The events of Paul’s ministry recorded in Acts 21–28 have notable similarities with the conclusion of the Savior’s mortal ministry. Both Paul and Jesus Christ traveled to Jerusalem; on the way, both foretold hardships that would come upon them in Jerusalem; both faced a plot by certain Jews in Jerusalem; both were arrested and handed over to Gentile authorities; both were tried before the Jewish council and a Roman governor. This portrayal of Paul is part of a theme in Acts emphasizing the continuity between Jesus Christ and His Apostles who followed Him.
In these chapters, Paul gave five speeches defending himself before religious and civil authorities in Jerusalem and Caesarea, culminating in his masterful defense before Agrippa (see Acts 22:1–21; 23:1–10; 24:10–21; 25:8–11; 26:1–29). Paul used these opportunities not only to defend himself against unjust charges but also to bear testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. These speeches represent fulfillments of the Lord’s prophecy that Paul would testify before kings and rulers (see Acts 9:15). In addition, Paul’s journey to Rome helped fulfill Jesus’s commission to the Apostles to take the gospel “unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
As Paul completed his third mission, concerned Church members warned him not to return to Jerusalem. He responded by affirming his willingness to die in Jerusalem for the name of Christ. In Jerusalem, Paul reported to Church leaders concerning his missionary labors. A mob rose against him when he was accused of defiling the Jerusalem temple. Roman soldiers arrested Paul, saving him from the mob.
From the stairs of Antonia Fortress, Paul recounted to the crowd the story of his conversion and of seeing Jesus Christ in a vision. When he related his labors among the Gentiles, his Jewish listeners became angrier with him. Paul invoked the rights of his Roman citizenship to avoid being scourged by Roman soldiers.
Jewish leaders questioned and smote Paul. The Lord appeared to Paul in prison and comforted him. Paul escaped being killed by a band of conspiring Jews when he was taken to Caesarea. Felix, the Roman governor, agreed to hear Paul’s case.
Paul defended himself to Felix against the false charge of sedition. He assured Felix of his innocence and taught him of the Resurrection. Though assured of Paul’s innocence, Felix ordered Paul’s continued imprisonment, hoping to receive bribery money from him. Festus replaced Felix as the Roman governor.
When Jewish leaders sought to have Paul transported to Jerusalem, Paul, knowing his life would be in danger there, appealed to Caesar for judgment. King Agrippa, a Jewish ruler, visited Festus and agreed to hear Paul’s case.
Paul appeared before Festus and Agrippa, recounted his former persecution of the Saints, and testified of the appearance of Jesus Christ to him on the road to Damascus. Paul testified of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is a Light to all people. Agrippa was “almost” persuaded to be a Christian.
As a prisoner, Paul traveled toward Rome by sea during winter months. The ship was nearly destroyed during a storm. An angel comforted Paul. Paul assured those on board that if they remained on the ship their lives would be saved.
Paul and the other passengers found refuge on the island of Melita, where he healed the sick and was unharmed by the bite of a viper. He was taken to Rome, where he was kept under house arrest for two years. While under arrest, Paul taught and testified of Jesus Christ.
Paul Testified of Jesus Christ before Jewish and Roman Officials
Ask students to think back over their lives and recall a time when it was difficult to bear their testimony to someone. Ask one or two students to briefly tell what made it difficult and what would have made it easier to bear their testimony at that time. Explain to students that in today’s lesson, they will have the opportunity to study several instances in which Paul bore his testimony of Jesus Christ under very trying conditions.
Summarize the events of Acts 21 for your students, perhaps by reading aloud the overview of Acts 21 found at the beginning of the lesson. Then tell them that the events recorded in Acts 22–28 are a result of Paul’s arrest by Roman soldiers, recorded in Acts 21. Acts 22–28 describe many opportunities that Paul had to testify of Jesus Christ.
Before class starts, write the following scripture passages and brief summaries on the board:
Acts 21:40; 22:1–8, 12–16, 22–23. Paul testified to Jews at the “castle” (a military compound, probably the Antonia Fortress).
Acts 22:30; 23:1–6, 11–14. Paul testified to Jewish leaders who were members of the Sanhedrin.
Acts 24:1–6, 9–16, 24–25. Paul testified to Ananias, other Jewish elders, and the Roman governor Felix.
Acts 26:1–15 (skim quickly), 16–29. Paul testified to Festus and King Agrippa.
Divide your students into groups with three to five students in each group. Assign each group of students to study one of the first four groups of scriptures listed on the board. If you have a large class, more than one group may be assigned to study the same scripture passage. The fifth scripture passage will be addressed later by the entire class.
Before students read their assigned scripture passage, ask all students in each group to be prepared to do the following:
Give a brief summary of what they read.
Explain briefly what Paul taught this group or individual and how the group or individual responded.
Write these two instructions on the board so students will be able to refer to them while they study, thus giving focus to their study. You might also encourage students to look in the student manual commentary for additional information that will help them understand their assigned scripture passage.
After sufficient time, invite a student from each group to respond to the items on the board. Following student reports, help students further analyze these accounts by asking a few additional questions, such as:
Think about the circumstances under which Paul testified. In what ways could each circumstance be considered difficult for him? (Each circumstance could be seen as intimidating. Paul was a prisoner.)
Think about the people who listened to Paul. In what ways were these groups of people difficult to teach? (None of the people were believers. Some of the people were antagonistic toward Paul.)
What can we learn from Paul’s example about testifying to others?
To help students maintain the storyline of these chapters, read or ask a student to read the chapter overviews for Acts 27 and 28 found at the beginning of the lesson.
