Where did Paul travel to Corinth from?
What was Aquila’s story?
What occupation did both Paul and Aquila have?
When Paul went to the synagogue on Sabbath, who did he reason with?
Who joined Paul from Macedonia?
When Paul was compelled by the Spirit, what did he testify?
How did they respond to Paul? What did he do in protest of them?
To whom did Paul say he would go from now on?
Whose house did he go to?
Who was baptized?
How did the Lord speak to Paul? What did He say to him?
How long did Paul continue in Corinth?
Who was proconsul of Achaia? What did the Jews do with Paul?
What was their accusation?
What was Gallio’s response?
Who did the Greeks beat? What was Gallio’s response to this?

Thought Questions

Why might Greeks have been at the synagogue on Sabbath?
Why did Paul’s patience with the Jews finally run out? Should there be a limit to our patience with those who reject our message? Is there a limit to God’s patience?
After all that Paul had already been through, why do you think God spoke to him then, telling him that he would be safe there? Should Paul have waited for that encouragement on other previous occasions?
Do you feel safe preaching the word of Christ? Do you need encouragement from God?
Do you think God was able to work with Gallio? How? Was Gallio’s apathy toward the Jewish opposition somehow related to the Lord’s proclamation of comfort to Paul in verses 9 and 10?

My prayer is:
That I would have patience with people who continuously reject the message of the Lord, but understanding to know how long to deal with them in the same way before changing tactics;
That I would understand that God has long patience; however, that I should not test His patience indefinitely;
And thanksgiving for the times when God has protected me in my work for Him, when He has said, “Keep speaking for Me.”

Where did Paul’s companions take him? What did he command them to do before they left?
What provoked Paul’s spirit in Athens?
What places did he reason with the people? What types of people did he reason with?
What two classes of philosophers encountered him? What were their various reactions to him?
Where did they take him? What did they want to know?
What was the favorite pastime of the Athenians and the foreigners there?
Where did Paul stand to speak to the people?
What did he observe about the Athenians?
What was the inscription on the altar that Paul found?
According to Paul’s sermon, why does God not dwell in temples made by human hands? Why does He not need anything from humans?
What has He made every nation from? What two things has He determined? Why?
How does Paul describe our relationship to God in verse 28? On what point did he agree with the Greek poets?
What should we believe as a result of the knowledge that we are God’s offspring?
What has God done with people in times past? But what is he doing now? Why?
Who will God judge the world by? How has He given assurance of this?
What point caused some of the Greeks to mock Paul?
Who ended up believing Paul?

Thought Questions

Do you think your city is given over to idols? Is your spirit provoked within you because of it? What have you done as a result?
Would you be willing to reason in the marketplace with non-believers? What would you say?
What similarities do you see between the Athenians and our culture?
What are the pros and cons of a society’s obsession with telling and hearing “some new thing”?
Give an overview of Paul’s points. Do you think he did a good job with his reasoning? What were some of your favorite points? Would you have reasoned the same way?
Most of us no longer worship Zeus and Venus and stone idols, but what are some idols in your life that you are tempted to worship–that is, to hold more dear to you than Christ? How can you apply what Paul is saying to help you through that temptation?
What do you think about God overlooking or “winking at” sins such as idolatry in times of ignorance? What do you think that means? What is the reason Paul gave at that time that “now” He commands all men everywhere to repent? Can you use ignorance as an excuse to get away with sins?
Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead–not just in spirit, ghostlike; but in body at the last day? What reasons do you have for what you believe? (Read the last half of verse 31 again.)
Compare Paul’s sermon here to the ones he gave in other places (such as chapter 13). What can we learn about preaching to different demographics? Did Paul compromise his message for them?

My prayer is:
That God would inspire me to share the right words with each type of people I come in contact with, in order to best share Christ with them;
That I would understand that since I am God’s offspring, He is much higher than any idol I am tempted to worship;
And to repent from sin, since through Christ’s example and sacrifice I have no excuse of ignorance of sin.

What two cities did Paul pass through on the way to Thessalonica?
What custom of his did he continue when he reached Thessalonica?
How many Sabbaths did he reason with them? What did he use to reason with them from?
What did he explain?
What type of people formed the largest group who were persuaded?
How were the unpersuaded Jews feeling?
What type of people did those Jews form their mob from?
Whose house did they attack? Why?
When they didn’t find Paul and Silas, what did they do? What statement did they make?
What accusation did they make against Paul and Silas?
What did they do before they let Jason go?
Where did the brethren send Paul and Silas that night?
Where did Paul and Silas go as soon as they arrived there?
What description was given of the Bereans? What two things did they do?
What was the result of these actions?
Who came from outside to stir up those crowds?
What did the brethren do then (like they did in Thessalonica?)
Who stayed behind?
Where did his companions bring Paul? What command was to be given to Silas and Timothy?

