33

Acts 16–20

Introduction and Timeline

From Acts 16 forward, Luke’s account focuses exclusively on the ministry of Paul, giving no more information about the activities of other Apostles. Acts 16–20 contains a record of Paul’s second and third missions. Being led by the Spirit, Paul journeyed for the first time into what we know today as Europe, where he found many individuals prepared to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. He established churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth. Of particular prominence in these chapters is Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill in Athens (see Acts 17). There Paul taught gospel truths that stood in contrast to the philosophies prevalent in Athens. In Ephesus, local merchants and worshippers of the goddess Diana, threatened by Paul’s successful labors, created a citywide uproar against him (see Acts 19; 20:1). As Paul left Asia for Jerusalem near the completion of his third mission, he warned Ephesian Church leaders about impending dangers and apostasy (see Acts 20:29–30).

Chapter Overviews

Acts 16

Paul enlisted Timothy to join him on his second missionary journey. They delivered the Apostles’ letter from the Jerusalem conference to Saints in Phrygia and Galatia. The Holy Ghost directed Paul and his companions to bring the gospel to Macedonia. In Philippi, Lydia and her household accepted the gospel and were baptized. When Paul cast an evil spirit out of a damsel, those who profited from her soothsaying led a revolt against Paul and Silas and cast them into prison. After an earthquake freed Paul and Silas, the keeper of the prison and his household were converted and baptized.

Acts 17

In Thessalonica, Paul taught of Jesus Christ from the scriptures. The Jews there forced Paul to flee to Berea and then to Athens, where he preached about the “unknown god” and the Resurrection. Though most Athenians rejected Paul’s teachings, a few believed.

Acts 18

Paul stayed for a year and six months in Corinth. When Jews there rejected his testimony of Christ, Paul turned his attention to the Gentiles. He left Corinth, taught in Ephesus, traveled to Jerusalem and met with Church leaders, and concluded his second missionary journey by returning to Antioch (in Syria). After some time, Paul departed on his third mission. In Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla taught the gospel more fully to Apollos.

Acts 19

In Ephesus, Paul baptized and conferred the gift of the Holy Ghost on those who previously knew only the baptism of John. He performed many miracles and oversaw the preaching of the gospel to Jews and Gentiles throughout Asia. Worshippers of the goddess Diana (Artemis) raised a citywide uproar against Paul.

Acts 20

Paul traveled to Macedonia and Greece and then returned to Asia. He raised Eutychus from death. In Miletus, Paul reminded elders of the Church from Ephesus about his faithful service, testified of Jesus Christ, foretold the coming apostasy, and exhorted Church leaders to “feed the church of God.” Paul revealed a teaching from the Savior: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Paul and Church leaders bid an emotional farewell.

Suggestions for Teaching

Goal of Gospel Teaching

President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) taught: “The goal of gospel teaching … is not to ‘pour information’ into the minds of class members. … The aim is to inspire the individual to think about, feel about, and then do something about living gospel principles” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1970, 107).

Acts 16; 18:1–11

Paul Was Directed by the Holy Ghost on His Second Mission

Invite students to raise their hands if they believe the following statement: “The Lord knows who is prepared to receive the gospel.” Ask two or three students who raised their hands to explain why they believe the statement. You might ask a follow-up question about how the Lord leads missionaries to those who are ready. Tell students that Acts 16–20 contains an account of Paul’s second and third missions (the account of Paul’s second mission actually begins in Acts 15:40). At the beginning of Paul’s second mission, the Lord directed him to people who were prepared to hear the gospel.

Have students review Acts 16:1–5 and look for answers to the following:

Note to teacher: This part of the lesson will run more smoothly if you have these questions written on the board before class begins.

• Whom did Paul want to join him as a companion on his mission?

• What ancient religious rite did Paul have his new companion submit to?

• How do we know that Paul and his companions experienced success in these cities?

After students respond to these initial questions, you might share with them the information in the student manual commentary for Acts 16:1–3 to explain why Timothy was circumcised. This is important for students to understand since Acts 16:4 records that Paul and the others were delivering the “decrees”—the decisions made by Church leaders at the Jerusalem conference—declaring that circumcision was not necessary for the salvation of the Gentiles (see Acts 15:23, 30). You might also explain that in our day missionaries sometimes adjust their behavior to show respect to local cultures and to avoid giving offense to others. Consider asking:

• How does striving to avoid giving offense to local people help both the missionaries and those they teach?

