The beloved physician Luke shared how Paul was taken before Gallio at the judgment seat in Corinth by Jewish non-believers, and when Gallio told them he would not attend to their case, “Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed then into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shaved his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow”, and in chapter eighteen and verse nineteen of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul, “came to Ephesus”,where we read:
And he came to Ephesus, and left them there:
but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
The verse reads, “And he came to Ephesus, and left them there:”: Luke began with the words, “and he came to Ephesus” which means “and Paul arose and appeared in Ephesus whose name means permitted and was a maritime city of Asia Minor, capital of Ionia and under the Romans, of proconsular Asia, situated on the Icarian Sea between Smyrna and Miletus”, “and left them there” or “and departed, went forth and abandoned the others with him in that place”. Luke shared how “Paul” arrived at “Ephesus” and left those with him behind to continue on his mission.
The verse goes on to say, “but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.” Luke continued with the words, “but he himself” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover he, Paul, his own self” “entered into the synagogue” which means “came into and entered the sacred place where an assembly of Jews formally gathered together to offer prayers and listen to the reading and expositions of the scriptures”, “and reasoned with the Jews” or “and mingled thoughts, pondered, resolved in mind alongside the Jewish people as respect to origin, birth or religion”. Luke shared how “Paul” entered the “synagogue” located in “Ephesus” and began to hold discourses with the Jewish people who worshiped there.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Paul” arrived in the city of “Ephesus”, left behind the others with him and went into the “sacred worship place of the Jews” to hold discussions with them. “Paul” was determined to bring the “good news” of Jesus Christ to his fellow “Jews”, and he went to the sacred worship place in “Ephesus” where he knew they would gather. God wants to have a personal relationship with every person who will believe and trust in His Son Jesus, and He sent Jesus to the world to die for the sins of mankind so they may live with Him forever. God loves everyone, and those who are wise will carefully examine God's salvation plan and “Paul's” determination to share it, and afterward submit themselves to the only One who is able to provide them with everlasting and eternal life.
Next time Luke shares when the Ephesians desired Paul, “to tarry longer time with them, he consented not”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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