Paul's Missionary Journeys - Part 8
SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY (Part Five)
THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY (Part One)
Copied from the sermon notes of Pastor Don Elmore
July 27, 2025
Scripture Reading Acts 17:34:
“Howbeit certain men clave unto him [Paul] and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.”
When Paul preached in Athens the “resurrection of the dead, some mocked [who do you think these individuals were?]: and others said, ‘We will hear thee again of this matter’” [who do you think these people were?] (Acts 17:32b). Certain men clave unto Paul and believed along with certain women.
One of the men that came to believe was Dionysius the Areopagite, who was an Athenian judge at the Areopagus Court(Acts 17:34). He was also governor of the city of Athens and had one of the highest reputations among the people. Another believer was Damaris, a woman, and many others. How many and who the identity of the others were, we are not told.
Silas, Luke, and Timothy then rejoined Paul in Athens. They had been separated from him in Berea of Macedonia when Paul had to be quickly whisked away on a ship to prevent him from being murdered by the Jews. But their report of the persecutions in Macedonia led Paul to send them back. Paul then moved forty-six miles west to Corinth. His fellow laborers soon (in a couple of months) rejoined him there. Paul continued to keep in touch with the Macedonian churches from Corinth. In fact, First and Second Thessalonica were written while he was there in Corinth.
While at Corinth, the capital of Greece, Paul met a certain Judean, Aquila, who was born in Pontus (Asia Minor), who had come from Italy, along with his wife, Priscilla (who was born in Italy). Paul abode with them because they were of the same craft: tentmakers. He reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath and persuaded the Judeans and dispersed Israelites to believe his message (Acts 18:1-4).
Justus, who worshipped God, invited Paul to stay with him in his home. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. And Paul continued there in Corinth for a year and a half!
A year and a half! All that is said about these 18 months that Paul spent in Corinth is in the next five verses. These five verses say that the Jews, (who else?) made insurrection against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat.
Paul was brought before Gallio, the deputy of Achaia. The Jews had no power to punish a person in a Roman province, so were obliged to bring Paul before the Roman governor. But Gallio perceived that it was a matter of envy and malice and not of injustice or mockery of the Jewish faith, so he drove the Jews from the judgment seat (Acts 18:1-16).
When Paul took leave of his brethren in Corinth (after 18 months of preaching), he cut his hair in connection with a vow that he had made. From early times there had been among the Israelites, an order of Nazirites, men who drank no wine and never cut their hair. There was also the provision for a man to be a temporary Nazirite, for a limited period (Numbers 6:1-21). Paul had apparently taken a vow to be a Nazarite as long as he was in Corinth.
From Cenchreae, they sailed to Ephesus(one of the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, chapters two and three) in the province of Asia, in Asia Minor. Priscilla and Aquila went with Paul, and he left the couple there in Ephesus. They wanted Paul to stay longer with them, but he said that he desired to go to the feast day in Jerusalem, but he told them he would return to Ephesus on his next journey (Acts 18:19-21). When he returned, he stayed for three years (Acts 19).
After giving his report to the church in Antioch of Syria about his latest journey, he rested for a short time. After his short rest, a couple of weeks, he began his third missionary journey.
Acts 18:22, 23:
22) “And when he [Apostle Paul] had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church [the church of Jerusalem where he kept the feast], he [Apostle Paul] went down to Antioch [Syria].
23) And after he [Apostle Paul] had spent some time there [at the church of Antioch, Syria], he [Apostle Paul] departed [began his third missionary journey] and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order [in Asia Minor], strengthening all the disciples.”
This is how Luke, in the Book of Acts, states how Paul both ended his second missionary journey and began his third. But before we continue with his third missionary journey, we will make a small departure and look at a comparison and contrast between two men from the same tribe of Israel, Benjamin, with the same first name, Saul, who lived many years apart.
King Saul became the first Israelite king after God was asked to step down. Saul of Tarsus was the first prominent Christian Identity preacher in the new Christian era.
King Saul was not born a king. He was chosen by God to be the ruler over His covenant people. Saul of Tarsus was not born as an apostle. He was chosen by God to be a vessel of instruction to the lost sheep of the former divorced house of Israel.
