While in the barracks, Paul is given permission to speak to the angry mob. Paul says he too ”taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.”
But on that road to Damascus Paul encountered Jesus Christ which changed everything! After the encounter, God sent a man named Ananias to tell Paul, “The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
When the people hear Paul’s testimony they say, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” So back to the barracks goes Paul.
The next day Paul is taken before the high council. After he is struck across the mouth Paul says, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?” Then Paul stirs up dissension between the Pharisees, who believe in resurrection, and the Sadducees, who don’t. “Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.”
Meanwhile, about 40 Jews are plotting to kill Paul. “They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, ‘We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul.’” But word got back to the commander. So the commander sends Paul to Caesarea with a letter for governor Felix. In the letter the commander wrote, “I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains. And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him.”
Tomorrow Paul appears before Felix. Keep reading.
(Acts 21:37-23:35)
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Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 