, "Do not harm yourself! We are all here."
[Previously, the apostles had been freed from prison, see Acts 5:19–26; 12:5–19. In the same way, the apostles voluntarily surrender Paul and Silas again. It seems that this miracle served to free the jailer and his family rather than the two men of God!]

Then he asked for light (several torches) and rushed in and fell down in fear before Paul and Silas.

The jailer reported this to Paul and said, "The judgment have sent word for you to be released. So come out and go in peace."

But Paul said to them, "They have publicly flogged us without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and [besides that] thrown us into prison. Now they want to send us away secretly! No, they must come here themselves and take us out." [Paul and Silas probably had a testatio with them, which was an official certificate proving that they were Roman citizens. Their place of birth and citizenship were recorded on a diptych, the predecessor of our book, which consisted of two folding wooden panels covered with a layer of wax on which one could write.]

[Paul did as he usually did and went "first to the Jude, but also to the Greeks," see Rom. 1:16. He stays at least a few weeks in Thessalonica, since he visits the synagogue on three Saturdays. However, it is likely that he was there for a couple of months because he worked for a living, see 1 Thess 2:9.]
Paul visited them [the Jewish population of the town] as he usually did. On three Sabbaths he talked (engaged in dialogue) with them from the Scriptures.

Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas. In addition, a large number of Greeks who revered God and not a few women of noble birth joined them.

That very night, the brothers and sisters in the faith sent Paul and Silas to Berea. As soon as they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
[Until the 19th century, Luke's precise choice of words, "politarkers," for the city's leadership was questioned because the word was not used in other literature, see verses 6 and 8. In 1876, however, an inscription with this word was found on the arch of one of the city gates, followed by six names. The find dates back to around 150 AD. In total, over thirty similar inscriptions have now been found in this area.]

When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was also preaching the word of God in Berea, they came there and stirred up trouble and agitated the people [just as they had done in Thessalonica].

Immediately the brothers and sisters sent Paul down to the coast [to one of the coastal cities of Dium or Pydna], but Silas and Timothy remained [in Berea].

Paul's guides took him all the way to Athens and then returned with a message for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible.
[Athens is located 500 km south of Berea. It is likely that they sailed along the coast to Piraeus, which was the port city of Athens, a journey of three days. If they took the land route, the journey took 16 days. The fact that the believers who showed the way accompanied Paul all the way to Athens shows their devotion.]

While Paul waited for them in Athens, he was troubled in his spirit when he saw how the city was full of idols.
[Athens was the cultural and philosophical capital of Greece. The philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle had lived and worked here in the 400s and 300s BC. The streets were lined with sculptures of both humans and gods. Today, these ancient statues are colorless, but back then they were painted. Petronius, who a few years later became Emperor Nero's advisor on luxury and extravagance, wrote that it was easier to find a god than a human being in Athens. The population was only about 20,000, and the city lived in the shadow of the flourishing Corinth, 50 miles (80 km) to the west.]

Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said: "Athenians, I see (understand after careful examination) that in everything you are very religious.
[The word "very religious" can have a positive or negative meaning. It can be interpreted pejoratively to say that someone is superstitious and overinterprets the spiritual. By using this expression, Paul keeps his audience's interest. We understand from the continuation that it is the positive meaning that Paul is referring to, that they revere and sanctify the divine more than other Greeks.]

So Paul left them.

Then Paul left Athens and came to Corinth.
[Corinth is located just under 80 km west of Athens. The journey along the Aegean Sea took two days. This is Paul's first of three visits. He arrived here around 50 AD and stayed for 1.5 years, see verse 11. During this period, he wrote two letters to the congregation in Thessalonica. These letters are among the earliest letters in the New Testament.
Corinth was the capital of the province of Achaia in southern Greece. Its location on the Isthmus of Corinth, connecting two seas, made it a natural trading city between East and West with 50,000 inhabitants. A few kilometers to the north lay the port city of Lechaion, and to the south, the port city of Cenchrea in the Saronic Gulf, see Acts 18:18; Rom. 16:1. Goods were unloaded and loaded between the ports. Many leaders have dreamed of a canal. Just over fifteen years after Paul's visit here, Nero personally broke ground in 67 AD. Six thousand Jewish prisoners from the revolts in Judea were put to work on the project. The project was abandoned upon his death. It was not until 1893 that the canal became a reality, but it was narrow and dangerous and never became the success that had been hoped for.]

When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia [with funds from Philippi and Thessalonica, see 1 Thess 3:6; 2 Cor. 11:8; Phil. 4:15], Paul began to devote himself entirely to preaching the word [without having to work for his own livelihood as a tentmaker, see verse 3]. He testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ),

One night, the Lord said to Paul in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent!

While Gallio was proconsul of [the Roman province] Achaia, the Jews joined forces against Paul. [Inscriptions confirm that Gallio was governor in 51-52 CE. These events probably took place at the end of the summer of 51 AD.] They brought him before the court [Greek bema, which was an elevated platform in the middle of the city's central square and marketplace, Gk. agora].

Just as Paul was about to open his mouth and speak, Gallio said to the Jude, "If it were a matter of some crime or wicked deed, I would of course listen to you, Jude.