King Saul didn’t falter until the last part of his rulership. Saul of Tarsus was bad at the beginning of his life, but was dramatically changed when he was converted, and became the uncompromising warrior for Christianity.
When King Saul was first anointed king, his humility was a virtue that may have been the reason God chose him for the job. As he grew into his role, he became prideful rendering him blind to God’s will. This caused God to forget making him king, and his throne was eventually transferred to King David. Saul of Tarsus started out being prideful. His pride blinded him so he could not see that he was fighting against God. When God opened his eyes, pride fell from him, and humility took over. He was able to give himself to God’s will and preach the gospel of the kingdom.
King Saul started off pretty good, but after he failed to kill all the Amalekites, specifically sparing their king, Agag, his throne was given to King David. King David was from the tribe of Judah. David united the kingdom of Israel. Saul of Tarsus started off terrible, no doubt rejoicing over the death of the Son of God of Judah and one of his followers, Stephen, but ended as one of the greatest disciples of God. The Son of God, from the same tribe as David, Judah, died and was resurrected for the reuniting of the tribes of Israel. He finished what Adam had failed to accomplish
King Saul, as the head of the Israelite army, was severely wounded by the Philistines. His three sons had been killed earlier that day in the battle. King Saul ordered his armor bearer to kill him, but he refused. So, Saul fell on his own sword. In the Bible, it does not tell us how Saul of Tarsus died. However, most historical and traditional accounts, indicate that Paul was beheaded in Rome, likely during the persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero. He escaped, by God’s providence, over ten instances of attempted murder by the Jews(see part 7 of this series).
PAUL’S THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY
Paul’s third missionary journey was about the same length, in miles, as his second campaign. All of Paul’s missionary endeavors covered the following territories with some occurring more than once: The islands of Cyprus and Crete; as well as the cities, towns, and islands of Asia Minor; and Syria, Palestine, Macedonia, and Achaia.
Paul’s missionary journeys in the Bible covered roughly 10,000 miles in total:
- His first journey was around 1,200 miles.
- His second journey was about 3,000 miles.
- His third journey was about 2,700 miles.
- His separate journey to Rome was approximately 2,400 miles.
There were very brief moments where the apostle spent time in Jerusalem:
- Once to meet the disciples,
- Once to meet ata church conference, and
- Once to go to an Israelite festival.
He was there for less than a month in total time. Why? It was too dangerous. The anti- “anti-Semitic” Jews constantly plotted his murder.
Many believe that it was the church at Rome that was the “mother church,” but it wasn’t. Others believe that it was the church at Jerusalem that was the “mother church,” but it wasn’t. The church in Rome didn’t come into existence until many years later, while the church of Jerusalem was dwindling; it would soon not exist (70 AD).
It was the church at Antioch (Syria) that would be the church that Paul taughtin and was sent out for all his missionary journeys. His excursions were mainly to Israelites, of both houses, in:
- Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey),
- Macedonia(modern-day northern Greece),
- Achaia(modern-day southern Greece),
- Island of Cyprus,
- Syria, and
- Island of Crete.
Remember, Saul/Paul was born in Tarsus of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
It was similar to the location of Jesus’ ministry: it wasn’t in Jerusalem, Judaea, or Samaria, but in Galilee where Jesus performed almost all his ministry. He very seldom went to Jerusalem because the Jews sought to murder Him.
John 7:1: “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for He would not walk in Jewry [Judaea], because the Jews sought to kill him.”
At the beginning of his second journey, Paul and Barnabas had a big disagreement about whether John Mark should go with them. Barnabas wanted to take his relative, John Mark, who started out on their first journey but soon left. Paul was adamant about not taking him. So, Paul and Barnabas split up and went their separate ways:
- Barnabas took Mark and started at where he was born -- Cyprus, while
- Paul took Silas and headed for where he was born --Tarsus in Asia Minor. And on his journey, Paul added Timothy and Luke. Who did Paul take with him on his third missionary journey?
