Apostle Paul
First Missionary Journey to his Death

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Paul, Barnabas, Titus and certain others (Galatians 2:1-2) are sent to Jerusalem to confer with other apostles, elders and brethren concerning the relationship between circumcision and salvation. This meeting, called the Jerusalem Conference, occurs in the Fall (Acts 15:2).

Paul and those who traveled with him arrive back in Antioch (Acts 15:30-32).

"Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.'

"Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.  But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia (Perga), and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;  but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God." (Acts 15:36-41)

Timothy is circumcised (Acts 16:3). He then takes him and Silas to churches in the regions of Galatia (Iconium) and Phrygia (Antioch) to deliver the decision rendered at the Jerusalem conference.

While journeying to the northwest of Antioch Paul desires to preach the gospel in western Asia. God's spirit, however, forbids him to do so (Acts 16:6). The group continues to travel north toward the region of Mysia. He wants to travel East to the province of Bithynia but God forbids him to do so (Acts 16:7). The group instead travels to the port city of Troas on the Aegean Sea. It is in Troas that Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, joins them. God then gives him a vision of a man in Macedonia (Greece) begging him for help (Acts 16:8-9). The group immediately boards a ship, sail near the island of Samothrace (Samothracia), then arrive at Neapolis (Acts 16:10-11).

From Neapolis the group goes to Philippi, where a woman named Lydia hears him preaching. On Pentecost in 50 A.D. Lydia is baptized along with her entire household (Acts 16:12-15).

While in Philippi Paul casts a demon out of a female slave (Acts 16:16-18). Her masters, however, angry that they have lost the ability to make more money from the slave's demonic divination, stir up the city against him and Silas. The two evangelists are arrested, beaten and put in prison (Acts 16:19-24). Soon after arriving in jail, a miraculous earthquake causes all the cell doors to open and the bonds loosened of Paul, Silas, and the other prisoners. This event leads to the conversion of the prison guard.

A freed Paul and Silas, along with Timothy and Luke, travel through the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia and arrive in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1). In Thessalonica, he visits and evangelizes in a Jewish synagogue. Although many believe what they preach, certain Jews, envious of the Gospel's success, form a mob and then riot (Acts 17:4-5). The group soon leaves for the city for Berea.

Paul and Silas preach in a synagogue in Berea. The Bereans are not only willing to listen to what they have to say they also verify what is preached against the Old Testament scriptures (Acts 17:11-12). Unfortunately, Jews from Thessalonica arrive in the city seeking to cause more trouble for him (Acts 17:13). He immediately leaves for the coast and sets sail for Athens while the rest of his party stay in Berea (Acts 17:14). In Athens he requests Timothy and Silas come to the city (Acts 17:15).

While waiting in Athens for his traveling companions Paul preaches the Gospel to any Athenian who would listen. After disputing with Athenians over his message, they take him to the Areopagus (or Mars Hill as the Romans call it) to explain what he teaches (Acts 17:16-19).

In the winter of 51 A.D. Paul is brought before the judgment seat of Gallio (Acts 18:12-18) and is released. He remains in Corinth until the Spring of 52 A.D. when he then travels to the port city of Cenchrea. In the city he has his head shaved due to a vow he took (Acts 18:18). He soon boards a ship and travels to Ephesus with Priscilla and Aquila. In Ephesus Paul preaches in a synagogue but soon leaves the couple behind so that he can be in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Acts 18:19-21). He sails from Ephesus to Caesarea, and then travels to Jerusalem. After keeping the Feast he returns to Antioch (Acts 18:21-22).

While in Ephesus, Paul discovers twelve baptized believers who DID NOT have God's spirit. He tells the disciples about Jesus and baptizes them in His name. Upon baptism, they immediately receive God's Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7). He preaches boldly about the Gospel for three months in a local synagogue. Some, however, who do not believe what he teaches, begin to speak evil of God's way. Paul and those who believe the Gospel leave the synagogue (Acts 19:8-10).

During the meeting, a riot breaks out. The crowd finds and seizes two of Paul's traveling companions. When Paul wants to talk to the mob, some disciples stop him from doing so and jeopardizing his life (Acts 19:28-31). The riot is eventually quieted by a city clerk who reminds the crowd that there are consequences for their behavior (Acts 19:35-41)

The apostle Paul soon leaves the city for Macedonia. During his three-month stay in the region, he visits Corinth (Acts 20:1-3) and writes his letter to the Romans.

