Paul’s first missionary journey established churches in southeastern Asia Minor. In his second, he intended to build those churches, but the Holy Spirit led him further, across the Aegean Sea to Greece and back home through Ephesus. On his third trip, Paul had the opportunity to reconnect with many of the churches he had established on his first two trips, and started a couple of new churches.
The account of Paul’s third missionary journey begins in Acts 18. Paul spent some time in his native church in Antioch in Syria before returning to the northwest by land and traveling through Galatia and Phrygia in Asia Minor, visiting the churches at Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia, churches he had established over the years. his first trip. (Acts 18:23). Meanwhile, at Ephesus, on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor, Priscilla and Aquila encountered Apollos, a polite and eloquent orator who spoke enthusiastically of Jesus. Unfortunately, he only knew the story until John’s baptism. Priscilla and Aquila took Apollo aside and taught him about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and Apollo became a powerful Christian teacher, sometimes rivaling Paul’s influence (Acts 18:24–28; 1 Corinthians 3 :4–5).
Apollos traveled to Corinth in Achaia, and Paul arrived at Ephesus where he apparently met some of Apollos’s students (Acts 19:1). These twelve men only knew of John’s baptism to repentance (see Mark 1:4); they had not been born again by faith in Christ and had not received the Holy Spirit ( Acts 19:2–3 ). Paul explained the full gospel to them, pointing them to Jesus Christ as John had (see Mark 1:7–8). The men were baptized and Paul laid his hands on them. They immediately received the Spirit and, as a sign of their new life, began to speak in tongues and prophesy ( Acts 19:4–7 ).
Paul spent three months teaching in the synagogue at Ephesus, reasoning from the Jewish Scriptures, but some in his audience not only rejected his message but became abusive against “the Way” (Acts 19:8–9). Paul took those who believed and moved from the synagogue to a school owned by a man named Tyrant. There Paul preached daily to Jews and Greeks for two years (verses 9–10).
Despite the opposition in Ephesus, the Holy Spirit worked powerfully through Paul. Luke says that “extraordinary miracles” (Acts 19:11) were being performed as people were healed and evil spirits were being cast out (verse 12). Trying to get into Paul’s work, the “Sons of Sceva”, seven traveling Jewish exorcists, tried to cast out demons in the names of Jesus and Paul (verse 13). The demons responded that they recognized the authority of Jesus and Paul but did not know these men. The demons then attacked the men, beating them, stripping them naked, and driving them out of the house (verses 14–16). After this incident, the name of Jesus was even more respected in Ephesus, Paul saw a great increase in his ministry, and many former magicians burned their books on magical arts (verses 17–20).
After his extended stay in Ephesus, Paul realized that the Holy Spirit was leading him forward. Continuing his third missionary journey, Paul sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia (Acts 19:21–22). But before Paul left, a silversmith named Demetrius, who made Artemis altars and resented the decline in business he had seen since Paul’s arrival, gathered other workers and started a riot (verses 23–34) . Finally, the town clerk arrived and dispersed the crowd, telling them that if they had anything against Paul, they should take him to court (verses 35–41). Paul quietly left the city and crossed the Aegean Sea to Macedonia, where he traveled to Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea to encourage the churches there; then he went to Greece (Achaia) and spent three months there (Acts 20:1–3).
Paul had planned to board a ship at Corinth and set sail for Jerusalem through Syria, but discovered that some Jews were plotting to stalk him on the journey, so he returned to Macedonia by land. Paul retraced his steps from Corinth to Berea, Thessalonica, and Philippi, where he met Luke again and observed the Passover. From Philippi, Paul and Luke set sail for Troas, where they arrived five days later and met Paul’s fellow travelers who had preceded them: Timothy, Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Tychicus, and Trophimus. These men represented various churches and were probably helping to bring a monetary offering to the Jerusalem church (cf. 1 Cor. 16:1). They all stayed in Troas for a week ( Acts 20:1–6 ).
Paul made the most of his brief stay in Troas. On Sunday, when the believers assembled, Paul preached late into the night ( Acts 20:7–8 ). A young man named Eutychus was sitting on a window sill in a room on the third floor. Around midnight, he fell asleep and fell out the window to the ground (verse 9). Eutychus was pronounced dead, but Paul brought him back to life, served communion, and spoke again until dawn (verses 10–12).
Instead of traveling inland to visit the established churches of Asia Minor or sailing more directly to Jerusalem, Paul continued his third missionary journey by taking a coastal route. Paul walked to Assos, while the rest of the group sailed to that port and picked Paul up there. They then all traveled to Mytilene, Trogillio, and Miletus, along the southwestern coast of Asia Minor (Acts 20:13–15). Paul bypassed Ephesus because he knew that if he stopped there he would be held longer than he wanted, and he wanted to get to Jerusalem before Pentecost (verse 16). Paul asked the elders of Ephesus to meet him at Miletus, which they did. Paul prayed with them, encouraged them, warned against false teachers, and foretold the difficulties he would face in Jerusalem (verses 17–35). After tearful goodbyes, the elders of Ephesus took Paul to the ship (verses 36–38).
From Miletus, Paul and his retinue sailed to Patara, then to Tire in Syria, where they stayed for a week ( Acts 21:1–6 ). The disciples pleaded with Paul, for his own safety, that he not go to Jerusalem. But he sailed on, stopping briefly at Ptolemais before landing at Caesarea and staying with Philip the Evangelist (verses 7–14). While in Caesarea, the prophet Agabus declared that Paul would be imprisoned if he went to Jerusalem, but Paul was determined to complete his mission. After several days, a group escorted Paul to Jerusalem and to the house of Mnason, who received Paul and his companions (verses 15–16). Thus came to an end Paul’s third missionary journey.