Paul stayed many days after this. Then he said goodbye to the brothers and sisters in the faith and sailed for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchreae [the southern port city of Corinth], Paul shaved his head, for he had made a vow.
[Perhaps Paul had made a Nazirite vow, see Num. 6:1–21. Normally, he would have shaved his head in Jerusalem, but he could do it earlier and take the hair with him to perform the Jewish ritual in Jerusalem. Nazirite vows are made when someone wants to serve the Lord in a special way. The Hebrew word nazir means "devoted" and "consecrated." The vow was time-limited, see Num. 6:4. In the case of Samuel (1 Sam. 1:11) and Samson (Judg 13:2–7), their mothers gave them a lifelong Nazirite vow. John the Baptist is mentioned in similar terms, see Luke 1:13–17. Extra-biblical sources show that Nazirite vows were common and served as offerings of gratitude. The vow period for these was usually 30 days. See also Acts 21:23–26.]

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul, after his journey through the interior, came to Ephesus.
In Ephesus, Paul met some disciples [of John the Baptist],

Then Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance (a baptism into a changed way of thinking), and John kept telling the people to believe in the one who would come after him, that is, Jesus."

When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues [they spoke in other languages unknown to them] and prophesied.

God performed unusual miracles through Paul's hands.

But some itinerant Jewish exorcists (spirit casters) [who were visiting the city] now began to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits. They said, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches."

But the evil spirit answered them, "I know Jesus, and I know who Paul is. But who are you?"

When this was over, Paul decided in the Spirit to travel through Macedonia and Achaia and then to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have been there, I must also visit Rom."

But you see and hear how that Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, saying that gods made with human hands are not gods.

The whole city was in an uproar (a commotion arose), and from all sides people rushed to the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who had traveled with Paul.

Paul repeatedly tried to go in to the people, but the disciples stopped him every time.

[Paul now travels to Corinth via Macedonia, probably through the cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. There were serious problems in the church in Corinth, and Paul had written a letter in tears, which he sent with Titus, see 2 Cor. 2:3. This letter has not been preserved and seems to have been written between the First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians. Paul cannot wait for Titus to return to Ephesus, but decides to meet him on the way to hear how things have gone.]
When the unrest [in Ephesus] had subsided, Paul called his disciples to him and comforted and encouraged them. Then he said goodbye and went to Macedonia.
[Paul takes the coastal route north and stops in Troas to look for Titus, see 2 Cor. 2:12. He continues on and then meets him in Macedonia, probably in Philippi or Thessalonica, see 2 Cor. 7:5–16.]

On the first day of the week [Sunday (1 Cor. 16:2), which began on Saturday evening], we gathered for the breaking of bread.
[They brought food with them and ate together, see 1 Cor. 11:20–21. Since the Jewish feast just mentioned (verse 6), it is most likely that the Jewish reckoning of days is used and the gathering takes place on Saturday evening after sunset. A few weeks had passed since Passover, which always falls on the full moon, so it was completely dark outside and oil lamps lit up the room, see verse 8.]
Paul conversed (engaged in dialogue, discussed – Gk. dialegomai) with those gathered, and since he was to travel [by boat to Jerusalem] the next day, he continued his speech until midnight.

A young man (Gk. neanias) [an unmarried man under the age of 40, probably younger] named Eutychus sat in the window [to get some fresh air]. He fell into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak, and finally, completely overcome by sleep, he fell from the third floor and was carried away dead.
[Eutychus is a Greek name that appropriately means "lucky". He is called a servant in verse 12 and was probably a slave to some Roman master in the wealthy port city of Troas. It is unlikely that his master was of Jewish descent who followed the Sabbath commandment, so after a hard day's work, he had come to the meeting tired, see also Eph. 6:5–8.]

Paul then went down, bent over him, took him in his arms, and said, "Do not be alarmed. His soul is still in him (he is alive)." [Paul's actions are reminiscent of Elijah and Elisha, see 1 Kings 17:21; 2 Kings 4:34.]

[The journey from Troas to Miletus is described in detail. The boat trip took five days, and they sailed in a small ship along the coast and moored in port during the night.]
The rest of us went ahead and boarded the ship and sailed to Assos, where we were to pick up Paul. He had decided this, since he himself intended to take the land route. [Since the boat had to round Cape Baba, which is the westernmost point of mainland Turkey, Paul was able to take the shorter land route of 50 km and still arrive at Assos in time to board the ship.]

Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so as not to be delayed in [the Roman province] Asia [where Ephesus was the capital]. He hurried on so that, if possible, he could be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

They all burst into tears and embraced Paul and kissed him repeatedly and affectionately.

[It is likely that it was Paul's persecution of the Christians that was the reason for the existence of a church here, see Acts 9:1. The church had started after the first wave of persecution in Jerusalem, see Acts 11:19.]
We sought out the disciples and stayed there for seven days. [Since they had to search for the church, it seems that neither Paul nor anyone in his traveling party was familiar with them.] Through the Spirit, they repeatedly told Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
[Already when Ananias prayed for Paul at his conversion in Damascus, he received a prophetic word that he would suffer for the name of Jesus, see Acts 9:16. This calling became increasingly clear to Paul, first in Ephesus, see Acts 19:21, and then in Miletus, see Acts 20:22. Could the same Holy Spirit who urged Paul to go to Jerusalem and then to Rom now try to prevent him?
The disciples here in Tyre correctly perceived the Spirit's message that Paul would encounter opposition in Jerusalem. Their natural reaction and interpretation of the message was to try to prevent Paul from continuing his journey. A similar event soon occurred again in Caesarea Maritima, when Paul replied that he was well aware of his calling even if it meant martyrdom, see verses 10-14. When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus himself confirmed to him that he was doing God's will, see Acts 23:11. A similar event occurred when Jesus began to reveal the prophetic events surrounding his death and resurrection to his disciples. Peter did not understand this and tried to rebuke Jesus, saying that he would not have to die, see Matt. 16:21–22.]

