Acts 20: 1-6….An encouragement program.

After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

Comment: Paul, loving the church in Ephesus, sought to move back into Macedonia for the double purpose of absenting himself as the object of persecution by the idol-makers and encouraging the young believers of Macedonia and Greece. From Macedonia on into Greece and then, avoiding a plan to kill him he headed back through Macedonia to Troas not far from Ephesus. The distances are not large as can be seen by the scale on the attached stylised map. There are skeptics about all that is written in the NT, but here there is such a detail of both personnel and travel plans that I wonder if God isn’t intending to wave the originals before doubters on Judgement Day, or call up the people mentioned to testify!

Prayer: Thank You for the caring of Paul for the Young Church. Please give us wise and loving leaders in these times!