There were about twelve people who accompanied Paul on at least some of his third missionary journey:
(1) Trophimus and (2) Tychicus were Ephesians who were with Paul for most of his campaign.
(3) Timothy,
(4) Erastus,
(5) Gaius,
(6) Aristarchus,
(7) Sopater,
(8) Secundus,
(9) Apollus,
(10) Priscilla and (11) Aquila, and
(12) Luke
were co-workers with Paul.
On Paul’s third missionary journey, he departed the church in Antioch, Syria and ministered to the disciples in Issus and Tarsus in Cilicia; Darbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Galatia of Asia Minor), then traveled to Laodicea (one of the seven churches of the Book of Revelation, chapters two and three) and then to Ephesus (another of the churches in Revelation, chapters two and three); all in Asia Minor.
Acts 18:23: “And after he [Paul] had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia[Asia Minor, see map below] in order, strengthening all the disciples.”
When Paul arrived in Ephesus, he was made aware of another fellow laborer in the gospel. Priscilla and her husband Aquila (he had met this couple in Corinth on his previous journey, his 2nd,and had left them in Ephesus) attended an Ephesian synagogue and heard Apollos preach.
Born a Judean in Alexandria, Egypt, Apollos had a special talent as an eloquent and forcible speaker. He was likely trained in the rhetorical schools near the city of his birth. The Bible states that he was “mighty”(Acts 18:24) regarding understanding and explaining the Scriptures. He was also very zealous for God and for preaching the truth.
Although unquestionably an eloquent speaker, Apollos had a major flaw that was not necessarily of his own making. His deficiency was that he only knew about Jesus through the preaching of John the Baptist. Aquila and Priscilla decide to help Apollos by giving him more complete information regarding their Redeemer. They introduced to him that the Spirit of God was now in true churches, like God the Father was in the old Temple.
Acts 18:26: “And he[Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquilla and Priscilla had heard, they took him [Apollos] unto them, and expounded unto him [Apollos] the way of God more perfectly.”
Apollos desired to go to Corinth, where the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples there to receive him. Apollos was a great success there.
The apostle Paul ultimately meets Apollos and considers him a fellow preacher. The next few times Apollos is mentioned in the Bible it is always in good terms. In 1 Corinthians, Paul chastises the Corinthian church for their practice of choosing to favor him or Apollos exclusively, rather than honoring them both as ministers of God.
1 Corinthians 3:4-6:
4) “For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos: are ye not carnal?
5) Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6) I [Paul] have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
Paul, in his closing remarks to the church at Corinth, tells them that Timothy was going to come, but:
1 Corinthians 16:12: “As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.”
Apollos had left Ephesus and gone to Corinth before Paul came to Ephesus. Paul went to the synagogue for three months, disputing and persuading things concerning the…kingdom of God. Paul did what? He disputed and persuaded things that concerned the kingdom of God. And most of Christendom, and that included me at one time, didn’t even know what the kingdom of God really was. It was very seldom, if ever mentioned, in the sermons that were preached in the Judeo-Christian churches that I grew up in.
Acts 19:8: “And he [Paul] went into the synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.”
Paul left preaching in the synagogue and began to dispute daily in the school of Tyrannus. He did this for two years; so, all that which dwelt in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Judeans and those of the dispersed nations (House of Israel), (Acts 19:10).
While Paul was at Ephesus, God worked special miracles. From the body of Paul, handkerchiefs or aprons were brought to the sick individuals and diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
But there was a certain vagabond Jew (who else?), who was an exorcist, who along with his seven Jewish sons, called over an individual with an evil spirit. They attempted to cast the evil spirit out of the man, like the apostle Paul had been doing. But the evil spirit came out of the man and overcame them. The exorcist and his sons fled out of that house naked and wounded.
This incident became well known to all the people of Ephesus: and fear fell on them, and the name of Jesus was magnified. As a result of this major event, the people brought all their curious arts books (magic and occult) and burned them before all men. The price of them was 50,000 pieces of silver (a huge amount; today, July 27, 2025,that would be a little bit under $2,000,000). As a result of this, the word of God prevailed (Acts 19:11-19).