Thought Questions

What did Paul have to use when he reasoned with the Jews that he didn’t have when he reasoned with the Athenians? (Verse 2)
Think about how you would explain to someone how Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead. What Scripture texts would you use (from the Old Testament, like Paul had to use)?
Why do you think more devout Greeks were persuaded by Paul than Jews?
What do you think the other Jews were jealous of? What was their motive for trying to attack the apostles?
What was the meaning of their accusation, “Those who have turned the world upside down have come here also.” Have you been a part of turning the world upside down?
How has Christianity changed the world in your current society? Can you see non-Christians getting upset by the world “turned upside down” where you are? What are their reasons?
What made the Berean Jews more fair-minded than the others? Do you search the Scriptures daily to find out whether the things you are taught by your pastors and teachers are true?

My prayer is:
That the Lord would guide my study so that I might be able to reason with others regarding Christ from the Scriptures;
That, like the Bereans, I would be “fair-minded” and open to the truth of Christ, daily searching the scriptures to find out if what I’m hearing is true;
And that even the enemies of Christ would acknowledge that my work for God is “turning the world upside down.”

What was the route to Philippi?
Describe what kind of city Philippi was.
On what day did Paul and his companions go to the riverside to find the people who were praying?
What gender of worshippers were mentioned?
What was the name of the woman who heard him? What was her occupation? Where was she from?
Who did Lydia worship? Who opened her heart?
What happened to her and her household? What did she ask the apostles to do?
Who met them as they went to prayer? Describe her circumstance.
What did the girl say as she followed the apostles?
What was Paul’s reaction to this? What did he do?
What did the girl’s masters do when they found out?
What was their accusation?
What was the result? What punishments did they inflict on Paul and Silas?
What were Paul and Silas doing in prison at midnight? Who was listening to them?
What happened next?
Why was the jailer going to kill himself?
What did Paul say to stop him?
What was the jailer’s question for Paul and Silas?
What was the answer (in one short phrase)?
What did Paul and Silas do to follow up?
What did the jailer do for them?
Who else believed and was baptized along with the jailer?
What was the jailer’s final reaction to his newfound belief, emotionally?
Who sent word to let Paul and Silas go?
What was Paul’s response?
When the magistrates heard what Paul said, what bit of information made them afraid?
What did the magistrates do?
Where did Paul and Silas go first? What did they do there?

Thought Questions

What day did the worshippers in Philippi gather to pray? Did Paul give them any indication that they should worship on another day? (See also ch. 14:42, 44)
What type of people did the Macedonian worshippers (“the man of Macedonia”) turn out to be?(verse 13) What can you learn about the respect the apostles had for women from the story of Lydia?
In what way was Lydia a faithful witness of Christ? What can you learn from her?
How do you think the possessed servant girl knew the truth about Paul and the apostles? Why do you think she was persistently repeating it? Why did that bother Paul so much?
Did the accusation of the girl’s masters have anything to do with what they were actually angry at? Has this happened in other circumstances in the Bible? How about in your life? What can you do when your enemies invent unrelated accusations to cover their anger over something completely different?
Who was listening to Paul and Silas pray and sing hymns in prison? Could you pray and sing hymns aloud in those circumstances? How do you think it, along with the earthquake situation, affected the other prisoners?
What could Paul have done when the earthquake released his bonds? What would you have done? Why do you think Paul saved his jailer?
Name all of the elements from this story that probably influenced the jailer’s conversion. How many of those can you apply to your situations in life to affect those you come in contact with?
How did the jailer, then, show kindness to Paul? How does conversion to a Godly life affect a person?
Was Paul’s response to the magistrates when they let him go surprising to you? Was it a good move for him? Even as patient and long suffering Christians, is it acceptable to fight for the rights we fully deserve?
When you look over the course of this entire story, what examples do you see of God working all things out for good?

My prayer is:
That I, like Paul, would show kindness to those in bondage to evil;
that I, like Lydia and the jailer, would show hospitality to my brothers and sisters in Christ and meet their needs;
And that I would be able to trust that God can turn a difficult situation to glorify Him to others.

