Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Yesterday we wrapped up Paul's letter to the church at Rome, and today we jump back into Luke's account of the early church in the Book of Acts, which covers a lot of Paul's actions that take place in between and behind the scenes of the letters he's writing. The last time we were

in Acts, Paul and the others narrowly escaped a riot started by a local silversmith who was upset

that their ministry resulted in people buying fewer idols. Today he leaves Ephesus and he and a

handful of other disciples, including Luke, pop around Europe and Asia on route to deliver the financial support to Jerusalem. Luke tells us a story about what happens one Sunday when the church at Troas is gathered to eat and hear Paul preach. There's a young man named Eutychus in the crowd. He's probably in his late teens or early 20s. At some point, he's sitting in a window. Maybe he wants to get some fresh air because

they've been listening to Paul talk all day and it's nearly midnight and they finished off the last of the coffee at 8 p.m. But the fresh air doesn't cut it. Eudica sends Paul a clear message that it's time to wrap it up by falling asleep and plummeting three stories to his death. But Paul is like, nice try buddy i've still got still got two points left in my sermon, you're not going anywhere, and he raises him from the dead. Then they all go back upstairs, and Paul talks until the sun comes up, and they eat some breakfast before they leave on the next few legs of their journey. By the way, if visual aids are helpful for you, check out the map of Paul's third missionary journey that we've linked to in the show notes. While they're in Ephesus, Paul tells the people that in every single city where they stop, the Holy Spirit reminds him that imprisonment and affliction await him. He's on his way to deliver the support to Jerusalem, where the persecution is far more intense than in a lot of other cities he's visited. But God is the one who gave him this

ministry, so he'll continue to receive this gift and calling even though it comes with persecution

and trials. He expects to die soon, so he tells them he'll never see them again, but that

honestly he doesn't really need to because he's already preached the fullness of the gospel to them.

They already have the best of everything he could ever offer them anyway.

He reminds them of two major things before he leaves.

First, he tells them to keep a close watch on what they believe because people will try to

lead them astray, and not just outsiders, but even people who are in their church now.

And second, he reminds them that he's been generous with his time and his life and his

heart, and he encourages them to be generous too. They continue on toward Jerusalem, and at their

stop in Tyra, Paul gets a strange message from the people. We already know from 2022 that the

Holy Spirit is leading Paul to Jerusalem, but 214 says, through the spirit they were telling

Paul not to go onto Jerusalem. Huh? Is the Holy Spirit talking out of both sides of his mouth? Here's what

lots of scholars think is happening in this scenario. The Holy Spirit has revealed to others what he has

already revealed to Paul, that things are not going to go well for him in Jerusalem. However, the people

think this is a warning more than a fact. So they take what God has revealed and add their own fears and

emotions to it and try to deter Paul from going, when in fact, Paul probably sees it as a confirmation

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