This month's memory verse

Ephesians 4:11-12

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

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Monday, Sep 7 Mon
Sep 7
Acts 20:1-6
 Tuesday, Sep 8 Tue
Sep 8
Acts 20:1-9
 Wednesday, Sep 9 Wed
Sep 9
Acts 20:10-12
 Thursday, Sep 10 Thu
Sep 10
Acts 20:1-16
 Friday, Sep 11 Fri
Sep 11

 

Where’s Paul headed next?

Key Verse | Acts 20:1

After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.

Acts 20:1-6

Acts of the Apostles 20

Paul Goes to Macedonia and Greece

1When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers* and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. 2While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, 3where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.

4Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6After the Passover* ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.

Footnotes

20:1 Greek disciples.
20:6 Greek the days of unleavened bread.

Observe Paul’s Third Journey

Paul had just lived through a riot in Ephesus — an angry mob, a chaotic scene in a huge theater, people shouting for two hours straight (that’s the “uproar” from chapter 19). Once things settled down, Paul didn’t just quietly slip out of town. He gathered the believers first, encouraged them, and then said goodbye before he left for Macedonia.

Over the next several verses, Paul keeps traveling — through Macedonia, into Greece, and back through Macedonia again — visiting churches, and he’s joined by a whole group of friends. Read Acts 20:1-6 to see who joins Paul on his journey.

K-2 Questions

  1. Where did Paul go after saying goodbye to the believers?
  2. Who traveled with Paul on this trip? (name at least one)
  3. What did Paul do for the believers before he left?

3-5 Questions:

  1. What had just happened in Ephesus right before this passage starts (hint: think back to the silversmith riot)?
  2. List the traveling companions named in verse 4. Why do you think Luke recorded so many names?
  3. Paul “encouraged” the disciples before departing — what do you think that encouragement might have included, based on what you know of Paul’s letters?
  4. Trace Paul’s route on this map: Macedonia Greece back through Macedonia. Why do you think he backtracked instead of sailing straight to Syria (v. 3)?

Prayer

Every week, pick a day to pray for people around the world who haven’t heard about Jesus yet. The Joshua Project website posts a new unreached people group every day—pull it up at dinner, before bed, or on the way to school and pray for them together.

Memory Verse Practice

Our monthly memory verse Ephesians 4:11-12. Take time this weekend to practice memorizing the verse. You can use this Memory Verse Activity Packet to reinforce memorization throughout the month!

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