The next day we continued [the boat trip] and arrived at Caesarea [Maritima by the sea]. There we went to the home of the evangelist Philip, who was one of the seven [see Acts 6:5], and stayed with him.

But Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

The next day Paul went with us to James [Jesus' brother, who led the church in Jerusalem]. All the elders [leaders of the church] were also there.
[It is noteworthy that none of the apostles are mentioned. They were present at the previous apostolic council seven or eight years earlier, see Acts 15:4. It is likely that they were out on missionary assignments around the world. They took the commission in Matt. 28:19–20 very seriously to reach the whole world during their lifetime. Although there are stories and legends that are not credible, it can still be said with considerable certainty that areas as far away from Jerusalem as England, Spain, Mauritius, Ethiopia, China, and Finland all appear to have been visited by one or more of Jesus' twelve apostles!
Peter was in Asia Minor, and we know that he worked in the cities of Antioch and Rom.
Andrew, Peter's brother, traveled north and evangelized Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, and Russia, and may have been as far north as the border with Finland. James, the son of Zebedee, was killed by Herod Agrippa I, see Acts 12:1–2. Before that, it is said that he evangelized in Spain.
John, James' brother, worked in Turkey.
Philip is said to have worked in Greece, Phrygia, and Syria. In excavations in 2011 in Hierapolis (in present-day Turkey), his name was found on a tomb from the first century, and churches built around that site have a tradition that it is the tomb of the apostle Philip.
Matthew first worked in North Africa, but later moved south and is considered the apostle of Ethiopia.
James, the son of Alphaeus, worked in Egypt. Jude and Simon the Zealot evangelized Mesopotamia and Persia. Simon also worked throughout North Africa from Egypt all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. From there, he is said to have traveled by boat to England, where we know that Christianity had already arrived when southern England became part of the Roman Empire in 43 AD.
Thomas and Bartholomew first traveled to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, all the way to Pakistan and China. After the apostolic council in Jerusalem, they set out again via Saudi Arabia to India.
Matthias, who replaced Jude Iscariot, is said according to Greek tradition to have worked in Cappadocia and along the Caspian Sea, but there are many different traditions surrounding him.]

Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself with them. Then he went into the temple and announced when the days of purification would be completed and the sacrifice offered for each of them.
[A Jude who returned to Jerusalem after being in pagan lands underwent a seven-day purification period, see Num. 19:12. Paul used his Jewish heritage to win over Jews, see 1 Cor. 9:20.]

They had seen Trophimus from Ephesus [one of the representatives who traveled with Paul, see Acts 20:4] out in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple. [Inside the barrier that non-Jews were not allowed to enter.]
[The Jude historian Josephus describes how the warning was written in Greek and Latin. A French archaeologist found such a stone with the entire Greek text in 1871. The stone had been used as building material for a house north of the temple. Since Jerusalem then belonged to the Ottoman Empire, the stone was taken to Istanbul, where it can still be seen today at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum. A fragment of another stone was found in 1936 and can be seen in Jerusalem at the Israel Museum. The find was interesting because analyses showed that the warning was written in red paint. The full text is: "No stranger may enter the temple enclosure! Anyone who violates this rule bears responsibility for their own death, which will be the consequence." The somewhat strange wording at the end shows how the Jews themselves could not punish anyone to death, but had to go through the Romans to carry out the death penalty – which is exactly what happened to Jesus.]

The whole city was in an uproar, and people flocked to the scene. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the gates were closed.

He immediately took soldiers and officers (centurions) and ran down to the crowd. [Since a centurion was in charge of 100 soldiers, at least 200 soldiers came running.] As soon as they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

Just as Paul was about to be taken into the fortress, he asked the commander [Claudius Lysias], "May I say something to you?"
He replied, "You know Greek!

Paul replied, "I am a jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of a prominent city. I beg you, let me speak to the people."

The commander gave his permission. Paul then stood on the steps and motioned to the people with his hand. When there was silence, he addressed them in [their own language], Hebrew (the Aramaic dialect spoken in Israel at that time) [The authors of the Bible do not distinguish between these closely related languages, but refer to both as "Hebrew"].

I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"

came to me and stood by my side and said, "Saul, my brother, you will regain your sight!" At that moment I could see him.

When they had stretched him out for the scourging, Paul said to the officer standing there, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman citizen who has not been convicted of any crime?"

The commander said, "I had to pay a large sum of money for that citizenship."
Paul replied, "But I was born with it."

The next day, he [the commander Lysias] wanted to get a clear answer about what the Jews were accusing Paul of. So he had the chains removed and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and presented him before them.

[The Sanhedrin met in a room in the inner temple courtyard. According to the Talmud, it was located on the north side of the temple building and was called "the stone hall" or literally "the chamber of hewn stone." The participants sat in a semicircle, and the accused stood in the middle in front of them.]
Paul fixed his eyes on the Sanhedrin [on the 71 assembled members] and said, "Brothers, I have lived before God (as a citizen of God) with a clear conscience (good intentions) to this day." [Paul has been faithful to his convictions, see Phil. 3:6; Heb. 10:22; 1 Tim. 1:12–15.]