Have students look at a map depicting Paul’s missionary journeys, such as map 13 in the LDS edition of the King James Bible. Give students a moment to study the map. Then point out that during Paul’s second mission, he returned to cities where he had established branches during his first mission, and he also traveled to new locations. Ask students to read Acts 16:6–10 silently, looking for how Paul knew where to preach. You may want to encourage students to mark words in these verses showing that the Lord directed Paul in his travels. Allow students to share what they learned by asking:

• Surely there were many cities that Paul did not visit. How did Paul know where to go to preach the gospel? (The Holy Ghost directed Paul to where he needed to preach. To help students see that the Lord has directed latter-day missionaries as He directed Paul, refer them to the account from Wilford Woodruff’s life found in the student manual commentary for Acts 16:4–10.)

You might point out that Acts 16:10 includes the pronoun “we.” This suggests that Luke, the author of the book of Acts, was among Paul’s missionary companions at this point. You might also explain that when Paul traveled to the city of Philippi in Macedonia, he was journeying for the first time into what is modern-day Europe (see Acts 16:12).

Have a student read Acts 16:13–15 aloud, while the class follows along looking for what happened in Philippi. After the reading, you might explain that Lydia worked as a dyer and seller of purple cloth (see the student manual commentary for Acts 16:12–15), that her “household” may have included many people, and that her home later hosted a congregation of the Church (see Acts 16:40). Ask students to notice the phrase “whose heart the Lord opened” in verse 14, and then give them a minute to read Alma 16:16–17 to learn what this phrase means.

• How does Alma help to explain how the Lord prepares people’s hearts to receive the gospel?

• From what we have studied so far in Acts 16, how would you respond if someone asked why it was important for Paul to go where the Spirit of the Lord directed him? (Students will likely state the following principle: By following the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we can be led to those who are prepared to receive the gospel. Consider writing this principle on the board.)

Summarize Acts 16:16–24 by explaining that the missionaries cast an evil spirit out of a young woman. As a result, those who had profited monetarily from her soothsaying (foretelling the future by using secret, mysterious practices) were angered, and they had Paul arrested. Paul and his companions were beaten and imprisoned. The Roman magistrates did not know at the time that Paul was a Roman citizen.

After this summary, give students time to quickly look through Acts 16:25–40, looking for lessons we might learn about missionary service from Paul’s experience in prison. Then ask:

• What did you learn from these verses about sharing the gospel with others? (Possible answers: Opportunities to share the gospel can sometimes come at unexpected moments. If we are prepared, we can change seemingly negative experiences into opportunities to teach the gospel. One attribute of effective missionaries is to be ready always to share the gospel and invite others to come unto Christ.)

Explain that the class will study more of Paul’s experiences found in Acts 16 and 17, but first, in order to see two further examples of how the Lord guided Paul, have one student read Acts 18:1, 4–5 and another student read Acts 18:7–11. Ask the class to look for ways the Lord continued to guide Paul.

• What evidence did you see that the Lord was guiding Paul? (Paul “was pressed in the spirit” to testify to the Jews about Jesus, and the Lord told him in a vision that there were “much people” in the city of Corinth who would hear his message.)

To help students explore ways they could apply these teachings, you might ask:

• When have you felt that the Lord directed you to talk to someone about the gospel or to invite someone to attend Church or institute with you?

• What can we do so that the Spirit can guide us to those who are prepared to receive the gospel? (Possible answers: Live the gospel, seek guidance through prayer, ask the Lord for missionary experiences, act on promptings when they come, and continue to expand our circle of friends.)

Invite students to consider the answers given to the last question and select an area in which they might improve so that they will be more receptive to the Spirit’s guidance in teaching the gospel to others. Testify that as they do this, the Lord will guide them. Making changes like these is one way to show the Lord that we want to have opportunities to share the gospel.

Acts 17–20:12

Paul Preached the Gospel in Athens and Corinth

To prepare students to study Acts 17, write three questions on the board: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going? Then ask students:

• What can people do to find answers to these questions? (Join the true Church, listen to modern prophets, study the scriptures, and seek personal revelation through the Holy Ghost.)

• If people do not know about the true Church or choose not to believe its teachings, how might they deal with these questions?

