Michael Quattlebaum

1. Paul and his shipmates were run aground on Malta. What was the island like when they arrived?
   

2. When Paul was bitten by a snake, what was the initial reaction of the natives? What was their reaction when nothing happened to him?
   

3. How did the group manage to stay with the leading man of the island? What was Publius like?
   

4. When Publius’ father was healed by Paul, what was the reaction of the people of the island?
   

5. What time of year was it when they finally left Malta for Rome?
   

6. Note the amount of freedom that Paul was given during his journey. Because of this, he was able to meet fellow believers in Rhegium. Why were they allowed to stay there with them for seven days?
   

7. How was Paul treated when he arrived in Rome? What was his first objective upon arriving there?
   

8. Read verse 20. What does it mean when he says, “…for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel?”
   

9. What was the initial reaction of the Jews in Rome?
   

10. What was Paul’s approach in teaching the Jews in Rome, and in presenting the gospel to them?
    

11. When they began to disagree, what was Paul’s response? Why did Paul quote Isaiah 6:9-10?
    

12. How long did Paul remain in prison in Rome? What did he do while he was there? Did he face Caesar? What happened to Paul afterwards?

Paul eventually made it to Rome. But we have no specific account of his encounter with Caesar. We do know, however, that while in Rome he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. God used Paul in an incredible way, even in the middle of some difficult circumstances. Will we make ourselves available to be used by God regardless of our circumstances?

1. Who was Agrippa?  How old was he?  Why did Paul consider himself fortunate to present his case to Agrippa?
   
   
   
2. Did Paul expect, after his defense, to be released?
   
   
   
3. How did Paul begin his defense?  What was he trying to establish?  What did Paul ask the Jews to testify about? 
   
   
   
4. What is the promise to the Jewish people that Paul is talking about in verse 6-7?  How will they attain it?
   
   
   
5. Why does Paul go into his life as a Jew persecuting Christians?  What impact does this have on his defense?  How were Paul’s tactics different from what the Jews were doing to him?
   
   
   
6. What is unique about the account that Paul gives of his trip to Damascus?  How does it vary from the previous accounts given in Acts?
   
   
   
7. Read Jesus’ words to Paul in verses 14-18.  What was Paul’s mission?  How would he prepare for this mission? 
   
   
   
8. Why was Paul called to share the gospel with the world?
   
   
   
9. How had Paul escaped threat of death from the Jews to this point?
   
   
   
10. Read verse 24.  Why does Festus accuse Paul of going crazy?  What made him think this?  What was Agrippa’s reaction to this statement?  Why?
    
    
    
11. Read verse 26.  Paul states that “this has not been done in a corner.”  What does he mean?
    
    
    
12. Did Agrippa accept Christ as Savior?  Why was Paul not set free?

If it was not within Agrippa’s rights or power to set Paul free at this point (after he had appealed to Caesar), why did he listen to the case?  How did God use Paul in the life of Agrippa?  Do we listen to God’s calling in our lives?  How can we serve him in sharing the gospel with those around us?

1. Who was Festus and why was he now in charge over Paul?
2. How long had Paul been under arrest in Caesarea?
3. Why did Festus meet with the Jews in Jerusalem first? What was the plan that the Jews were working on? Why did they still want Paul killed?
4. Why did Festus decide to have the Jewish leaders again come to Caesarea to listen to the case against Paul?
5. What charges were brought against Paul this time, and what was his defense?
6. How did Festus requesting Paul to go to Jerusalem to face trial benefit the Jews? Why did he ultimately decide not to do this?
7. In verse 11 Paul appeals to Caesar. Why does he do this? Was any citizen allowed to appeal to Caesar?
8. Why did Festus grant Paul’s request to go to Caesar?
9. Explain King Agrippa’s position, why he was visiting Festus, and what authority he had in the case. Who was Bernice?
10. According to Festus’ description of Paul’s situation to King Agrippa, what was his assessment of Paul and his case?
11. Did Festus think that the Jews had a solid case against Paul? What was the real issue that Festus saw that the Jews had against Paul?
12. Why was Paul’s case interesting to Agrippa? Why did he too want to hear the case?
13. What was Festus’ explanation of the additional trial before Agrippa?

