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Paul leaves Athens and goes to Corinth. There, he preaches the gospel in the synagogue every Sabbath, and works as a tent-maker alongside a married couple of the same trade: Aquila and Priscilla.

Paul gives a sermon that does not presume prior knowledge of the Old Testament. Paul compliments the Athenians on how reverent they are toward divine powers. Paul observes that one of the idols in Athens is dedicated to “the unknown god.” He uses this unknown god as a stand-in for the true God, that although He is unknown to the Greeks, He desires to be known by them. Paul explains that the true God is the real power behind all life. He is a God who does not live in temples. Paul claims that God has overlooked the Athenians’ past; they did not know Him and had not heard of Him until now, but now God was calling them to repent and return to Him because He has appointed a day in which everyone will be judged by a Man who was raised from the dead. Some of Paul’s listeners think the claim that God resurrected a Man is too incredible to believe. But others are very interested in what Paul is preaching. Some Greeks even go to him to learn more. They then believe in Jesus. One of the new believers is an Athenian judge.

The countless amount of idols in Athens bothers Paul. He preaches in both the synagogue and the Agora (market). Local Greek philosophers are interested in what Paul says. They take him to the Areopagus, a stony hill where debates were held. They give Paul the chance to preach.

Because of the danger to the new Thessalonian believers, Paul and his team sneak out of town to the nearby city of Berea. The citizens of Berea are more thoughtful and mature than those in Thessalonica. They receive Paul’s teaching with a warm and welcoming attitude, while also comparing his truth-claims with the Scriptures. Many of the Bereans believe, Jews and Greeks alike. The Jews who caused the trouble in Thessalonica hear that Paul is still preaching in the next town over, so they go to Berea and rabble-rouse against the Christians once more. This time, only Paul leaves town. Some of the Bereans escort him all the way to the city of Athens, while Silas and Timothy remain in Berea, with the promise that they will join Paul in Athens as soon as they can.

After leaving Philippi, Paul, Silas, and Timothy make their way further west into Macedonia. In the city of Thessalonica, Paul preaches at a Jewish synagogue. For three Sabbaths, he uses the Old Testament to show that Jesus was the Messiah, who was prophesied to die and resurrect. A significant number of the Jews, God—fearing gentiles, and important women believe in Jesus. Other Jews are filled with jealousy. They rouse a mob and tear through the city. The mob alerts the authorities to Paul’s presence in town, that he and his teachings are upsetting other cities in the Roman Empire. They claim that what he teaches is opposed to Caesar, because he is corrupting people into believing in a false king named Jesus.

The Great Commission (continued) Jesus commissions and commands His disciples to make more disciples of all nations. They are to accomplish this by going to the nations, baptizing new disciples in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and by teaching new disciples to do the things Jesus commanded them. The Great Commission ends with Jesus promising to be with them until His return.

The Great Commission Jesus begins His Great Commission of His disciples by declaring that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.

Jesus’s sixth resurrection appearance. The disciples obey Jesus’s command and proceed to Galilee. They see Him there and worship Him, but some were doubtful. 

The Resurrection Coverup Some of the soldiers who ran away from the tomb report to the chief priests about the angel who rolled away the stone. The priests confer with the elders and together they devise a scheme to cover up the resurrection. They bribe the soldiers with a large sum of money to tell the lie that Jesus’s disciples stole His body by night. The religious leaders assure the guards that they will keep them out of trouble if Pilate hears of their desertion or failure. 

Jesus’s Second Resurrection Appearance Jesus meets the women after they reported to the disciples about the angel and the empty tomb. They fall to the ground in worship of Jesus, clinging to His feet. He encourages them to not be afraid and tells them to instruct His disciples to leave Jerusalem for Galilee where they will see Him.

The Women’s Resurrection Report The women rush from the empty tomb and find the disciples. They report what they saw and heard from the angel—that Jesus has risen from the dead, and His message to meet Him in Galilee.

The Angel’s Announcement to the Women at the Empty Tomb  When the women arrive at Jesus’s tomb, they find it empty. An angel addresses them stating that the reason Jesus is not here is because He has risen. The angel invites the women to see the empty tomb for themselves. He charges them to inform the disciples about what they have seen and to remind them of Jesus’s message to meet Him in Galilee. 

The Opening of Jesus’s Tomb Matthew reports accompanying signs of Jesus’s resurrection: a severe earthquake, an angel of the Lord descends from heaven, and the stone sealing Jesus’s tomb is rolled away. The Roman soldiers guarding Jesus’s tomb were terrified and became like dead men at the sight of this brilliant and powerful angel. 

End of the Sabbath Once the Sabbath is over, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary come to visit Jesus’s grave.

John begins the prologue to his Gospel with a sublime statement about Jesus’s divine identity. It reflects fundamental principles from the Genesis account of creation expressed in terms taken from the Arché Principle of Greek philosophy. 

Paul urges his readers to walk in righteousness and light, and to separate themselves from those in the church who work against the will of God. God has called believers to be set apart from the world, to live in step with His design as sons and daughters.

Paul appeals to the Corinthians to hear him: he has held nothing back in his openness and love for them, but the Corinthians have not reciprocated in the same way.

Paul continues in the defense of his ministry to the Corinthian believers. Rather than draw attention to his competence as a preacher, teacher, or writer, he lists his qualifications in terms of what he has and is going through to fulfill his calling as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He becomes vulnerable and open to his church, again declaring his love and affection for them.

Another judge, named Shamgar, delivers the nation from its enemies in a remarkable and unconventional way. His story is brief, yet it encapsulates the cyclical theme of Judges: God raises up unlikely individuals to deliver His people in times of need.

Ehud’s daring assassination of King Eglon of Moab serves as a turning point in Israel’s struggle against Moabite oppression. Ehud’s escape and the ensuing victory illustrate both his leadership and the divine deliverance of Israel from their enemies.