Explain that many people turn to worldly philosophies to deal with these and other important questions. Ask students to raise their hands if they have ever encountered a philosophy about the meaning of life that is very different from the gospel.

Note to teacher: Avoid spending class time discussing various philosophies about the meaning of life. Doing so would likely detract from the Spirit and lead the students’ focus away from what Paul taught in Acts 17. Brief mention of a few philosophies will be sufficient to help students relate to the setting of Acts 17.

Explain that Paul encountered various ancient philosophies on his missionary travels. Summarize Acts 17:1–15 by telling students that after Paul left Philippi, he traveled to Thessalonica and then to Berea to preach the gospel. He was forced to flee from these cities by Jews who rejected his teachings, and he finally came to the city of Athens. You might ask students to state briefly what comes to mind when they think of ancient Athens, or what they know about ancient Athens. Ask a student to read Acts 17:16–21, while the class considers what Paul encountered in Athens.

• How would you describe what Paul found in Athens?

The student manual contains information that provides important context for Paul’s experience in Athens. Give students a few minutes to read the student manual commentaries for Acts 17:15–31; for Acts 17:18; and for Acts 17:32–34.

Understanding Scriptural Context

Understanding the context of the scriptures prepares teachers and students to recognize the messages of the inspired authors. Context includes both (1) the verses that precede or follow the verses being studied and (2) information that helps the reader understand an event described in the scriptures, such as historical or geographical information. Understanding the context of a scripture passage helps the reader understand the meaning of the passage.

Ask students:

• What were some of the challenges Paul encountered in Athens?

• Why would Jesus Christ seem like a “strange god” to the inhabitants of Athens?

Note to teacher: If you feel your students need to see a stronger modern connection to conditions in ancient Athens, have them read the statement by Elder Kevin R. Duncan found in the student manual commentary for Acts 17:21. Follow up by asking: How are the modern conditions described by Elder Duncan similar to what Paul encountered in Athens?

Ask a student to read Acts 17:22–23 aloud. You may want to use the student manual commentary for Acts 17:22–25 to help students understand what Paul meant by the Athenian altar to the “unknown god.”

• How might Paul’s reference to the “unknown god” have gotten the attention of his listeners?

• What did Paul declare he was going to teach the Athenians? (The truth about God.)

Assign students to work with a partner to search Acts 17:24–31 and make a list of all the doctrines about God and Jesus Christ they can find in these verses. Students may find the following doctrines: God created the world. God gives life to all living things. God determined the times and places where nations of people would live. If we seek the Lord we can find Him. We are the offspring of God. God commands everyone to repent. God will judge us at the last day. Jesus Christ was resurrected.

After students have compiled their lists, ask a few of them to read their list to the class. Consider writing their responses on the board. As needed, ask students to identify verses where the doctrines are found or explain how a verse teaches a certain doctrine.

To encourage students to understand and feel the importance of these doctrines, ask the following questions:

• Choose one of the doctrines on your list. How has this doctrine affected your choices in life?

• What other gospel truths have helped you to deal with philosophies of the world that are false or inadequate in explaining important truths? (As answers are given, you might ask students to explain how a particular gospel doctrine has helped them understand that a philosophy of the world is false.)

Before moving on, consider having students silently read Acts 17:32–34 to find out how the Athenians received Paul’s teachings.

Note to teacher: You may want to give students a quick overview of Acts 18:12–20:12. Make sure they understand that after Paul preached in Athens, he taught for a year and six months in Corinth and concluded his second missionary journey by returning to Antioch (in Syria). The events recorded in Acts 19 and 20 are part of Paul’s third missionary journey. If you feel they are needed, there are two supplemental teaching ideas at the end of this lesson that cover these scriptural passages.

Acts 20:13–31

Paul Bid Farewell to Church Leaders from Ephesus

Tell students that as part of Paul’s third missionary journey, he spent about three years in Ephesus laboring among the people there and had much success. Eventually, however, he was forced to leave Ephesus by angry protesters. Ask students to read Acts 20:17–18, 22–25, 36–37. Before they read, encourage them to look for how Paul felt about those with whom he labored and how he was feeling as the time came for him to leave the Church leaders from Ephesus. Then ask students to share what they found.