Paul has now been wrongly imprisoned well over 2 years. Can you imagine what it would be like to be under arrest for doing nothing for that long? What did Paul do during that time? How can we learn from his attitude, his motivation, and his purpose during this difficult time in his life?

1. Who came with Ananias and the other Jews to present their case before Felix? Why?
   
2. Tertullus was probably a Roman. Notice the wording through the passage on his presentation before Felix. He referred to the Jewish nation as “we”. But in verse 9, it seems clear that the lawyer himself was not a Jew 

3. What specific charges were brought against Paul by Tertullus and the Jews? How are these charges different from the previous charges that have been brought? 

4. Read verses 6-8. Why does Tertullus say that Paul was not tried by the Jews? (Note: The NIV does not contain part of verse 6, all of verse 7, and part of verse 8 )
   
5. Why does Paul say that he is happy to be making his defense before Felix? Does this turn out to be an advantage for him?
   
6. Notice Paul’s point that he did not stir up trouble while he was in Jerusalem. Why was he being accused of this?
   
7. What does Paul admit to? And why does he handle this differently compared to his presentation before the commander, Lysias? Notice verse 15. Do you think that most (if not all) of the Jews present were Pharisees?
   
8. Read Paul’s description of what happened in the temple. Why did he go into so much detail about what happened there? Did his audience affect the way he presented this?
   
9. Again, Paul does not receive a decision concerning his case. What excuse does Felix use this time to not make a decision?
   
10. Did Felix order Lysias to come before him to present what he knows about Paul? How do we know this?
    
11. Where was Paul kept while he was still in custody? What were the conditions he was kept in?

     

Why did Felix keep Paul as long has he did without releasing him? How did Paul react to this treatment?

1. Why did the High Priest, Ananias, command Paul to be struck?
   

2. Did Paul really not recognize the High Priest? Why or why not?
   

3. Notice in verse 6 that Paul recognizes something about those gathered that will cause internal dissention. How does he use this to his advantage?
   

4. What were the differences between the Pharisees and the Sadducees as they are described in this chapter? What was the reaction of the Pharisees when they discovered that Paul was a Pharisee?
   

5. What was Jesus’ promise to Paul after the uproar before the council?
   

6. How did Paul’s nephew discover the plot against Paul’s life? And how did Paul use this knowledge to his advantage? Why did the Jews want Paul dead?
   

7. Who is Felix? And why was the commander sending Paul to see Felix in Caesarea?
   

8. What did the commander state as the charges against Paul in his letter to Governor Felix?
   

9. Read verse 32. Why did the majority of the two hundred soldiers leave Paul only with the horsemen once they arrived at Antipartis?
   

10. Why did Felix not immediately hear Paul concerning the charges against him?
    

11. Where did Felix keep Paul until the Jews came to him from Jerusalem? Why is this significant?

Notice how Paul, once again, used the resources at hand to improve the position that he had in his legal situation. How can we learn from Paul’s dealings in these difficult times? Did Paul worry about, or complain about, his imprisonment?

1. How did Paul address the crowd in Jerusalem? Why did they get even more quiet when they heard that he addressed them in Hebrew?
   

2. Many times before Paul has presented the gospel and preached when given the opportunity. Why this time did he give testimony to how he believed? Did he actually present the gospel at this time?
   

3. Why did Paul mention his own credentials as a Jew and a scholar in his testimony (verse 3)?
   

4. How did it help his testimony before the people to let them know that he was one who used to persecute Christians? Who did he name as his witnesses that this was true?
   

5. We often talk about Paul’s Damascus road experience. Do you have to have an experience like this to become a true believer? If not, why did God come to Paul in this way?
   

6. How did God use Ananias to confirm in Paul’s life this new belief?
   

7. Read verses 21-22. Paul’s words here cause a change in the attitude of the crowd. Why?
   

8. How did the Roman commander react to the outburst of the crowd? What was his solution?
   

9. How did Paul prevent being scourged? How did Paul acquire his citizenship?
   

10. What was the commander’s reaction when he found out that Paul was a citizen? Should he have already known?
    

11. Discuss with the group your reaction to this statement:
    Personal testimony is the best and safest way to tell others about Jesus.

