Acts 13: Mixed Results
Of what importance was the listing of key leaders of the church in Antioch?
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King James
Herod Antipas had died about five years earlier. What might it have been like to be a childhood companion of royalty and later become a follower of Jesus?
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King James
What does the diversity of race and social backgrounds say about the early church?
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King James
From the time of Jesus’ appearance near Damascus, how many years might have passed before the Holy Spirit sent Saul on his first missionary journey?
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King James
What do you think was accomplished with fasting and prayer before Saul and Barnabas were released for ministry abroad?
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King James
Why did Saul select a ship bound for Cyprus and not somewhere else?
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King James
What could John Mark’s role have been in traveling with Saul?
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King James
Why did they go to the synagogues and not some public meeting place?
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King James
What kind of inconsistency might exist in a Jew functioning as a magician or false prophet?
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King James
Why do you think a Roman governor connected with a Jewish magician want to hear from Saul?
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King James
What would have motivated the magician to oppose what Saul was saying?
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King James
What did the apostle Paul (formerly known as Saul) see by the Holy Spirit, which he would otherwise have to guess?
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King James
What was the difference between the magician’s magic and the power of God revealed through Paul?
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King James
How might Paul have related God’s judgment upon Elymas to his own experience on the way to Damascus?
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King James
In what ways might the community have been affected by its governor being baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit?
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King James
Why do you think John Mark left Paul at Perga and returned to Jerusalem?
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King James
In the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia, what do you suppose was the source of interest for the Jews to want to hear from Paul and Barnabas?
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King James
Compared to what Paul had said in synagogues, previously, how would you contrast his message to these Jews?
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King James
How important might it have been for Paul to share his Damascus story, either during or after the first meeting?
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King James
Since Antioch in Syria was over 500 miles from Jerusalem, how familiar with Jesus’ ministry do you think the Jews in this area were?
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King James
Paul refers to a psalm that he says was fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ. These verses are typically translated as God saying Jesus had become his son, which we might question since Jesus was always God’s son. The Father identified his Son long before the resurrection. The Hebrew yalad in Psalm 2:7 can also be translated “brought forth” which would have been understood as a direct connection to the resurrection, Thus, Jesus “came forth” from the grave, fulfilling the prophetic words: Today I have brought you forth. How do you think the Jews related the verse in Psalms to Jesus’ resurrection?
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King James
Many Christians are familiar enough with Scripture to connect David’s words with Jesus’ resurrection, but the Jews hadn’t received our teachings. How likely would the Jews have already associated David’s words with the coming Messiah? What percentage do you think were not aware of the details in David’s psalm?
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King James
How important do you think it was to explain that David could not have been talking about himself but Jesus whose body suffered no decay.
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King James
What was the difference between righteousness by the Law of Moses and forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ?
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King James
How helpful or harmful might it have been for Paul to challenge the people to believe by quoting the prophet Habakkuk that many would not believe?
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King James
What percentage of the people do you think wanted to hear more from Paul and Barnabas?
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King James
What might have caused most of the city to want to hear more about Jesus?
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King James
When the unbelieving Jews sought to “demonize” Paul, what arguments might they have given?
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King James
How did Paul respond to those who refused to believe?
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King James
How do you think the believers and nonbelievers felt after being told that the message of Jesus the Messiah would be taken to foreigners?
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King James
No doubt, the excitement among the believers caused the message to spread throughout the area. What positive or negative effect might the opposition have created?
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King James
What methods could have been used by unbelieving Jews to pressure Paul and Barnabas to leave Antioch?
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King James
Rather than fight, Paul fled, which was something he didn’t always do. Why might it have been the right choice in this case?