Overview of Acts 15:36–21:36

The Mission to the Gentiles, Part 2

This next section of Acts narrates Paul’s second and third journeys, which contain some of the most well-known portions of Acts. Paul’s call to Macedonia, the conversion of the Philippian jailer, Paul’s speech in Athens, and the riot in Ephesus all take place in the following chapters. As the gospel moves toward the ends of the earth and people turn to Christ and his kingdom, so too does opposition spread. Paul and his companions face increased opposition from Jews and also from Gentiles. One of the twists in Paul’s story is how unbelieving Gentiles frequently serve as the means of his survival.

Many of the churches associated with Paul’s letters are planted during these journeys, as the gospel comes to such cities as Philippi, Thessalonica, Ephesus, and Corinth. Along the way, a longstanding partnership between Paul and Barnabas breaks up over a controversy, but soon afterward a new companion joins Paul, one well known from later in the NT: Timothy.

Although it is common to separate Paul’s second and third journeys, the turn-around between the trips is very fast (Acts 18:22–23), and there is nothing like the major event of the Jerusalem council separating the two trips. Thus it makes some sense to read these westward movements, which begin with one more trip through Galatia and Phrygia, together as a large unit, thus combining the second and third missionary journeys.

This section of Acts ends with Paul’s fated trip to Jerusalem. He goes to Jerusalem to deliver an offering from the Gentile churches to the church there. He will not leave Jerusalem a free man. The opposition fomenting among Jews all across the Gentile world will follow him to Jerusalem and will lead up to his arrest at the temple, as he is charged with speaking against the Mosaic law, the temple, and the Jewish people and their traditions.