Ask a student to read Acts 28:16–17 aloud. Then ask:
Though Paul was a prisoner under house arrest in Rome, what did he do in order to have opportunities to preach and testify of Jesus Christ? (Though he could not go to them, Paul requested that “the chief of the Jews,” or leaders of the Jewish community in Rome, come to him.)
Have several students take turns reading aloud Acts 28:23–31 (one student reads verses 23–25, another reads verses 26–28, and another reads verses 29–31), while the other class members follow along and mark anything about Paul or his testimony that stands out to them. Give students a moment to look back over these verses and then explain what impressed them about Paul’s actions while he was a prisoner. Consider asking the following questions to deepen student understanding and to encourage application of these verses:
How are Paul’s actions as a prisoner in Rome similar to his actions before Jewish and Roman officials, which we studied earlier?
What lessons can we learn from Paul about bearing our testimony to others? (As students share their answers, make sure they understand this principle: Those with testimonies of the truth can always be ready and willing to testify of Jesus Christ and the words of the prophets. Consider using Romans 1:16 and 1 Peter 3:15 to give further emphasis to this principle.)
If there is time, consider having a student read aloud the following experience from the life of President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency:
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President Henry B. Eyring
“I was sent to speak to leaders of churches in the United States and ministers of those churches who had met in Minneapolis to deal with the problem of competition among churches. … My subject was to be: Why there was a need for a restoration of the true Church through Joseph Smith. I was a last-minute substitute for Elder Neal A. Maxwell.
“When I arrived in the city the night before the meetings and looked at the program, I called President Hinckley. I told him that the meetings were to last three days, that many talks were to be given at the same time, that the crowd could choose which one to attend. I told him that I thought if I told the truth, I feared that no one would come to my second session and that I might be coming home very quickly. I asked him what he thought I should do. He said, ‘Use your best judgment.’
“I prayed through the night. Somewhere near dawn, I was sure I was to say about the Restoration not, ‘This is what we believe happened to Joseph Smith and why we believe it happened,’ but, ‘This is what happened to Joseph Smith, and this is why the Lord did it.’ In the nighttime I was given no assurance of the outcome, just a clear direction—go forward.
“To my amazement, after my talk the ministers lined up to speak to me. Every one of them, one after another coming to me, told essentially the same story. Each of them had met a member of the Church somewhere in their lives that they admired. Many of them said that they lived in a community where the stake president had come to the aid of not just his members but of the community in a disaster. They asked if I could take back their greeting and their thanks to people I not only didn’t know but had no hope of ever meeting.
“By the end of the three days of meetings, larger and larger crowds were coming to hear the message of the Restoration of the gospel and the true Church of Jesus Christ” (“God Helps the Faithful Priesthood Holder,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 56).
What concerns would you have if you were called to speak to a group like the one President Eyring addressed?
What are some difficult circumstances in which we might need to share our testimony with others?
What did President Eyring do to prepare himself to speak to these ministers of other religions?
What experiences have you had in bearing testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel to others? How did sharing your testimony at that time prove to be a blessing to you and to others?
Conclude by sharing your testimony. Affirm to your students that as they seek for opportunities to share their testimony with others, the Holy Ghost can strengthen them and help them to say the appropriate words. Assure them that as they seek to do the will of the Lord, like Paul, they can always be ready to teach and testify of Jesus Christ and His gospel.
Remind students that in Acts 25, we read that Paul appealed his case to Caesar. In Acts 27, we read the events that took place while Paul, as a prisoner, journeyed to Rome. Invite students to silently read Acts 27:7–10 to discover what Paul prophesied during the journey.
What did Paul perceive would happen if they journeyed to Rome at that time of year?
What title do Apostles have that refers to their ability to perceive future events or hidden truths? (Seer.)
If necessary, refer students to the student manual commentary for Acts 27:10, 21–22, 31 for a short discussion on the meaning of the word seer. At this point you might testify that seers have the ability to foresee events that will happen in the future.
Give students a moment to study Acts 27:11–12, looking for reasons why those on board the ship rejected Paul’s counsel (see the student manual commentary for Acts 27:11–12 for insights into these verses). Following student responses, ask:
How might people today give similar excuses for rejecting counsel given by modern seers and Church leaders?
Give students a moment to skim Acts 27:13–20 to discover what happened as a result of journeying toward Rome.
How is what happened on this journey representative of what often happens when individuals reject the counsel of modern seers and Church leaders? (When we reject inspired counsel, we place ourselves in spiritual danger.)
What feeling existed among those on board the ship? (See verse 20.)
Read Acts 27:21–25, 30–36 to your students, and give them a moment to ponder what effect Paul’s words had on the ship’s passengers.
What evidence is there that the words of Paul had a positive effect on the ship’s passengers? (The ship’s crew cut off the lifeboat and decided to stay with the ship; all passengers ate; lack of hope was replaced with a feeling of good cheer.)
Take a moment to summarize the remainder of Acts 27 for your students and then ask them what they learned about seers and about following seers from this chapter. Though they may use different words, students will likely state: If we trust in the words of seers, we can find guidance, protection, and hope in their words. (Writing this bold statement on the board will give it additional emphasis in the minds of students.) Clarify that Paul promised those who heeded him that they would be protected physically, but such physical protection and safety are not always the promised blessings for following prophetic counsel. However, we are always protected spiritually when we follow prophetic teachings.
You might conclude by asking students to share examples of times when (1) they were guided or protected because they chose to follow the counsel of a modern prophet or (2) they listened to the words of a modern prophet, perhaps in general conference, and felt increased hope for the future.