NLT Illustrated Study Bible - Book of Acts - Flipbook - Page 31
1987
the problems they faced, and about Paul’s
own grace-centered understanding of the
Christian faith and life.
Paul’s letters, with their strong focus on
Christ, reflect his a ll-consuming passion
for Christ and his twin convictions that
(1) salvation is given only to those who put
their faith in Christ as Savior (Gal 2:16),
and (2) every part of a believer’s life is to
be devoted to serving Christ as Lord (Rom
14:79; 2 Cor 5:15). Of all the NT writers,
it is Paul who spells out most clearly what
salvation is (Rom 1–8) and gives us the
fullest picture of the Christian life and
Christian community. Paul’s letters also
highlight the power of the Holy Spirit in
believers’ lives (Eph 5:18; cp. Gal 2:20; Col
1:27). He encourages believers to pursue
the high standard of a life that is truly like
Christ (Rom 8:30; Eph 4:13, 15; 5:1). Believ
ers are to live a life of love (1 Cor 13:113;
Eph 5:2) and fully submit to Christ. Paul,
more than any other NT writer, shows us
how and why Christians must always find
their deepest roots and motivation in the
AD 50
AD 50: Paul meets
Priscilla and Aquila
The council in
Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-29)
AD 55
Paul’s second missionary
journey (Acts 15:36–18:22); Paul spends
18 months in Corinth (Acts 18:1-17)
AD 60
AD 57: Paul travels to
Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-17)
AD 49~50
AD 50–52:
grace of Christ (Rom 12:12). For Paul, the
whole of a believer’s life—and indeed, the
entire universe—is centered in Christ and
Christ alone; everything finds its true mean
ing only in relation to him (Col 1:1520;
2:6–3:4).
Luke’s account of Paul’s missionary
life, which spans a period of perhaps
thirty years, begins with Paul’s preaching
in Damascus shortly after his conversion
(about ad 32~35) and ends with his impris
onment in Rome (ad 60–62). But the Pasto
ral Letters (1 Timothy—Titus) appear to be
dated to a later time, and reliable later tra
ditions affirm that Paul was released from
prison (around ad 62) and continued his
missionary activity. He was later rearrested
and—after a lifetime of suffering as an
evangelist for C hrist—finally killed in Nero’s
persecution of Christians around ad 64~67.
Paul’s desire, not only to suffer as Christ
suffered but also to die as Christ died, was
thus fulfilled—with the sure hope of one
day being resurrected, just as Christ was
resurrected (Phil 3:1011).
AD 53–57:
Paul’s third
missionary journey
(Acts 18:23–21:17)
AD 57–59
Paul is
imprisoned
in Caesarea
AD 65
AD 60–62
Paul in prison in Rome
AD 59–60: Paul’s
journey to Rome
(Acts 27:1–28:16)
about AD 64~65?
Paul is imprisoned in
Rome, is martyred
AD 62–64: Paul is
released, travels freely