[Paul uses the same word "strike" in his reply. He does not curse Ananias, but he pronounces judgment on him.] Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall [hypocrite]! You sit here to judge me according to the law, but you violate the law when you order them to strike me." [Jesus used similar expressions about whitewashed tombs to describe the hypocrisy and religious theatrics of the Pharisees, see Matt. 23:27. See also Ezek. 13:10–16.]

Paul replied, "I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest. For it is written [in Ex. 22:28]: 'You shall not curse a leader of your people.
[It is possible that Paul is speaking ironically, saying that he did not know that a high priest could act so contrary to the law. It was not unusual to use irony, see 1 Cor. 4:8–13; 1 Kings 18:27. It may also be that he did not know who the high priest was, since Paul had been away from Jerusalem for ten years. During religious ceremonies, the high priest wore special clothing, but here, in this specially convened meeting called by the Roman commander, there was probably nothing that distinguished the high priest. It may also be that someone else was leading the meeting itself. Another suggestion is that Paul had poor eyesight, but since he had recently looked closely at them, this is unlikely, see verse 1. The fact that Ananias is the one who orders those closest to Paul to strike him suggests that Paul must have understood that he was some kind of leader. Even Luke, who writes down this story, identifies Ananias as the high priest.]

Paul knew that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, so he said in a loud voice in the Council, "Brothers! I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees. I am on trial here because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead (the reason for the trial is that I believe in the resurrection and eternal life)."

The discussion (strife) became more and more heated, and the commander was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces, so he ordered the guard to go down and pull him away from them and take him to the fortress [Antonia Fortress].
[According to Roman law, there were three different procedures for arrest:
Custodia publica – general detention in prison cells. Paul and Silas were held in such custody in Philippi, see Acts 16:24. Custodia libera – free under supervision. Higher-ranking officials could receive this type of detention order. Custodia militaris – detention under military supervision. A soldier was assigned to guard the prisoner with his life. His left hand was chained to the prisoner's right hand. The prisoner was often kept in the soldiers' barracks, but could sometimes be allowed to live in his own house under the supervision of his guard, which was the case for Paul during his first imprisonment in Rom. During his two years in Caesarea, Paul also appears to have been handcuffed, see Acts 26:29. Here in the Antonia Fortress, Paul was held in Custodia militaris.]

During the night, the Lord [Jesus himself] came and stood beside Paul and said, "Take courage (do not be afraid), Paul, you have faithfully testified about me in Jerusalem, and in the same way you will also do in Rom."
[Jesus visits Paul, who is imprisoned in the Antonia Fortress. The calling that became clear in Ephesus, see Acts 19:21, and which was confirmed by the Spirit several times, see Acts 21:4; 21:11–14, is now confirmed again by Jesus himself.]

When day came, the Jews made a secret plan and swore an oath not to eat or drink [anything] until they had killed Paul.

They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have sworn a solemn oath (involving a divine curse) not to taste anything until we have killed Paul.

But Paul's nephew heard about the ambush, and he came to the fortress and went in and told Paul.

Then Paul called one of the officers (centurions) and informed him, "Take this young man to the commander. He has something to tell him."

The officer took him to the commander and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He apparently has something to tell you."

He replied, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to send Paul down to the Council tomorrow and let you believe that they will investigate his case more closely.

Get some riding animals too, and have Paul sit on them so he can get to Governor Felix safely."[Markus Antonius Felix was governor of Judea from 52 to 60 AD. His residence was in the provincial administrative capital, Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea. As governor of Judea, he ruled with an iron fist. He was recalled by Nero to Rom after hiring robbers to kill the high priest Jonathan. He was married three times. The Roman historian Tacitus writes that Felix indulged in cruelty and lust like a king, but had the mind of a slave, see Tacitus Historiae 5.9.]

The soldiers then took Paul away according to their orders and brought him during the night to Antipatris. [Halfway to Caesarea Maritima, six miles from Jerusalem.]

The horsemen [continued the last twenty miles and] arrived at Caesarea, delivered the letter to the governor, and handed Paul over to him.

Five days later, the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. [He was knowledgeable in Roman law and had been hired by the Sanhedrin to represent them.] They brought their accusations against Paul before the governor [Felix].

The governor [said nothing himself, but] signaled to Paul to speak, and he replied:
"Since I know that you have been a judge of this people for many years, I confidently defend my case.
[Like Tertullus, Paul opens his speech with a captatio benevolentiae, but it is more truthful and without exaggeration.]

A few days later [after the trial], Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him talk about his faith in the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) Jesus.

At the same time, he hoped that Paul would offer him money. Therefore, he often sent for him and talked with him.
[Drusilla was the youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I, see Acts 12:1–2. She was born in 38 AD. Her father died when she was six years old. When she was fourteen, her brother Agrippa II married her to Azizus, who was king of Emesa, a small state in Syria near the present-day city of Homs. Felix was captivated by her beauty and persuaded her to leave Azizus. Drusilla was sixteen when she married Felix, who left his first wife for her. Drusilla was in her twenties and Felix was around fifty when Paul spoke to them about the Christian faith. She died in 79 AD during the volcanic eruption in Pompeii in Italy.
Paul had brought a large sum of money with him to the congregation, and Felix perhaps thought that Paul might be tempted to use some of it to bribe his way out of prison, see Acts 24:17. This is the last time Felix is mentioned; we do not know if he "found time" to talk and make decisions concerning the big questions of life at some later point in his life.]