Which cities did Paul suggest to Barnabas that they visit? What did he want to find out?
Who was Barnabas determined to take with them?
Why didn’t Paul want to take him?
Who did Barnabas take and where did he go?
Who did Paul take and where did he go?
What did Paul do along his journey?
Where did Paul find Timothy?
What national background were his parents of?
Why did Paul have Timothy circumcised?
What did Paul and Timothy do as they went through the cities?
What was the result in the churches?
What two regions did they go through next?
Who forbade them to go preach in Asia?
Where else were they not permitted to go?
Where did they end up?
Where was the man in the vision calling Paul to come to?

Thought Questions

Is it important to have companions on your missionary work? Why?
Is it ok for Christians to disagree? How about “sharp contention?” Do you think sometimes even Christians should part from another because of their disagreements?
Do you think God worked for good through Paul and Barnabas’s situation, even their contention? How? Have you seen negative situations turning out for good in your life?
Review the situation and its resolution in the first half of chapter 15. Why, then, did Paul have Timothy circumcised? How should we work with people in other cultures, even if we don’t hold the same beliefs? How was the situation with Timothy (16:3) different from the previous situation (15:24)?
How was the early Christian church structured? (16:4) What was the advantage of having a group of authorities in Jerusalem decide the decrees, rather than the local churches? What was the result (verse 5)? How is your church structured, and does it produce the same result?
Did God not want the people of Bithynia to hear His word? (Read 1 Peter 1:1) What are some reasons you can think of why the Holy Spirit would not permit Paul and Timothy to preach in certain places, or perhaps at that time?

My prayer is:
That I would understand that conflicts may be unavoidable, even among my fellow Christians, but through prayer and wisdom I would trust God to guide us to an outcome that is according to His will;
And that I would go tell others about Christ in the places where God calls me to go, trusting that His wisdom will guide me most effectively.

Who was going to be sent with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch? What were these men going to deliver? Who was pleased with this idea?
Who was the letter addressed to?
What was the unsettling news they had heard? Had the apostles given these commands?
Who were they sending to help clear up the matter? How were these men described?
What instruction seemed good to the apostles to give (via the Holy Spirit)?
What four things were they to keep away from?
What was the result among the Christians when they heard the letter?
How were Judas and Silas described? What did they do?
Who stayed with them instead of going back to Jerusalem?
Who else stayed in Antioch at that time?

Thought Questions

What do you think was the secret to the unity among the apostles and their easy agreement? Is there a way you can reproduce that in your church, family, or among those you work with?
What parts of “the law” were the Gentile Christians the most troubled with having to keep? Was it the moral law of the Ten Commandments–thou shalt not kill, or steal, honor your parents, etc? Are there parts of the law from the Old Testament that we still ought to respect today, and other parts that simply pointed forward to Christ?
Have you risked your life for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ? Would you?
Do you incorporate the Holy Spirit’s guidance in your decisions? How do you recognize His voice? How did the apostles know what “seemed good to the Holy Spirit?”
Discuss further the four restrictions found in verse 29. Why were they so important? Are they still important today? We are not often tempted by meat sacrificed to idols today, but might there be a modern equivalent?
If you were charged with the task of thinking of four restrictions that you think should be placed on new believers, what would you think of? Why?
If we are saved by grace alone, why would the apostles impose any restrictions on the new believers? Do your lifestyle choices affect your life and your focus on your faith in Christ?

My prayer is:
That I would understand from my study of the Scriptures what the most important guidelines for my lifestyle are;
That I would understand the reasons why these are important and how they can affect my faith and my walk with Christ;
And that the Holy Spirit would strengthen and guide me to uphold those guidelines.

Where did these certain men come from? What were they teaching the brethren?
Who disputed with them? What did they decide? Who did they plan to discuss this question with?
Who sent Paul and Barnabas off? What two places did they pass through on the way? What happened there?
What did Paul and Barnabas report to the apostles in Jerusalem when they arrived?
Were the Pharisee dissenters Christian believers?
What two things did the Pharisee group think the Gentile Christians needed to do?
Who came together to consider this matter?
Who spoke next?
Who did he say God had chosen to speak to the Gentiles a while ago?
How did God acknowledge the Gentiles’ faith?
Did God make any distinction between the Gentile and Jewish converts to Christianity?
How did Peter say they (the Pharisee Christians) were testing God?
How did Peter believe the Gentiles would be saved?
Who spoke next? What did they report?
Who then gave the closing argument?
What did James quote to support the idea that God had visited the Gentiles as well?
What was James’ final conclusion that they should tell the Gentile Christians? What four things would they ask the Gentiles not to do?
What was his final line of reasoning?