Paul sent Timothy and Erastus, his fellow laborers, to Macedonia, but he remained in Ephesus. During this time Paul experienced more troubled times. This time there were riots. It started over money, once again.
THE DEMETRUIS RIOT
Demetruis, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of the goddess Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He got the workers together and told them that the Apostle Paul had persuaded and turned away many people, saying that Diana and the others are not gods.
So, Demetrius explained that not only is his silver trade in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed. The whole area of the province of Asia worshiped this great goddess. When the workers heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana (Diana was what she was called in the Roman language; Artemis in the Greek) of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:34).
Virtual reconstruction of the Temple of Diana (Artemis)
This tremendous Temple of Diana in Ephesus was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was supported by 127 pillars, each 60 feet high, and was decorated with great sculptures. This Temple was also a major treasury and bank of the ancient world, where merchants, kings, and even cities made deposits, and where their money could be kept safe under the protection of their believed deities.
The opposition of Demetrius and the other idol makers was a great compliment to the effectiveness of Paul’s work in the region. Paul was not on a campaign to close the Temple of Diana; he just did the Lord’s work. As people came to Jesus, they naturally stopped worshipping Diana and buying shrines associated with the temple.
The same is true today. As people came to believe in the God of the Bible, would they support the prostitute industry? Or would they support the usury industry? Or would they support the integration and perverted lifestyles that are rampant today? Etc.
So, the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, two of Paul’s travel companions. The theatre of Ephesus was next to the Temple of Diana. It could hold twenty-five thousand people. It was constructed chiefly for gladiators fighting wild animals but was also used for dramatic entertainments. The theatre of a Greek city, with its wide-open area, was a favorite spot for public meetings of all kinds.
Paul wanted to go into the theater at this time, but his disciples would not allow him. Then some of the chief officials of Asia, who were his friends, also desired that he would not venture into the theater. So, Paul did not go.
Some in the theatre therefore cried one thing and some another, because the assembly was confusing, and most of them did not know why they had come together. And then the Jews drew Alexander out of the multitude.
Now who was this, Alexander? It was probably this man:
2 Timothy 4:14, 15:
14) “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15) Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.”
The Jews put Alexander front and center before the crowd to speak on their (Jews’) behalf against Paul so the city would not also become violent against the Jews. They probably wanted to distinguish themselves from the gospel Paul was preaching. They wanted it to be known that they were also enemies of Paul as much as everyone else, and they wanted to explicitly condemn Paul for his message so the city would not become violent toward them, too.
But when Alexander motioned with his hand and wanted to make his defense to the people, they found out that he was a Jew. Then immediately, all with one voice, cried out for about two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
It was a major riot! The whole city was filled with confusion in the theater. And considering Rome’s iron-fisted attitude toward such civil disorders, things were rapidly getting out of hand. This repeated chant of praise to Diana must have sent chills up the backs of the Christians. The noise must have been deafening. The acoustics of the theater are excellent even today and at the time were even better because of the bronze and clay sounding vessels placed throughout the auditorium. What happened next?
The city clerk quieted the frenzied crowd when he said:
Acts 19:35b: “…Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
What was “the image which fell down from Jupiter”? No one seems to know for sure. Most commentators conclude that it must have been some meteorite that landed on earth and was kept in the Temple in Ephesus.
(About one hundred years ago, a British archeologist and classics scholar thought that the image to the right was the image which had fallen from Jupiter. It is now in the British Museum.)
Acts 19:36-41:
36) Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
37) For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
38) Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
39) But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
40) For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
41) And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.”
God worked mightily in Ephesus, but so did the devil. This may be one reason why Paul wrote so specifically about the spiritual battle each Christian faces against powers of spiritual darkness in his letter to the Ephesians; “Put on the whole armour of God” (Ephesians 6:10-20).
God used the city clerk to calm the mob and end the immediate threat to Paul and the other Christians. God had preserved His work and His people again (Acts 19).
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
After this wild time that happened in Ephesus, Paul called for and embraced those disciples who had been involved. Paul then left Ephesus and went through Asia to Troas, then to Macedonia to Philippi and then he eventually went to Corinth.
