Daily Devotion: The Acts of the Apostles - Paul Is Sent to Caesarea

Bible Reading: Acts 23:23-35 KJV 

Key Verse:  "And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;" - Acts 23:35 KJV

Paul's situation becomes increasingly dangerous. A group of more than forty men make a solemn vow that they will neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. They develop a plan to ambush Paul while he is being brought before the council. But God had already promised Paul that he would testify in Rome. And now we see God's providence at work.

Daily Devotion: The Acts of the Apostles - Paul Before the Sanhedrin by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Acts 23:1-11 KJV 

Key Verse:  "And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." - Acts 23:11 KJV

Paul has been arrested in Jerusalem and now stands before the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin. He begins by declaring: “I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” Paul is not claiming that he has never sinned. Rather, he is saying that he has sincerely sought to live faithfully before God according to what he understood to be true.

Daily Devotion: The Acts of the Apostles - Paul Is Arrested in the Temple

Bible Reading: Acts 21:30-40 KJV 

Key Verse:  "Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul." - Acts 21:32 KJV

Paul's arrival in Jerusalem has now taken a dramatic turn. He came to the city knowing that suffering awaited him. He had already been warned repeatedly, yet he remained determined to follow the Lord's leading. Now, while he is in the temple, some Jews from Asia recognize him and begin accusing him of teaching against the Jewish people, the Law, and the temple. They also falsely accuse him of bringing Gentiles into the temple.

Daily Devotion: The Acts of the Apostles - Paul Arrives in Jerusalem by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Acts 21:17-26 KJV 

Key Verse:  "And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry." - Acts 21:19 KJV

After a long journey, Paul finally arrives in Jerusalem. The believers receive him gladly, and Paul meets with James and the elders of the church. His first response is not to talk about himself or his hardships. Instead, he tells them “what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.” That phrase captures Paul's perspective beautifully.

Daily Devotion: The Acts of the Apostles - Paul Travels to Jerusalem by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Acts 21:4-14 KJV 

Key Verse:  "Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." - Acts 21:13 KJV

Paul is making his way toward Jerusalem, and the believers along the way are deeply concerned about what awaits him. At Tyre, the disciples warn him not to go. Later, the prophet Agabus gives an even more dramatic warning. He takes Paul's belt, binds his own hands and feet, and declares that Paul will be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and delivered into the hands of the Gentiles.

Daily Devotion: The Acts of the Apostles - Paul Says Farewell to the Ephesian Elders by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Acts 20:18-28 KJV 

Key Verse:  "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." - Acts 20:24 KJV

Paul is on his way to Jerusalem, and he knows that difficult days are ahead. Rather than returning to Ephesus, he sends for the elders of the church and meets with them at Miletus. This is an emotional farewell. Paul reminds them of the way he served among them, with humility, tears, perseverance, and faithfulness. He had not kept back anything that would benefit them. He had taught them publicly and privately, proclaiming repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.

Daily Devotion: The Acts of the Apostles - The Riot in Ephesus by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Acts 19:20-35 KJV

Key Verse:  "So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." - Acts 19:20 KJV

The gospel had made a tremendous impact in Ephesus. People were abandoning idolatry, turning to Christ, and changing the way they lived. As a result, the business surrounding the worship of the goddess Diana began to suffer. A silversmith named Demetrius recognized the threat, not primarily to his religion, but to his income. He gathered the craftsmen together and warned them that Paul's preaching was causing people to turn away from idols.