Acts 27:39-44 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. (v. 40a) I was Army, not Navy, so I can’t presume to know much about ships. However, my Study Bible guided me a bit. Presumably there were two rudders on …
Monthly Archives: August 2020
August 11 / Acts 27:27-38
Acts 27:27-38 Paul speaking to people on board the ship: Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. (v. 33b) Going two weeks without food, all the while being tossed about in a storm – I’m amazed that Luke did not report some sickness or death …
August 10 / Acts 27:13-26
Acts 27:13-26 Again, Luke’s “we” passages – verses 15, 16, 18, 20. It’s completely intriguing to me to be reading these words from Luke’s own hand, having been through it all personally. Certainly he had the same fears for his own safety as all the others on board, but he could look to Paul for …
August 9 / Acts 27:1-12
Acts 27:1-12 Luke is back to his “we” and “us” writings. It’s intriguing to have this first-hand account of Paul’s ministry. As we begin the trip to Rome in today’s reading, I recall my first time reading through Acts and feeling like I was on board ship with Paul and Luke. Sweet…! And Julius treated …
August 8 / Acts 26:24-32
And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” (v. 24) I have long remembered this verse. (See below.) It’s a small item, but what surprised me in reading this verse …
August 7 / Acts 26:12-23
Acts 26:12-23 …that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. (v. 20b) In our world today there are discussions about salvation by grace alone vs. working one’s way to heaven. And often imbedded therein is a sub-topic discussion of works in general. Why do we perform works? What …
August 6 / Acts 26:1-11
Acts 26:1-11 A couple of weeks ago (July 19) I posted that Luke’s Acts 22 text was the third account of Paul’s conversion. Today we have the fourth and, in my mind, the most personal. Paul begins his account with his earliest years (his “youth”, v. 4) studying in Jerusalem, continues with his life and …
August 5 / Acts 25:13-27
Acts 25:13-27 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. (v. 13) Just reading through the text in the past and not studying the notes, I had assumed that Agrippa and Bernice were husband and wife, king and queen. However, it turns out that they were …
August 4 / Acts 25:1-12
Acts 25:1-12 More than two years have passed since Paul stood before Felix while the Jews brought charges against him. (Recall that Paul had been taken from Jerusalem to Caesarea in the middle of the night.) So after these two years Festus arrives as the new governor and very quickly takes a trip to Jerusalem. …
August 3 / Philippians 4:10-23
Philippians 4:10-23 It’s helpful to recall Paul’s previous visits and activities with the Philippians. He met them on his second missionary journey, when he and Silas were beaten and thrown in jail and the Philippian jailer was converted. From there he went to Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth, where he stayed for 18 months. It …