To set the scene for Acts 13, list at least three historical events recorded in the chapter.
READ ACTS 13:1-12
According to ACTS 13:4 who sent Saul and Barnabas on their way?
What role did Simeon, Lucius, and Manaen play in sending Saul and Barnabas?
Why do you think Paul called the Jewish sorcerer a “child of the devil”?
How is calling Bar-Jesus “a child of the devil” a play on words?
READ ACTS 13:13-43
Arrange Paul’s sermon to the Jews in Pisidian Antioch (not the Antioch where believers were first called Christians) into good news and bad news:
How would you characterize the response to Paul’s sermon?
What did Paul and Barnabas urge the believers to do (ACTS 13:43)?
READ ACTS 13:44-52
What motivated a number of Jews to oppose Paul and Barnabas?
In what three ways did the Gentiles respond when Paul and Barnabas turned to them?
What evidence can you find in these verses to support the belief that Satan, the one ultimately behind every opposition to the gospel, wants people of great influence on his side?
Look back through ACTS 13 and list all the places Paul went:
Class 3 Questions: Persecutor to Preacher
Compare Luke’s version in ACTS 9:19-30 with Paul’s own version in GALATIANS 1:14-18. Number the following events in chronological order.
__ Grecian Jews in Jerusalem tried to kill Saul.
__ Saul began preaching in the Damascus synagogues.
__ Saul went to Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
__ The brothers sent him off to Tarsus.
__ The brothers got him out of Damascus in a basket.
__ Barnabas brought Saul to the frightened apostles.
__ Saul traveled to Jerusalem but was rejected by the disciples there.
How long did Saul stay in Damascus and Arabia after his conversion (GAL 1:17-18)?
Why do you think he went to Arabia? *
When Saul arrives in Jerusalem how do the disciples react (ACTS 9:26-27)? Who reacted differently?
What was Barnabas’ original name (ACTS 4:36-37)? Who renamed him and why this particular new name?
The root of the word encouragement is courage. What does courage have to do with encouragement?
In ACTS 9:26-28 what were the results of his encouragement? What about in ACTS 11:22-24?
With whom did Saul stay for 15 days after he arrived in Jerusalem (GAL 1:18)? Why do you think he chose to stay with him?
Compare and contrast Peter and Paul. (Think about their backgrounds, heritage, encounters with Christ, ministries…).
ACTS 22:17-21 describes the Lord’s vision to Paul instructing him how to respond to the danger he was in. What was Paul’s protest? Why do you think he protests?
After he was rescued from death threats he was sent away to Tarsus. We can’t be sure how long he was there, but it was probably about five to eight years. Many conclude that the trials referred to in 2 CORINTHIANS 1:23-27 took place during this period. Why? *
Based on ACTS 11:19-30 what caused the gospel to reach as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch?
__ Grecian Jews in Jerusalem tried to kill Saul.
__ Saul began preaching in the Damascus synagogues.
__ Saul went to Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
__ The brothers sent him off to Tarsus.
__ The brothers got him out of Damascus in a basket.
__ Barnabas brought Saul to the frightened apostles.
__ Saul traveled to Jerusalem but was rejected by the disciples there.
How long did Saul stay in Damascus and Arabia after his conversion (GAL 1:17-18)?
Why do you think he went to Arabia? *
When Saul arrives in Jerusalem how do the disciples react (ACTS 9:26-27)? Who reacted differently?
What was Barnabas’ original name (ACTS 4:36-37)? Who renamed him and why this particular new name?
The root of the word encouragement is courage. What does courage have to do with encouragement?
In ACTS 9:26-28 what were the results of his encouragement? What about in ACTS 11:22-24?
With whom did Saul stay for 15 days after he arrived in Jerusalem (GAL 1:18)? Why do you think he chose to stay with him?
Compare and contrast Peter and Paul. (Think about their backgrounds, heritage, encounters with Christ, ministries…).
ACTS 22:17-21 describes the Lord’s vision to Paul instructing him how to respond to the danger he was in. What was Paul’s protest? Why do you think he protests?
After he was rescued from death threats he was sent away to Tarsus. We can’t be sure how long he was there, but it was probably about five to eight years. Many conclude that the trials referred to in 2 CORINTHIANS 1:23-27 took place during this period. Why? *
Based on ACTS 11:19-30 what caused the gospel to reach as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch?
Why do you think he went to Arabia? *
Whenever the Bible remains silent on a subject, scholars and theologians love to fill in holes with theories. Here are a few possibilities why Paul went to Arabia.
1. Early church fathers believed Saul traveled there as a missionary, brining the Gospel to a group of desert dwellers. If so he probably went to a populated area of Mesopotamia, east of Damascus.
2. Some scholars propose that Saul fled to Arabia to protect himself from Jewish leaders who, having heard of his newfound faith, wanted to nip it in the bud.