When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. Because Felix wanted to stay on good terms with the Jews, he left Paul in prison.
[The Jews hated Felix; they wrote a letter to Rom describing his brutality toward them. The complaints led Emperor Nero to dismiss Felix and appoint Festus as governor of Judea in the fall of 60 AD. He held the post for two years.]

[The Jewish leadership had not forgotten Paul.] There [in Jerusalem], the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews brought their accusations against Paul. They appealed to Festus

But Festus replied that Paul was being held prisoner in Caesarea [Maritima] and that he himself would soon [in just over a week] be returning there. [Festus offers to take up the case again in Caesarea.]

Festus stayed with them for no more than eight or ten days and then went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought in.

When Paul entered, he was surrounded by the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem, and they brought many serious (burdensome) accusations against him, which they could not prove.

But Festus, wanting to stay on good terms with the Jews, asked Paul, "Do you want to go up to Jerusalem and be judged there [before the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin] in my presence on this matter?"

Paul replied, "I am standing before the emperor's court, and here I will be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you know very well.

Agrippa and Berenice stayed there for several days, and Festus presented Paul's case to the king. "Here is a man," he said, "whom Felix left as a prisoner.

What they had against him concerned some disputes about their own religion and a certain Jesus who was dead but whom Paul claimed (repeatedly insisted) was alive. [The initial accusations that Paul had defiled the temple are not mentioned; instead, it is the core issue of Jesus' resurrection that upsets the Jewish leaders, see Acts 23:6; 24:21.]

But Paul insisted on remaining in order to have his case decided by the emperor [who was then Nero]. Therefore, I ordered him to be kept until I could send him to the emperor.

The next day, Agrippa and Berenice arrived with great pomp and ceremony [Gk. phantasia, often describing a solemn parade] and entered the audience chamber together with the commanders [presumably five, since there were five cohorts stationed in Caesarea] and the city's leading men. At Festus' command, Paul was brought in.

[Paul's speech before Agrippa II here with Festus is the culmination and climax of Paul's defense in chapters 21-26. Here, the previous five chapters are summarized.]
Agrippa then said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Paul then stretched out his hand and began to speak in his defense:

We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language (the Aramaic dialect):
Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It will be painful (hard) for you to kick against the goad.
[The Greek phrase te Hebraidi dialekto, which can be translated as "the Hebrew language" or "the Hebrew dialect," probably refers to the Aramaic dialect, which was the common language at that time. In John 19:13, where the same phrase is used, there is an Aramaic word, see also Acts 21:40; 22:2.
Here Paul speaks Greek with Festus, who has just arrived from Rom. The reason Paul mentions the language Jesus spoke is that it was Paul's mother tongue and reinforces how personally Jesus meets people. This is the only time a language spoken by Jesus is explicitly mentioned, but we understand that he must have spoken the commonly used languages. Greek was the Roman language that Jesus used when communicating with Romans such as the centurion and Pontius Pilate. Hebrew was the Jewish religious language, and even as a twelve-year-old, he discussed the Scriptures in the temple. Aramaic was the everyday language among the Jews in Jesus' time.]

When he said this in his defense, Festus cried out, "You are mad, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad."

Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you are trying to persuade me to become a Christian!" [The Greek word oligos can be translated as either short in time or small. In that case, the meaning becomes, "With so little, you are trying to persuade me."]

Paul replied, "I pray to God that, whether it takes a short or a long time, not only you but everyone who hears me today will become like me, except for these chains."

[Paul now begins his journey to Rom. For two years he has been imprisoned in Caesarea Maritima, see Acts 24:27. The journey to Rom normally takes two months by sea, but due to a shipwreck, it takes about six months. Once in Rom, he remains imprisoned for at least another two years. In total, Paul is imprisoned for almost five years.
This chapter in the Acts of the Apostles testifies to Luke's Greek background. For a Jewish writer, the sea did not play a major role. The Israelites were a land-based people. In sharp contrast to this is Greek and Roman culture. Ancient literature written around the Mediterranean has many grand stories set on the seas, with Homer's Odyssey being one of the most famous.]
When it was decided that we would sail to Italy, Paul and a few other prisoners were handed over to an officer named Julius. He belonged to the imperial battalion (cohort, consisting of 600 soldiers).

The next day we landed at Sidon. [The officer] Julius, who treated Paul well, let him go to his friends [in the church] so they could take care of him. [For the first time in two years, Paul is given a little more freedom. He visits the church, which shows him both spiritual and practical care. They probably helped him with supplies for the long journey ahead.]

A long time had now passed and the sea voyage had become dangerous, since the fast day [the Day of Atonement – Yom Kippur] was already over.
[The holiday falls on the 10th of Tishri in the Jewish calendar (Lev. 23:26–32), which falls in late September or early October.]
[Autumn storms were becoming common now.] Paul therefore warned them

But the officer believed the helmsman and the owner of the ship more than Paul's words. [It seems that the officer is the one with the highest rank and makes the final decision.]

No one had wanted to eat anything for a long time [due to seasickness and anxiety]. Then Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have listened to my advice not to leave Crete. Then you would have avoided this damage and loss.

and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before the emperor, and God has given you all who sail with you.

Paul said to the officer and soldiers, "Unless they stay on board, you cannot be saved."

Just before dawn, Paul urged everyone to eat. He said, "For 14 days you have been waiting and have not eaten.