Thought Questions

What do you think the Pharisee Christians’ basis for their belief was? Were they trying to cause trouble, or did they have a reason for believing what they did?
Do you think the apostles handled the situation well? How do you think it would have played out in your church?
Does the conversion of non-Christians give you great joy? Why or why not?
Is it ever ok to dispute matters in the church? How can you dispute matters differently from how it is often done in the world?
What are some characteristics of the way the apostles handled this particular dispute that you can learn from?
Give examples from this chapter of how the apostles used the following in their discussion: personal opinions, Scripture quotations, and testimonies.
What four things were the Christians not allowed to do (verse 20)? Why did they choose those things? Do you think they were fair? What might be the application for our society today?
Do you think the restrictions imposed on you as a Christian are good, or do you fight them? Why?
How much do you respect the councils and authorities of your church body? Why or why not?

My prayer is:
That I would follow the example of the apostles in prayer, study of the Scriptures, and testimony of experience when working to handle disputes;
That I would have respect for the authorities of my church, and pray that they are seeking to solve disputes in the same manner;
And that I would understand that, even though we are freed through Christ, there are still certain lifestyle restrictions which are for my benefit and health, and that I should honor them to please God.

What city were they in? Where did they preach?
Who believed there?
Who did the unbelieving Jews use to poison the peoples’ minds?
How long did the apostles stay there? What did they do there?
How was the city divided?
Who tried to stone them? What was the result?
Where did the apostles go?
Describe the man they met at Lystra.
What character trait did Paul observe in this man?
What did the man do when Paul told him to stand up?
What did the Lycaonians think of Paul and Barnabas as a result?
What did the priest of Zeus do?
How did Barnabas and Paul respond?
How did Barnabas and Paul compare themselves to the people? How did they contrast the God they preached to the gods the people were worshipping?
What had God allowed the nations to do in previous times? How did He give them witness?
What quick change of opinion did the Jews produce in the people?
What did they do to Paul?
What happened when the disciples gathered around him? Where did they go next?
What were the other three cities on their circuit? What did they preach?
Who did they appoint in the churches? How?
Where else did they go on their route? Where did they finally end up?
What report did they give the church at Antioch?

Thought Questions

Again, the first place Paul went to preach was to the synagogue. Knowing how many of the Jews thought about the message of Christ, what do you think was his strategy with this? What was the result? (Verse 2, 5, 19). Do you think it was worth it?
Was Paul associated with very many healings? Why was that particular crippled man healed? What was the reaction of the town? Can we always figure out why God heals certain people and not others? Is it consistently a result of extreme faith, or a positive reaction from witnesses, or any other reason that you can think of?
Summarize the apostles’ short speech to the Lycaonians after they wanted to proclaim them gods. Read Exodus 20:11, Jonah 1:9, and Revelation 14:7. Why is this a common description of God, throughout the Bible, written over the course of thousands of years? What faith can that description give you?
Read verse 16-17. Why do you think God allowed other nations to walk in their own ways in the past, when clearly His mission was to bring them to Him? How are the blessings of nature, food, and rain witnesses to Him?
Why was Paul treated the worst in the same city where he showed the people definitive proof of God’s wonderful power by healing the cripple? What does this tell you about people who say they would believe and follow God if they just had proof?
Does Paul’s experience of being stoned give you fear or hope?
Why did the apostles return to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch? What approach should we take in places where we have preached? Is one sermon enough to strengthen new believers in their often difficult Christian walk? What kind of risk were these visits to Paul? (Acts 13:50, 14:5, 14:19) What does that tell you about how important this follow-up is?
Read verses 23-28. What are a few things Paul did to organize and strengthen the churches? Has your church implemented all of these strategies? What do you see is lacking in your church, which might help its spiritual growth?

My prayer is:
That I would have the faith to risk danger in order to share the word of Christ with others who don’t know Him;
That I would understand that even miraculous proof of God’s existence and care will not ensure that others will follow, so faith is needed;
And that I would devote myself to both reaching out to non-Christians and strengthening the members of my own church.

How did Paul get his chance to preach at the synagogue?
Who was Paul addressing?
What three things had God done for the Israelites in verse 17?
How long did God put up with them in the wilderness?
How many nations did He destroy in Canaan? What did He do with their land?
Who ruled them for 450 years?
After that, what did the people ask for? Who did they get?
What happened to Saul’s reign? Who succeeded him?
What was God’s testimony about David?
Who would come from David’s seed?
What did John preach before the Savior’s coming?
Who did John say he was, and who was to come after him?
To whom was the word of salvation sent?
Why did those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers condemn Jesus?
What did they ask Pilate for?
Who raised Him from the dead? What was the proof?
What was the apostles’ message?
What three prophecies of Jesus are quoted from David? What is their message?
What happened to David when he died, which was different from Jesus?
What is the message Paul wants to get across? How can they be forgiven? What doesn’t work?
What prophecy is Paul warning the people of?
After his sermon, who begged Paul to preach again on Sabbath?
Who followed Paul and Barnabas? What did they encourage them?
Who turned out the next Sabbath?
What did the Jews do?
Who did Paul say it was necessary to preach to first? But then, since they rejected the message, who were they to preach to? What did he quote to support this?
How did the Gentiles respond?
Where was the Word of the Lord being spread?
Again, what did the Jews do to them?
What was Paul and Barnabas’s response? (See Matt. 10:14) Where did they go?
How did the disciples feel?

