Today we learned a lot about Paul. What was his prison time like (it hasn't happened yet but we know it's coming), so we did some deep dives into his culture back then. We also talked about Jesus' heritage, what is a Jew, etc.
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Acts 13 marks a major turning point in the New Testament. The focus shifts from Peter and the local church in Jerusalem to Paul and the spread of the gospel to the Gentile world. It details the start of Paul's first missionary journey, beginning with the Holy Spirit calling Barnabas and Saul from Antioch, traveling through Cyprus, and preaching in Pisidian Antioch. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
You can read the complete verse-by-verse breakdown on Enduring Word or view study notes via BibleRef.
Antioch Commissioning
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Diverse Leadership: The church in Antioch includes prophets and teachers of varied ethnic and social backgrounds.
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Holy Spirit Guidance: During worship and fasting, the Holy Spirit tells the church to set apart Barnabas and Saul for a specific work.
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Laying on of Hands: The local leaders pray, fast, and officially send them out on their mission. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Ministry in Cyprus
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Island Travel: The missionaries land on Cyprus, preaching in the synagogues at Salamis and crossing to Paphos. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
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Confrontation with Elymas: A Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus (Elymas) tries to turn the Roman proconsul, Sergius Paulus, away from the faith. [1, 2, 3]
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Blindness Sign: Paul rebukes Elymas, causing temporary blindness, which leads the proconsul to believe. This also marks the narrative shift where Saul begins to be called Paul. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Sermon at Pisidian Antioch
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Leaving of John Mark: The team sails to Pamphylia, where John Mark leaves them and returns to Jerusalem.
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Synagogue Address: Paul gives a historic sermon tracing Israel’s history from Egypt to King David, pointing directly to Jesus as the promised Savior and Messiah.
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Call to Forgiveness: Paul offers the forgiveness of sins through Jesus and warns against rejecting God's work. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Turn to the Gentiles
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Jewish and Gentile Response: Many Jews and devout converts follow Paul and Barnabas initially, but heavy opposition and jealousy arise from other Jewish leaders. [1]
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Shifting Focus: Paul and Barnabas boldly state that they must turn next to bring the light and message to the Gentiles, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. [1, 2]
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Joyful Disciples: Many Gentiles believe and rejoice, and the word of the Lord spreads through the entire region before opposition forces the apostles out.
What was prison like for Paul in the Bible?
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Paul experienced very different prison conditions depending on the city, his legal status, and the charges against him. [1]
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Harsh Local Prisons (Philippi)
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Dark and cramped: In places like Philippi, Paul and Silas were put in an "inner cell" with poor ventilation and little to no light.
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Physical pain: They were publicly flogged without a trial first, and their bleeding wounds went untreated in heavy leg or wrist chains.
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Squalid conditions: Ancient holding cells lacked proper sanitation, featuring bad food, poor water, and a sickening stench. [1, 2]
Protective Custody (Caesarea)
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Palace quarters: In Caesarea, Paul was held in better conditions under guard inside Herod’s palace because he was a Roman citizen awaiting trial.
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More freedom: Governor Felix allowed Paul's friends to visit him and provide for his personal needs during his two-year stay. [1, 2]
House Arrest (First Imprisonment in Rome)
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Rented lodging: Paul lived in his own rented quarters (likely a small apartment) under the watch of an elite Praetorian Guard soldier chained to him. [1, 2]
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Self-funded: He had to pay his own rent and buy his own food, relying heavily on financial support and food brought by fellow believers. [1, 2]
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Open ministry: Despite being a prisoner, he was allowed to receive endless visitors, teach freely, and write several letters known as the prison epistles. [1, 2]
Severe Final Imprisonment (Second Imprisonment in Rome)
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Dank confinement: Church tradition and historical context suggest his final imprisonment before execution was much harsher, likely in a dark, damp, underground space like the Mamertine Prison. [1]
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Isolation: He faced a grim fate awaiting a final verdict under Emperor Nero, asking Timothy to bring him a cloak for the cold and his books. [1, 2]