But the officer wanted to save Paul and prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump into the water first and make their way ashore

Paul had just gathered a few twigs and put them on the fire when a poisonous snake crawled out because of the heat and bit his hand.

Publius' father was at that time sick with fever attacks and severe diarrhea (dysentery). Paul went in to him, prayed, laid his hands on him, and healed him.
[It is likely that Publius' father suffered from brucellosis, which is transmitted through goat's milk. The disease is still known today as Malta fever. Luke uses the plural form of fever, which accurately describes the fluctuating fever that characterizes the course of the disease. After the incubation period, the fever rises to 39-40 degrees Celsius. It then remains at this level for two weeks before dropping over the course of a week or so. The fever can continue to fluctuate in this way for three to four months.]

As soon as the brothers and sisters [the Christians in Rom] heard that we were coming, they came out to meet us at Forum Appii [4,3 miles (7 km) from Rom] and Tres Tabernae [3 miles (5 km) from Rom]. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged.
[Although Paul had not visited Rom before, he was well known among the believers there. About three years earlier, around 57 AD, he had written the Epistle to the Romans to them from Corinth during his third missionary journey. Among those who met him now were probably several of those whom he greeted in Rom. 16:3–15, including Priscilla and Aquila, see also Acts 18:2–3, 18–19.]

[Rom was founded in 753 BC and was built on seven hills by the River Tiber. During Paul's time, Rom had around 400,000 inhabitants. The famous Colosseum did not yet exist; it was built in the late 70s AD, but famous buildings included the Temple of Jupiter, Caesar's Palace, and the Temple of Mars, the god of war. There was a large Jewish population in Rom, numbering nearly 50,000 people. They were divided into at least eleven synagogues, according to the city's different districts.]
When we arrived in Rom, Paul was allowed to live on his own with the soldier who was to guard him.
[Luke and Aristarchus, who had traveled with Paul from Jerusalem, were also with him. In the letters Paul writes from Rom, Timothy, John Mark, and Demas are also mentioned. Paul is under house arrest. He probably lives in a Roman apartment building near the Praetorian Guard's barracks outside the city walls in northeastern Rom. The dwelling seems spacious, see verse 23. Luke and several of Paul's co-workers probably also live there with him. The guard who is chained to Paul's right hand is a low-ranking soldier. This reflects that Paul's status as a Roman citizen was not as special in Rom as it was in the provinces, see Acts 22:25–29.]

When they could not agree, they parted ways, after Paul had said this one word: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through the prophet Isaiah to your fathers

For two whole years Paul stayed in the house he had rented, welcoming all who came to him.

[From:] Paul [meaning "the little one"],
servant (slave, bondman) of Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ),
called to be an apostle (messenger)
and set apart for [preaching] the gospel (good news) of God,

From Paul [whose name means “small”], by God's will an apostle (messenger, ambassador) of Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ),
and brother Sosthenes.
[The name Sosthenes means “liberator of his people.” He was with Paul in Ephesus when the letter was written and must have been known in the church in Corinth. Perhaps he was Paul's secretary who wrote down what Paul dictated, except for the final greeting, which Paul wrote himself, see 1 Cor. 16:21. He may be the synagogue leader of the same name who was beaten before the governor Gallio when Paul was in Corinth for the first time, see Acts 18:17.]

What I mean is that each of you says:
"I belong to (follow, adhere to) Paul" [who started the church, see Acts 18:1–11], or
"I belong to Apollos" [a group influenced by Greek Alexandrian philosophy, see Acts 18:24], or
"I belong to Cephas [Peter's Jewish name]" [perhaps a Judaistic group, see Gal. 2:11–14], or
"I belong to the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ)." [This phrase suggests that the others did not belong to Jesus and may have been a religious clique who considered themselves to be "true believers," superior to others and the only true believers.]
[Based on Paul's comment in 1 Cor. 4:6, it is possible that he does not mention the actual groups that Chloe told him about. Instead, he takes himself, Paul, Apollos, and Peter as examples. Paul had not heard the different parties' stories, and in an already infected situation, it would easily become even worse if Paul took sides with a particular party.]

Is the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) divided (split into different parts)? [No!]
Was Paul crucified for your sake? [No!]
Were you baptized in Paul's name? [No!]

If one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not like people in general?
[Envy and selfishness lead to disorder and all kinds of evil deeds, see James 3:16. One of the works of the flesh is strife, see Gal. 5:20.]

[The Corinthians showed their immaturity by exalting human leaders to the heavens. Paul responds to this by pointing out that true Christian leadership is servant leadership.]
What is Apollos?
What then is Paul?
We are only servants who have brought you to faith [not leaders of different groups]. The Lord has given us different tasks.

Paul, Apollos, and Cephas [Peter],
the world (the universe),
life and death,
the present and the future,
all are yours.
[Paul uses a well-judged irony by borrowing the expression "all are yours" from the popular philosophies of his day. Stoics and Cynics claimed that even though they owned nothing, the whole world belonged to them because they were friends with the gods who owned the world. Paul reveals the Corinthians' lack of true wisdom because if the whole world belonged to them, there was no reason to talk about belonging to different teachers.]

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.
[It was common for letters to be dictated. A scribe with good handwriting wrote down what was spoken or copied from a draft. As usual, Paul takes up the pen to conclude the letter, see Gal. 6:11; 2 Thess 3:17.]