Paul soon boards a ship in Miletus and sails to Patara, where he boards another boat bound for the city of Tyre in Phoenicia (Acts 21:1-4). Landing at Tyre he stays will fellow believers in the area for one week (Acts 21:5-6). From Tyre, he sails to Ptolemais. He again boards a boat and arrives at Caesarea. Philip the evangelist, who lives in Caesarea, has him stay in his home for many days (Acts 21:8,10). While at Philip's house, a prophet from Judea named Agabus comes to see Paul. He takes his belt, binds his own hands and feet, and prophecies the arrest of Paul in Jerusalem. Although those with him plead with him not to go to Jerusalem he decides to go anyway (Acts 21:10-15).

" . . . the Jews from Asia, seeing him (Paul) in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out,  'Men of Israel, help!  This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.'" (Acts 21:27-28, NKJV throughout)

A riot soon erupts. The mob seizes Paul, drags him out of the temple, and begins to beat him. The Romans quickly find out what is happening and dispatch troops to the temple area. Those beating him stop doing so when Roman soldiers arrive at the scene (Acts 21:30-32). The Romans bind Paul and begin to escort him to some nearby barracks. As he is led away he requests and is given permission to speak to the people (Acts 21:33-40).

Paul's speech to the mob (Acts 22:1-21), through sincere, only fans the flames of resentment against him. The crowd begins to call for his death and the riot increases in intensity. Soldiers lead him away to Roman barracks where they want to scourge him to find out why the people rioted against him. Just before his scourging, Paul tells a Roman centurion that he is a Roman citizen. When the commander finds out, he told the centurion he personally verifies his status as a Roman. After confirming that he is indeed a Roman citizen the commander immediately cancels the scourging (Acts 22:25-29).

The next day Paul is released from his bonds and brought before the Sanhedrin to have THEM determine what caused the tumult in the temple (Acts 22:30). His defense before the Jewish religious leaders accomplishes little (Acts 23:1-10). The night after his hearing he has a vision of Jesus standing next to him saying that he (Paul) must also bear witness of the truth in Rome (Acts 23:11).

When daybreak arrives, forty zealous Jews band together to take an oath that they will not eat or drink until the death of Paul. They conspire with the chief priests and elders to have him murdered as he travels to meet with them a second time. His sister's son hears about the plot against his uncle and informs the Romans (Acts 23:12-22).

Paul is soon escorted out of the city, at night, by TWO HUNDRED (200) Roman soldiers (Acts 23:23-24) who take him to Caesarea where his case can be heard. When he arrives in Caesarea governor Felix decides to keep him in the Praetorium of Herod (Acts 23:35).

The prisoners are escorted to Rome by a Roman Centurion named Julius (Acts 27:1-2). From Caesarea they set sail and soon arrive at Sidon. From Sidon the ship sails to Myra. In Myra Paul and company board a ship bound for Italy. Because of the wind, however, the ship is unable to sail directly to Italy. Instead, the ship hugs the coast until it arrives near Cnidus, where it turns south toward the island of Crete. (Acts 27:3-7). After a difficult journey the ship anchors at the Cretan city of Fair Havens. Julius receives a warning that it is a dangerous time of the year to sail the Mediterranean. The Centurion disregards the advice, and has the ship set sail for the western part of the island and the harbor of Phoenix (Acts 27:9-12).

The ship soon encounters a fierce storm that drives it out to sea. Storms, strong winds and overcast skies which hide the sun and moon cause the ship to lose control and be aimlessly tossed at sea for about two weeks (Acts 27:13-27). Eventually the ship drifts near the island of Malta and runs aground. All two hundred and seventy-six people on the boat abandon ship. They grab whatever parts of floating wreckage they can and make their way to the island (Acts 27:37-44). All those on the ship arrive safely on Malta, fulfilling God's promise to Paul (Acts 27:22-25).

Paul stays three months on Malta where the natives treat him kindly. In his short stay on the island, he miraculously survives a bite from a poisonous viper, heals the father of the island's governor, and then heals the diseases of those on the island (Acts 28:1-10). He and company board a ship that wintered at the island and set sail to Syracuse and Rhegium. He eventually arrives at the Italian port city of Puteoli. He then travels to Rome on the well-known Appian Way road (Acts 28:12-16).

Paul leaves Titus in Crete and goes to Nicopolis in Macedonia (Titus 3:12). From Nicopolis he writes the books of 1Timothy and Titus. He then highly likely fulfills his goal of preaching the gospel in Spain (Romans 15:22-25, 28) and other areas.