We have no Biblical evidence that Paul left Rome after his first imprisonment and went West to Spain, but we do have a few ancient texts that either imply or assert Paul did go to Spain. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.” (Acts 16:6-8) And, of course, it was at Troas that God told Paul through a vision where HE really wanted Paul to go-Europe. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. Paul “intended” to go several places, but God said “NO:” “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. Just because Paul or anyone intends to go someplace does not mean that it is God-inspired. Some argue that because Paul “intended” to go to Spain that he actually did go to Spain because God had put that intent into him. There is no incontrovertible evidence that after Paul spent his two years in his rented house in Rome that he then left for Spain. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ-with all boldness and without hindrance!” Acts 28:30,31 60-62) Paul stayed (in Rome) in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. So Paul’s “best-laid plans” to go through Rome of his own volition and then on to Spain were interrupted by God.Īnd Paul’s Biblical journeys after his release from prison and his martyrdom are not recorded after Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, leaves him in Rome in his “own rented house for two whole years.” 57-59) in a Roman prison in Caesarea Maritima before he is shipped off to Rome for trial before a Roman court (Acts 25). However, Paul is arrested when he goes to Jerusalem and spends about two years (c. Paul writes to the Roman Christians he will be “passing through” Rome on his way to Spain. Including the Jews and Gentile converts to Judaism from Rome, so many small Christian congregations were formed, as one can see from the different countries gathered to celebrate Pentecost. Those who accepted (Peter’s) message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Acts 2:5-12, 41 Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism) Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!’ Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’…. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. That Roman Christian “church” was formed at Pentecost, 40 days after the Resurrection: “Now there were staying in Jerusalem (for Pentecost) God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. Paul makes clear in the opening passage of this article that he had not been to Rome previously and, thus, was not the founder or one of the founders of the Church in Rome. 10,000 miles and had spread the Good News of Jesus’ Resurrection across the Middle East. In his ministry Paul covered by land and sea about c. Paul says in Romans 15:23, 24: “But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions….I plan to…go (as far as one could go West) to Spain.” I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while…. So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain ( Spanian in the Greek) and visit you (in Rome) on the way.” As can been seen from this map, Paul had evangelized his entire Middle Eastern neighborhood and had even entered Europe through Greece. Romans 15:15:23-28: “But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions (around Corinth), and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. The Book of Romans in the New Testament was written by the Apostle Paul to Christian Jews and Gentiles in Rome c.
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