From Paul, by the will of God an apostle (messenger, ambassador) of Jesus Christ, and [from] brother Timothy.
[Timothy had visited Corinth several times, see Acts 18:5; 1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10; 2 Cor. 1:19. He is probably not a secretary in the same way as Tertius, see Rom. 16:22. Nor is he likely to be a co-author; rather, he is included as a witness to show that Paul is not entirely alone in these claims, see Deut. 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1.]
To the church of God (Gk. ekklesia) in Corinth and all the saints throughout Achaia. [Corinth was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia in southern Greece.]
[The only thing that separates the churches in the New Testament is geographical location. The believers in one place, even if they met in different homes, are always referred to as one entity.]

[After a lengthy teaching on giving, in which he urges the Corinthians to renew their zeal for the collection for the believers in Jerusalem, Paul addresses his own role as an apostle. Paul begins this passage with authority and clarity. He has been accused by false apostles of being bold when writing letters from a distance, but cowardly when in person, see verse 10. Now, in the last chapter of the letter, he responds to that criticism.]
I, Paul, appeal personally to the gentleness and kindness of the Anointed One (Christ), I who [according to some, see verse 10] am so "humble" when I meet you face to face, but "bold" when I am far away [and write my letters].

[From:] Paul [meaning small], apostle (messenger, ambassador),
[I received my authority and my message]
not from people or through any human being [who conveyed it to me from God],
but through Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) and God the Father,
who raised him from the dead.

See (listen carefully now), I, Paul, tell you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) will be of no benefit to you.

[From:] Paul [meaning "the little one"],
by the will of God, apostle (messenger, ambassador) of Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ)
to the saints who live in Ephesus,
those who believe in (are faithful to, loyal to) Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ).
[In the oldest manuscripts, the words "in Ephesus" are missing. The letter has no personal greetings, even though Paul had many contacts in Ephesus. This suggests that the letter was a circular letter that was read aloud in several congregations. The copy addressed to the regional capital Ephesus probably had that name here in the introduction, while the copy referred to in Col. 4:16 may have had the words "in Laodicea" instead.]

For this reason [that Jude and Gentiles are one body that together form a temple of God, see Eph. 2:11–22], I, Paul, am a prisoner for Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ), for your sake, Gentiles...
[The sentence is unfinished, which is not unusual in the ancient style of letter writing. After a description of the apostle's task, the sentence is resumed either in verse 8 or verse 14.]

[From:] Paul and Timothy,
servants (slaves, bondmen – Gk. doulos) of Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ). To: all the saints in Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) who live in Philippi [in Macedonia, present-day northern Greece],
together with the church leaders ("those who watch over" – Gk. episkopous)
and church servants (deacons, those who serve in practical ministries in the church).
[This is the only letter in which Paul does not use a title. He knows the church in Philippi well, and they have a deep friendship. Timothy, who is Paul's closest co-worker and who is at his side in Rom, sends his greetings. He is not a co-author because Paul writes "I" in verse 3. Perhaps he served as a secretary. Timothy was also present when Paul first came to Philippi and was a familiar face to them, see Acts 16:1-2; 16:12-40. It has now been about ten years since the church was founded, and it has grown and is well structured with leaders and church servants. Here, the Greek word episkopous (plural of episkopos) is used to describe the function of the church leaders to "watch over." The word is used synonymously with elder (Gk. presbyteros), see Acts 20:17, 28.]

[he will do all this] if you continue in the faith (which I know you do), well-founded and steadfast [you have been placed on a foundation, which results in you building your life like a house firmly on that foundation], and do not deviate from the gospel of hope that you have heard – the gospel that is preached throughout creation (to all creation) under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.
[The verb “proclaimed” is in the Greek verb form “aorist,” a verb form that has no English equivalent. Since it is also a noun participle, the verb has no clear tense, but rather aims to describe the nature of the gospel that the Colossians have heard – one that must be proclaimed to all creation. Sometimes the verb is translated as “has been preached,” which can be interpreted as meaning that nothing more needs to be done. This would contradict Paul's life's work, which is to preach and spread the gospel throughout the world! Instead, it is the gospel that is always relevant and always needs to be proclaimed among all peoples in all cultures throughout the earth.]

Here I, Paul, write my greeting with my own hand.
[The letter ends with a personal greeting from Paul, which means that until now someone else has been holding the pen. In ancient times, it was common to hire professional scribes, see Jer. 36:4; Rom. 16:22; 1 Cor. 16:21; Philemon 1:19; 2 Thess 3:17. Timothy may have had that role, see Col. 1:1. When Paul writes this last line, his right hand is chained to the left hand of a Roman soldier, and the chains rattle against the tabletop, see Acts 28:16. Paul sends a prayer request and a greeting of peace.]
Remember my chains. I am still imprisoned. Grace (God's favor and power) be with you.