Paul stayed in the city of Corinth for three months. After this time was over, Paul was about to sail to Syria, but he learned that the Jews were plotting to murder him. Who does the Bible say was plotting to murder Paul again? It was the Jews, the wicked seed line, that were plotting to murder him. Not the negros, not the Orientals, not the Pacific Islanders, not the Caucasians, but the Jews.
So, instead of taking a ship, most probably from Cenchrea, he decided to quickly leave town. So, Paul thwarted the plan of the Jews who were waiting to murder him in Cenchrea and decided to return and go through Macedonia and take a ship from there.
There were seven disciples that sailed ahead of Paul to wait for him at Troas, located on the northwest coast of what is Turkey today. Paul spent the Days of Unleavened Bread (Passover) at Philippi from whose port, Neapolis, he sailed to Troas to rendezvous with the others.
Paul spent one week in Troas and spoke to his disciples and others on his final evening. Paul spoke for so long that Eutychus (a young man sitting on a window ledge on the third floor) at midnight fell into a deep sleep and fell three floors to the ground. The disciples pronounced him dead, but Paul prayed for him, and he was brought back to life. Afterwards, Paul ate and talked for a long while, even till the break of day, and then he departed.
The next morning, Paul leaves on foot for Assos. His fellow disciples traveled by ship also to the same city. Assos was an ancient Greek city, well known, even in Paul’s day, as the home of Aristotle, who founded a school of philosophy here in 340 BC.
After Paul got to Assos, he joined his disciples on the ship, and they sailed to Mitylene on the island of Lesbos. The next evening, they anchored off the island of Chios. The next day Paul sails to the island of Samos and then the following day makes it to Miletus.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus (distance by land is about 63 miles; across the Gulf of Samos the distance would be about 38 miles) and called for the elders of the church to come and hear his farewell speech. Here is a few of the things that the Bible says that Paul said to the elders of the church of Ephesus:
Acts 20:18-21:
18) “And when they [elders of the church of Ephesus] were come to him [Paul], he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia [not the continent, but the province], after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
19) Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews [Edomite Judeans]:
20) And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
21) Testifying both to the Jews[Israelite Judeans], and also to the Greeks [Israelites of the dispersion], repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul first calls attention to himself as an example. Paul didn’t act like a religious celebrity and expected people to serve and honor him; he just wanted to be serving the Lord with all humility. Paul could solemnly say before these elders of the Ephesian church that he kept back nothing that was helpful. He didn’t only teach the topics that pleased him. He proclaimed it all.
Acts 20:25 “And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.”
Paul here showed great sadness, great compassion, and great courage. He told them that he had preached to them “the kingdom of God.” And then he told them the bombshell – that he would see them no more.
Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.”
Paul could leave them with a clear conscience because he knew that he taught them the whole counsel of God. Acts 19:9-10 tells us that Paul taught the Ephesians and those in the region for more than two years, using a rented room from the school of Tyrannus. There are some indications that Paul taught for several hours a day, and some six days a week. This means hundreds of hours of teaching time (probably well more than 1,500 hours).
He had plenty of time to take them verse-by-verse through the books of the Hebrew Scriptures. They may have also studied the life of Jesus from some of the accounts of His life being written in that same period.
Today, there should be more who will present the whole counsel of God. Paul later warned that in the last days, people would not endure sound doctrine, but would look for teachers who would tell them what they want to hear – teachers who would scratch their itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3).
Acts 20:29 “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.”
Paul knew that savage wolves would come in among them. He knew that a pastor, a leader among God’s people must do more than only feed and lead – he also must protect. Paul doesn’t say how he knew; only that he did know. These wolves would be vicious. They wouldn’t hold back against the people of God but would try to take as many of them as they could.
Acts 20:30-31:
30) “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
31) Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”
Though Paul gave his all for the Christians in Ephesus on two missionary journeys for some four years, he could only commend them to God and to the word of His grace. Paul knew there was trouble ahead for him, and some trouble ahead for the Ephesian Christians. Yet God and the word of His grace would see them through. When he finished, he kneeled and prayed with them all.
To be continued.
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel.