    
    

12. How can we apply Paul’s testimony, and his reaction to being arrested in our own lives?

1. What were Paul’s plans with regard to his travel as he left Macedonia?
   

2. Read verse 4. Was Paul supposed to go to Jerusalem? Why were people speaking by the Spirit for him not to go there? Who was Agabus? What else has he spoken to the church? What is the nature of his warning to Paul?
   

3. How did Paul react to everyone telling him that he should not go to Jerusalem? Why?
   

4. When he arrived, what was the disciples’ reaction to his arrival? How did they react to his ministry?
   

5. What was the disciples’ plan in order to appease those who were angry with Paul?
   

6. How did the Jews from Asia react to seeing Paul? Why? Had Paul actually done what they were accusing him of?
   

7. How did Paul react to the crowd coming for him?
   

8. Notice that the Roman cohort saved him, probably from being killed. How did Paul take advantage of this situation?
   

9. Why did Paul speak to the Roman commander in Greek?
   

10. Why did Paul speak to the Jews gathered in Hebrew?

1. What was Paul’s plan for where to go next after departing Ephesus?

   
   

2. Why did he have to leave Greece?

   
   

3. Why did Paul and his traveling team stay in Troas for seven days?  Why were they gathered together on the first day of the week for Paul to teach?

   
   

4. Why did Eutychus fall from the 3^rd floor window?  What was Paul’s reaction to his fall?

   
   

5. Did Paul return to Ephesus after this journey?  Why or why not? 

   
   

6. What was Paul’s motivation for getting to Jerusalem?  Why was he so insistent on reaching Jerusalem quickly?

   
   

7. How did Paul decide to communicate his message to the church in Ephesus instead of returning there?

   
   

8. What was the nature of the message that Paul had for the elders in Ephesus?

   
   

9. What dangers did Paul face in Jerusalem?

   
   

10. Read verse 35.  What is the purpose of working hard?

    
    

11. What was the reaction of the elders when he finished?

1. What was Paul’s first order of business in Ephesus?  What was the reason that some of the believers there did not have the right understanding of Baptism and of the Holy Spirit?

2. What was the result of Paul’s laying on of hands, and their receiving the Holy Spirit?

3. Where did Paul go, after the 12 men received the Holy Spirit?  How was he received there?

4. When he no longer felt it appropriate to teach in the Synagogue, where did Paul go?  How long did he teach there?  What makes this unique compared to other places he has visited?

5. What was the result of Paul’s spending 2 years in Ephesus?  How were the people reacting?

6. How can we tell when someone is “faking it” like the Jewish exorcists?  How could the people tell at the time?

7. What should our reaction be to understanding the demon’s recognition of Jesus, and of Paul?

8. Read verse 21.  Is it okay for us to make plans?  How far in advance should we make plans?  Why were Timothy and Erastus sent to Macedonia?

9. Explain the nature of the conflict caused by Demetrius.   How is this similar to uproars from crowds that Paul has faced before?  Why did the disciples want to keep Paul from facing the crowd?

10. What was the rally-cry of the crowd in Ephesus?  Why was this so significant?

11. Read verse 32.  Why did the crowd gather?  Does this sound familiar?

12. Who quieted the crowd, and how did he do it?

13. Where did Paul go next?

1. Why were Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth?  What did they do for a living?  What did they have in common with Paul?

2. What did Paul do when he arrived in Corinth?

3. What were Silas and Timothy’s jobs when they arrived in Corinth?

4. Who was Crispus?  Who was Sosthenes? 

5. Why did they stay so long in Corinth?  What did they do while they were there?

6. Make a list of those who were traveling with Paul and his group through the end of the second missionary journey:
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     Were there others?

7. Why did Paul cut his hair?  What kind of vow was he taking?  What does this signify (See Numbers 6)?

8. After leaving Corinth, where did Paul go?  And what did he do as he arrived there?

9. When Paul and his team arrived back in Antioch, what did they do?  Why?

10. What was Apollos teaching in Ephesus?  How did he come to accurate conclusions about Jesus?

11. How did Aquila and Priscilla deal with introducing Apollos to the completed gospel in Jesus?

12. What was Apollos’ strength in ministry?  How was God using him?

  Thought for today:  What do we expect of the leaders in our church?  How can we serve them, support them, and minister to them, as they devote themselves to the ministry of the Word?