Paul suffered for the Lord
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The stoning of Paul
By the Italian painter Annibale Carracci (1560-1609)
By the Italian painter Annibale Carracci (1560-1609)
Paul suffered for the Lord
From a young age, Paul studied Judaism under the renown rabbi Gamaliel. After his studies, Paul became a Pharisee and joined the elite Jewish hierarchy. Pharisees were honored wherever they went. They were cheerfully greeted in the marketplace and given the best seats at weddings, banquets, and holy holidays. They lived a comfortable, privileged life. But Paul surrendered his entitled position as a Pharisee to follow the Lord.
After becoming a Christian, Paul spent thirty years traveling the vast Roman empire spreading the word of God. He preached the Gospel, made converts, started churches, performed miracles (Acts 14:1-3; 14:8-10; 16:16-18; 19:6; 19:11-12; 20:8-12; 28:8-9), and wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. It's difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity. But Paul paid a heavy price for his devotion to the Lord. Paul spoke of his sufferings in Acts chapters 4, 6, and 11. When Paul converted, Jesus said, "I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake" (Acts 9:16). The anguish began immediately. It continued in unbroken succession for thirty years.
Paul's enemies plotted to kill him in Damascus (Acts 9:24) and Jerusalem (Acts 9:29). They drove him out of Antioch (Acts 13:50) and tried to stone him in Iconium (Acts 14:5). They did stone him in Lystra and left him for dead (Acts 14:19). In Philippi, they beat him with rods and put him in stocks (Acts 16:23-24). In Thessalonica, the Jews and "lewd fellows" tried to mob him (Acts 17:5). They ran Paul out of Berea (Acts 17:13-14) and dragged him to court in Corinth (Acts 18:12). In Ephesus, they almost killed him (Acts 19:29; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9). In Corinth again, shortly after Paul had written 2 Corinthians, they plotted his death (Acts 20:3). In Jerusalem they tried to kill him and would have succeeded if a Roman centurion had not intervened (Acts 22). Then he was imprisoned in Caesarea for two years and two more in Rome.
And besides all this torment, there were beatings, more imprisonments, a shipwreck, and unceasing privations of every kind (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). Then finally, he was taken to Rome to be executed as a criminal (2 Timothy 2:9).
Paul must have had amazing endurance, for he sang as he suffered (Acts 16:25). None but an iron will could have survived it. But even a strong will would not have been sufficient without the Grace of God.
(Paraphrased from "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; page 603)
From a young age, Paul studied Judaism under the renown rabbi Gamaliel. After his studies, Paul became a Pharisee and joined the elite Jewish hierarchy. Pharisees were honored wherever they went. They were cheerfully greeted in the marketplace and given the best seats at weddings, banquets, and holy holidays. They lived a comfortable, privileged life. But Paul surrendered his entitled position as a Pharisee to follow the Lord.
After becoming a Christian, Paul spent thirty years traveling the vast Roman empire spreading the word of God. He preached the Gospel, made converts, started churches, performed miracles (Acts 14:1-3; 14:8-10; 16:16-18; 19:6; 19:11-12; 20:8-12; 28:8-9), and wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. It's difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity. But Paul paid a heavy price for his devotion to the Lord. Paul spoke of his sufferings in Acts chapters 4, 6, and 11. When Paul converted, Jesus said, "I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake" (Acts 9:16). The anguish began immediately. It continued in unbroken succession for thirty years.
Paul's enemies plotted to kill him in Damascus (Acts 9:24) and Jerusalem (Acts 9:29). They drove him out of Antioch (Acts 13:50) and tried to stone him in Iconium (Acts 14:5). They did stone him in Lystra and left him for dead (Acts 14:19). In Philippi, they beat him with rods and put him in stocks (Acts 16:23-24). In Thessalonica, the Jews and "lewd fellows" tried to mob him (Acts 17:5). They ran Paul out of Berea (Acts 17:13-14) and dragged him to court in Corinth (Acts 18:12). In Ephesus, they almost killed him (Acts 19:29; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9). In Corinth again, shortly after Paul had written 2 Corinthians, they plotted his death (Acts 20:3). In Jerusalem they tried to kill him and would have succeeded if a Roman centurion had not intervened (Acts 22). Then he was imprisoned in Caesarea for two years and two more in Rome.
And besides all this torment, there were beatings, more imprisonments, a shipwreck, and unceasing privations of every kind (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). Then finally, he was taken to Rome to be executed as a criminal (2 Timothy 2:9).
Paul must have had amazing endurance, for he sang as he suffered (Acts 16:25). None but an iron will could have survived it. But even a strong will would not have been sufficient without the Grace of God.
(Paraphrased from "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; page 603)
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