3. Many believe that for close to three years Saul lived somewhere in the desert, cut-off from his former manner of life—in solitude, quietness, and obscurity. He might even have gone to the wilderness of Sinai. If he had ever been addicted to popularity, he lost the urge to pursue it during those years in the desert. If at one time he had become enamored with his own spiritual significance, that pride melted away in God’s presence.
Reference: Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit & Paul The Apostle
1. Early church fathers believed Saul traveled there as a missionary, brining the Gospel to a group of desert dwellers. If so he probably went to a populated area of Mesopotamia, east of Damascus.
2. Some scholars propose that Saul fled to Arabia to protect himself from Jewish leaders who, having heard of his newfound faith, wanted to nip it in the bud.
3. Many believe that for close to three years Saul lived somewhere in the desert, cut-off from his former manner of life—in solitude, quietness, and obscurity. He might even have gone to the wilderness of Sinai. If he had ever been addicted to popularity, he lost the urge to pursue it during those years in the desert. If at one time he had become enamored with his own spiritual significance, that pride melted away in God’s presence.
Reference: Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit & Paul The Apostle
After he was rescued from death threats he was sent away to Tarsus. We can’t be sure how long he was there, but it was probably about five to eight years. Many conclude that the trials referred to in 2 CORINTHIANS 11:23-27 took place during this period. Why? *
“We can be fairly sure that some of the trials referred to in 2 Corinthians 11:23-17 took place during this period, mainly because the ministry that is described in Acts does not accommodate all of them. There Paul mentions, for example, five lashings at the Jews’ hands (v. 24), none of which is described elsewhere in Acts. Such lashings were a common form of synagogue discipline. No double Paul made persistent efforts in the synagogues in his home area to turn his hearers to faith in Jesus as Messiah and Redeemer, and no doubt he was subjected to discipline for his efforts.”
Excerpt from Paul The Apostle, Robert E. Picirilli (p. 60)
Excerpt from Paul The Apostle, Robert E. Picirilli (p. 60)
Class 2 Questions: Stephen and Saul
1. How does ACTS 6:5-15 describe Stephen?
2. Read the charges Stephen made against the Jewish leaders in verses Acts 7:51-53. What do you think he meant by the following terms?
• Stiff-necked
• Uncircumcised hearts
• Uncircumcised ears
3. The Bible mentions Saul for the first time in ACTS 7:58. How is he first introduced in Scripture?
4. Why do you think Stephen did not want the sins of his executioners held against them?
5. How does ACTS 8:1 prove Saul was no innocent bystander?
6. Compare and contrast Saul and Stephen. *
Read ACTS 9:1-9, 17-19; 26:9-18.
7. Compare ACTS 9:1 to ACTS 26:9. How could these verses support the statement: “A person can be sincere in his beliefs yet be sincerely wrong”?
8. Why was Saul going to Damascus that eventful day? *
9. How did Saul describe the light from heaven?
10. What conclusions can you draw from Christ’s words “persecute me”?
11. Why did Christ appear to Saul? List every reason given.
12. What might be several reasons why Christ struck Saul blind? Think in terms of physical reasons, spiritual reasons, and even emotional impact.
Read ACTS 9:10-31
13. The Lord told Ananias he would find Saul at a certain house praying. What do you think Saul may have been praying about?
14. In a word, how would you describe Ananias’ initial response to God’s instruction?
15. What was Saul’s first action after he regained his sight?
16. Saul began preaching in Damascus. What was his message?
2. Read the charges Stephen made against the Jewish leaders in verses Acts 7:51-53. What do you think he meant by the following terms?
• Stiff-necked
• Uncircumcised hearts
• Uncircumcised ears
3. The Bible mentions Saul for the first time in ACTS 7:58. How is he first introduced in Scripture?
4. Why do you think Stephen did not want the sins of his executioners held against them?
5. How does ACTS 8:1 prove Saul was no innocent bystander?
6. Compare and contrast Saul and Stephen. *
Read ACTS 9:1-9, 17-19; 26:9-18.
7. Compare ACTS 9:1 to ACTS 26:9. How could these verses support the statement: “A person can be sincere in his beliefs yet be sincerely wrong”?
8. Why was Saul going to Damascus that eventful day? *
9. How did Saul describe the light from heaven?
10. What conclusions can you draw from Christ’s words “persecute me”?
11. Why did Christ appear to Saul? List every reason given.
12. What might be several reasons why Christ struck Saul blind? Think in terms of physical reasons, spiritual reasons, and even emotional impact.
Read ACTS 9:10-31
13. The Lord told Ananias he would find Saul at a certain house praying. What do you think Saul may have been praying about?
14. In a word, how would you describe Ananias’ initial response to God’s instruction?
15. What was Saul’s first action after he regained his sight?
16. Saul began preaching in Damascus. What was his message?
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