Jun. 07, 2026

Last week we finished Chapter 15 and Barnabas a Paul were divided over the issue of taking John Mark with them. So, they went in different directions with Barnabas taking John Mark and Paul taking Silas. This week we pick up in Chapter 16 which marks the beginning of the second missionary journey, and Paul meets Timothy.

Acts Lesson 25 Study Questions

1.    A certain disciple was there, named Timothy: The last time Paul was in Lystra, they first __________him as a god and then tried to kill him by _______ (Acts 14:11-20). Paul’s courage and wisdom in the face of these obstacles built a great legacy in people like Timothy.

2.    And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews in that region: Paul had Timothy circumcised, not for the sake of his __________ (Paul would never do so) but so there would be less to ________ ministry among the Jews.

3.    So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily: Their work was successful because their first interest was in __________ the churches. ________ churches will naturally increase in number daily, without relying on man-centered and manipulative methods.

4.    They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia: It is difficult to say exactly how the Holy Spirit said no; it may have been through a word of _______, or by an ________ speaking of the Holy Spirit, or by circumstances. One way or another, Paul and his company got the message. Ephesus would come later, not now.

5.    And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: In Troas, God made Paul’s _________ clear. In a _______, Paul was invited to the region of Macedonia, westward across the Agean Sea.

6.    Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go: Paul did not hesitate to answer the _____ of the Macedonian man. Paul’s missionary team did not hesitate to _______ him on the basis of this call. This was a strong, godly man, leading a strong, godly team.

7.    At the time, Paul probably had no idea of the greatness of God’s ________. God wanted to give him a continent for Jesus, to give him a personal doctor, and to give all of us the man whom God would use to write more of the New Testament than anyone else did. God knows what He is doing when he says, “___.”

8.    From there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia: Paul here followed a plan to plant churches in the ______ cities. He knew that it was easier for the gospel to spread _____ these cities than to these cities.

9.    Lydia… was a seller of purple: Anyone who was a seller of purple dealt in a valued, luxurious product. The dyes used for making purple were expensive and highly regarded. This woman was the first ________ in Europe, and one might say that the Macedonian man turned out to be a ________.

10.    The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul: Therefore, a most important element in evangelism is asking God through prayer to ____ hearts, for without this there can be no genuine __________.

11.    Because demons are ________ beings, not “gods” themselves, we suppose that they cannot read minds, nor actually foretell the future. But they can read and predict human behavior, and can attempt to _____ events towards a previously predicted conclusion.

12.    I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her: Jesus cast out demons with His own _________. Paul was careful to speak to demons only in the _________ of Jesus Christ, and he spoke beyond the afflicted girl to the demon itself with this authority of Jesus.

13.    Exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe. Their charges were vague, simply accusing Paul and Silas of being troublemakers. But those ______ charges were enough, because both the multitude and the magistrates were _______ against Paul and Silas.