THIRD & FOURTH JOURNEY OF ST. PAUL

Third Journey

Shortly after, Paul set out on his third missionary. First he went to EPHESUS (Turkey) where he stayed for two years, teaching, working miracles and despite much opposition, gaining a large number of converts. It was here that he wrote First Corinthians and promoted the churches at COLOSSAE (Honaz, Turkey), PHILADELPHIA (Alasehir, Turkey), HIERAPOLIS (Pamukkale, Turkey) and LAODICEA (Denizli, Turkey). Eventually driven from the city by riots of the silversmiths, led by Demetrius (whose trade in shrines to the goddess Artemis was threatened by the spread of Christianity (Acts 19.24-41). He went to MACEDONIA (Greece) where he wrote 2 Corinthians. He then spent three months at CORR,41H (Greece) (57 A-D.) where he wrote his epistle to the Romans to prepare the way for his visit to Rome. From there, he set out to JERUSALEM with delegates of the Churches of Asia Minor (Turkey and Greece taking contributions to relieve the poverty of the Mother Church (1 Cor.16.3) (Rom 15.25-26). On the way he stopped at MILET'OS (Turkey) to bid farewell to the elders of the Church of Ephesus and it was here that he predicted his imprisonment (Acts 20.22).

At JERUSALEM he was met with hostility by the people and was only saved by the Roman Soldiers who put him in protective custody in the castle (Acts 21.27-36). Although appeased by the mention of his conversion, the crowds were enraged by his mission to the Gentiles. They insisted on a trial and he was sent to CEASAREA (Acts 23.23) where the trial was deferred for two years. Paul then applied to Ceasar for trial at ROME.

Fourth Journey

Before embarking he was brought before the Jewish King Agrippa whom he deeply impressed (Acts 25.13-27). During the voyage to Rome, he was shipwrecked at MALTA (Acts 27). After Entering in Malta, during which he cured ill people he continued his voyage to Rome where they kept him locked in a house of his own for two years. The remainder of his life is not clear but it is believed that he may have travelled as far as Spain and returned to EPHESUS before finally being beheaded at ROME..

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