This section of Acts is about Paul's missionary journeys into Gentile lands. The church in Antioch, Syria, sent Paul and Barnabas off to share the good news of Jesus Christ. They sailed to the island of Cyprus, and once they covered the area, they sailed to the western part of what is now modern-day Turkey. They then backtracked so they could place leadership in each of the churches they started. They headed back to their home church and shared the amazing things which the Lord had done. Then in chapter 15 was the "Council of Jerusalem," where the church in Jerusalem concluded that a Gentile does not need to become a Jew in order to be saved. Then Paul went on his second trip, and this time with Silas. Barnabas took John Mark to the island of Cyprus again, and Paul and Silas traveled around the Mediterranean Sea into Turkey. Paul had hope to go east and cover more of Turkey, but he saw a vision of a man calling him to Macedonia, so they headed west around the Aegean Sea into modern-day Greece. At the end of this trip, Paul stopped off at "the church" in Jerusalem, and then went back to Antioch. Paul's went back to the churches that he started on his third trip, and this time he collected an offering from the Gentile churches to take the the church at Jerusalem. Everywhere Paul went, they would start sharing the good news of Jesus to the Jews. Some accepted Jesus as the Messiah, and others did not. When some Jews heard Paul was taking the message to the Gentiles, they persecuted him. After bringing the offering to the church in Jerusalem, some Jews there caused an uproar against Paul, and he was arrested. Since there was a threat on his life, the Roman leadership took him to Caesarea for two years. He gave his testimony before Governor Felix, Governor Festus, and King Agrippa, but because he appealed to Caesar (25:11), he was not released, but sent to Rome. The book of Acts ends with Paul in house arrest at Rome, still willing to share boldly about Jesus Christ to all who would listen. He stayed there for two years.