Thought Questions

What were some of the main elements of Paul’s sermon? Did he start with material that was approachable to his listeners? Was he clear and concise? Did he challenge them with an appeal?
What are some similarities between this sermon and the others we have read in Acts? (See Peter’s in chapter 2 and Stephen’s in chapter 7.)
Who was Paul’s audience here? Were they all native-born Jews? (See verses 16 and 42-43.)
Why did the apostles tend to recount the history of the Jews from the Old Testament in their sermons? Do you think they believed it still had authority?
What do you think was Paul’s idea in tracing the history of rulers of Israel? Follow his reasoning from their establishment as a nation and government of judges, through David’s kingship, until the superiority of Jesus (verse 23-25).
Which verse or verses do you think are Paul’s main thesis?
What were the reactions of the two groups of people who heard Paul’s sermon? Why do you think each of them responded as they did?
What day did the Gentiles want to hear Paul? What day did almost the whole town (Jews and Gentiles) come out to hear him? Again, is there yet any indication of the apostles changing dishonoring the Jewish Sabbath day?
Compare verse 26 and 46. Why was it necessary for the Gospel to be preached to the Jews first, before the Gentiles? Why did they turn their attention more fully to the Gentiles? Under what conditions can the Gospel be preached effectively?
According to verse 46, who judged them unworthy of eternal life?
After reading the entire progression of events from verses 15-52, especially verse 46, how do you understand the concepts in verse 48?
How should we respond to the rejection of our message?

My prayer is:
That, no matter what my ethnic or religious background is, I would choose to listen to the Gospel message and follow Christ with joy and glorifying the Lord;
That I would continue to read and study the Old Testament with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as the apostles did, in order to learn about Christ’s role as the Messiah;
And that, hearing the Word, I would not judge myself unworthy of eternal life, but would follow Christ.

(12:25) Where did Saul and Barnabas return from? Who did they take with them?
Name some of the prophets and teachers in Antioch.
What did they do along with ministering to the Lord?
What did the Holy Spirit tell them?
What did they do then, before sending them away?
What were the first two points of their journey?
What type of place did they preach at in Salamis?
What was John Mark’s role?
Who did they find in Paphos?
Who was this guy with?
Why did Sergius Paulus want to see Saul and Barnabas?
What did the sorcerer do?
How did Paul describe the sorcerer? How did he describe the ways of the Lord?
What did Paul declare was the Lord’s punishment for the sorcerer? Did it happen?
What did the proconsul think as a result?
Where did the missionary party go after Paphos?
Where did John go?
What city did the rest of them go to next?
What building did they go to there? What day?
What did the rulers of the synagogue do in that service?
What did they ask the congregation to do?

Thought Questions

Are there prophets and teachers in our churches today? Why or why not?
How do people in your church decide who will be doing which ministry? How did the church at Antioch do it? Do you think the others were jealous of God’s calling?
Why do you think they prayed and fasted again after the Holy Spirit had already told them to send Saul and Barnabas to their work?
Why do you think Paul and Barnabas preached in the Jewish synagogues instead of the marketplace or pagan shrines?
After they had preached in the synagogues, the person who really wanted to hear them was a Roman proconsul. How is he described? What can that tell us about finding seekers of God in unlikely places?
Have you seen examples of how Satan betrays his position by trying to steer others from learning about God? If the truth was not important or was variable, would he put up so much resistance?
Would you have described the ways of the Lord as “straight?” Why or why not? Do they ever seem convoluted to you? What do you think makes them confusing to us? Why do you think Paul believed them to be straight?
Was the sorcerer’s temporary blindness a harsh or fair punishment for him? What was the result?
At this point, is there any indication that the apostles did not honor the Sabbath day along with the Jews?

My prayer is:
That I would always be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit regarding my place and path of ministry;
That I would be prepared to witness for Christ in any situation, whether in church, or to secular people, or in dealing with those aligned with Satan;
And that I would understand that the ways of the Lord are straight.