[From:] Paul and
Silvanus [also called Silas] and
Timothy [Paul's closest colleague].
[The letter contains many triplets and begins with three personal names. Silvanus is the same person whom Luke refers to as Silas in the Acts of the Apostles. Here Paul uses the Latin form of his name. He was a recognized leader in the church in Jerusalem and, like Paul, was a Roman citizen, see Acts 15:22, 37. Silas and Timothy traveled with Paul on his second missionary journey, see Acts 18:5. They had remained in Thessalonica after Paul was forced to flee the city. Now all three have been reunited in Corinth, see 1 Thess 3:6. The letter is written at the beginning of the 1.5 years that Paul is there, see Acts 18:11.]
To:
Thessalonica congregation (the called out ones – Gk. ekklesia),
who live in God the Father and the Lord Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ).
[The Greek word for congregation is ekklesia. In classical Greek, the word could describe all kinds of gatherings of people, such as the legal assembly of the people or a mob, see Acts 19:32, 39. The literal meaning is "the called out ones." Paul is careful to emphasize that the church in Thessalonica is not just any group of people, they are God's church. In the Bible, the word can describe the local assembly in a town. That is how it is used here, but it can also refer to the universal assembly of all believers throughout the ages, see Matt. 16:18.]
Grace (power, undeserved favor) and peace (harmony, freedom from fear, well-being) be with you.
[The introduction to this letter is the shortest of all Paul's letters. He does not use the title of apostle, which shows his close relationship with the church. Silas and Timothy are also with him in Corinth, see Acts 18:5; 2 Cor. 1:19.]

We have really wanted to come to you. Both once and twice, I, Paul, have tried, but Satan has prevented us.

[From:]
Paul and
Silvanus [also called Silas] and
Timothy [Paul's closest co-worker].
[Silvanus is the same person whom Luke calls Silas in the Acts of the Apostles. Here Paul uses the Latin form of his name. He was a recognized leader in the church in Jerusalem and, like Paul, was a Roman citizen, see Acts 15:22, 37.
Silas and Timothy traveled with Paul on his second missionary journey, see Acts 18:5. They had remained in Thessalonica after Paul was forced to flee the city. Now all three have been reunited in Corinth, see 1 Thess 3:6. The letter is written at the beginning of the 1.5 years that Paul is there, see Acts 18:11.] To:
Thessalonica congregation (the called out ones – Gk. ekklesia),
in God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ).
[The Greek word for congregation is ekklesia. In classical Greek, the word could describe all kinds of gatherings of people, such as the legal assembly of the people or a mob, see Acts 19:32, 39. The literal meaning is "the called out ones." Paul is careful to emphasize that the assembly in Thessalonica is not just any group of people, they are God's assembly. In the Bible, the word can describe the local assembly in a town. That is how it is used here, but it can also refer to the universal assembly of all believers throughout the ages, see Matt. 16:18.]

Here I, Paul, write my greeting with my own hand. This is a hallmark of all my letters, so I write.
[It is appropriate that a letter warning against false letters, see 2 Thess 2:2, 15, ends with an assurance of the letter's authenticity. Paul often used a secretary to write his letters, but he writes a greeting in his own handwriting at the end. In ancient times, it was common to hire professional scribes, see Jer. 36:4; Rom. 16:22; 1 Cor. 16:21; Philem. 1:19. Silas or Timothy may have had that role for the letters to Thessalonica (2 Thess 2:1).
Paul mentions that his handwriting is a distinguishing feature in "all his letters." How many letters had Paul written at this time? The letters to Thessalonica are considered to be among the earliest. It is likely that there are letters that have not been preserved. Paul had been a missionary for many years before he sent the letters to Thessalonica from Corinth, in the middle of his second journey (Acts 18:11). Later letters suggest that there is more correspondence than has been preserved, see 1 Cor. 5:9–11; 2 Cor. 2:3–4; Col. 4:16.]

[From:] Paul, apostle (messenger, ambassador) of the Anointed One Jesus (Messiah/Christ Jesus' apostle)
on behalf of God, our Savior,
and the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) Jesus, our hope.

[From:] Paul, by the will of God an apostle (messenger, ambassador) of Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah/Christ Jesus) according to a promise of life – that [which is God's rich life] in Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ).

[The letter ends with a double blessing. Paul first blesses Timothy personally and then the entire congregation. This is probably Paul's last letter. If so, these lines are Paul's final greeting.]
The Lord
be with your spirit [Timothy].
Grace [God's favor and power]
be with you [the entire church in Ephesus].

[From:] Paul, servant (slave, bondman) of God
and apostle (messenger, ambassador) of Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ),
sent to bring God's chosen ones [the believers] to faith and understanding
of the truth that belongs to godliness

[Five names are mentioned here in the introduction and conclusion, see verses 23-24. This indicates that there is a fine structure and symmetry in the letter. The fact that Paul does not use the title "apostle," as he does in nine of his thirteen letters, suggests that he has a close friendship with Philem. The title "prisoner" indicates that he is imprisoned, probably in Rom. However, he does not write "prisoner of the emperor" even though he is imprisoned by the Roman state. Paul is not owned by his circumstances; he is owned by Jesus and is his prisoner!]
[From:]
Paul, prisoner of the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) Jesus
and brother Timothy.
To:
Philem. our beloved friend and co-worker [his name means "affectionate"],

I would rather
appeal to you for love's sake. [The basis for the decision must be selfless, sacrificial love.]
I, Paul, an old man [an elder] and now a prisoner of the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ) Jesus,

I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will pay.
Not to mention what you owe me: yourself.
[Philem. had probably come to faith in Ephesus when Paul was there during his third missionary journey and the gospel was spreading throughout Asia, see Acts 19:10. When Paul casually mentions that Philem. owes him his salvation, he uses a rhetorical device called paralipsis. This rhetoric involves the speaker drawing attention to something and then immediately explaining that it is not relevant and does not need to be discussed further at this point. It is a clever way of conveying something without having to say it outright.]

Consider that our Lord's patience [waiting to judge the world, see verse 9] means salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom he has been given,