Explain that Acts 20:28–31 contains part of Paul’s farewell message to the Church leaders from Ephesus. Ask a student to read these verses aloud, while the class follows along looking for what Paul prophesied would soon occur. During a short discussion of these verses, make sure that students understand this truth: Apostles and prophets warn of spiritual dangers and teach disciples of Christ to avoid these dangers. You might ask students:

• Verses 29–30 record two sources of apostasy, which Paul warned the Saints to avoid. What are these two sources? (For prophetic insights into these verses, see the student manual commentary for Acts 20:29–30.)

• When have you seen apostles and prophets warn of spiritual dangers and teach disciples of Christ to avoid these dangers?

Ask students to read Acts 20:36–38, looking for how Paul and the Church leaders from Ephesus felt as Paul prepared to leave them. You may want to point out that Paul was sorrowful because he knew he would not see these beloved Saints again, and he also knew that some Saints might fall away from the truth during the time of apostasy that was coming.

As you conclude the lesson, you might encourage students as they continue to study the latter half of the New Testament to watch for evidences of apostasy among the Saints of that time. You might point out that Acts 20:28–31 is among the first passages in the New Testament indicating that the Church would fall into apostasy. Testify that by listening to the warnings and teachings of authorized Church leaders, we can avoid the forces in the world today that lead to apostasy.

Note to teacher: Based upon the promptings of the Spirit and the needs of your students, you may choose to use one or more of the following supplemental teaching ideas in addition to or instead of one of the main teaching ideas found in this lesson.

Supplemental Teaching Ideas

Acts 16:25–34. Conversion of the Philippian Jailer

Remind students that Acts 16:25–40 records that Paul and Silas were imprisoned and miraculously released. When the jailer saw the miracle, he fell down before Paul and Silas and asked them what he should do. (You may want to refer to the student manual commentary for Acts 16:19–26 for further context relating to this account.) Explain that some individuals who read the Bible misunderstand the answer Paul and Silas gave, found in Acts 16:30–31, to mean that all one must do to be saved is to believe in Jesus Christ—without having to manifest that belief through one’s actions. Ask students to study Acts 16:32–33; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:37–38, 41; and Acts 8:37–38, looking for what these references teach about how people are to manifest their faith in Christ. As students share their thoughts, help them understand this doctrine: Salvation requires believing in Jesus Christ, and we manifest our belief by being baptized. We must then continue to live true to the covenant of baptism. This is the principle Paul taught in Acts 16:31–33. You might also help students see that Acts 16:25 teaches that we can choose to maintain our faith and gratitude even in the midst of afflictions.

Acts 17:1–12; 18:24–28. Paul and Silas Taught of Jesus Christ from the Scriptures

Read the following statement by Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to your class:

“The scriptures provide the strength of authority to our declarations when they are cited correctly” (“The Power of Scripture,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 6).

Ask:

• What do you think Elder Scott meant when he said that the “scriptures provide the strength of authority to our declarations”? (Citing prophetic statements of the past gives greater authority to our teaching.)

Help students see that the Holy Ghost inspired those who wrote the scriptures and that the Holy Ghost will continue to bear witness of the truthfulness of the scriptures. Then write on the board: When used properly, the scriptures are a powerful tool in bringing others to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Give students a few minutes to search Acts 17:1–4 and Acts 18:24–28, looking for evidence of this statement. After discussing student findings, ask:

• When have you seen someone use the scriptures effectively to teach of Jesus Christ? What did they do that helped the message of the scriptures sink into your heart?

If you have returned missionaries in your class, you might ask one or two of them to briefly share how the Book of Mormon was important in the conversion of someone they taught. Give students a moment to read Acts 17:10–12, looking for what people in Berea did that made it easier for them to receive Paul’s teachings. Testify that when used properly, the scriptures are a powerful tool in bringing others and ourselves to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Encourage students to consider how they could use the scriptures the next time they have the opportunity to teach the gospel. Remind them that teaching from the scriptures will give greater authority to the truths they teach and lead others to greater knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Acts 19:8–20; 20:1–12. God Wrought Miracles through Paul

Begin by having students read Mark 16:17–18. Ask students: Based on this teaching from the Savior, what might we expect to see in the ministry of Paul? Give students a few minutes to contrast Paul’s experiences recorded in Acts 19:11–12; 20:7–12 with the experience of some Jews found in Acts 19:13–17. Consider asking students:

• What impresses you about the miracles performed by Paul?

• What can you learn about miracles after reading about the vagabond Jewish exorcists? (One truth students should recognize is this: Miracles occur through priesthood authority and the power of faith.)