Chancellor’s Diary

by Fr. John Jillions

July 14, 2015

Acts 28:23-31 Paul’s witness: some were convinced, others disbelieved

23 When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he expounded the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying [witnessing, dia-martyromenos] to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law…

July 9, 2015

Acts 28:17-22 “Spoken Against”

17 After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 When they had examined me, they…

July 7, 2015

Acts 28:11-16 “And so we came to Rome”

11 After three months we set sail in a ship which had wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the Twin Brothers as figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhe′gium; and after one day a south wind sprang up, and…

June 30, 2015

Acts 28:1-10 Uncommon Kindness

1 After we had escaped, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 And the natives [“barbarians”= non-Greek-speakers] showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 3 Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, when…

June 23, 2015

Acts 27:1-44 Safe in the Company of the Saints

St Paul Voyage
Paul’s sea voyage to Italy

18 As we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to throw the cargo overboard; 19 and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackle of the ship. 20 And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many a day, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our…

June 18, 2015

Acts 26:1-32 Speaking for Ourselves

St Paul
Paul in chains speaking to King Herod Agrippa II (c 60 AD)

Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

2 “I think myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of…

June 16, 2015

Acts 25:1-27

25 Now when Festus had come into his province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesare′a. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor to have the man sent to Jerusalem, planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul…

June 12, 2015

Acts 24:1-27 Paul Comes Face to Face with State Power

Caesarea
Caesarea, seat of the Roman Procurator of Judea

24 And after five days the high priest Anani′as came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertul′lus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul; 2 and when he was called, Tertul′lus began to accuse him, saying:

“Since…

June 11, 2015

Acts 23:12-35

12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 And they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15…

June 10, 2015

Acts 22:30-23:11

Acts 23:2
Acts 23:2

22:30 But on the morrow, desiring to know the real reason why the Jews accused him, the tribune unbound him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.

23:1 And Paul, looking intently at the council, said, “Brethren, I have lived before God in all good…

June 9, 2015

Acts 21:37-22:29 Paul Testifies About His Experience

Rome
Ancient Roman road in modern Tarsus (southeastern Turkey)

21: 37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four…

June 5, 2015

Acts 21:17-36 When Others are Offended

St. James
St James, the Brother of the Lord

17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And…

June 4, 2015

Acts 21:1-16

Map Jerusalem
Map of Paul’s journey to Jerusalem

And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Pat′ara. 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoeni′cia, we went aboard, and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to…

June 3, 2015

Acts 20:17-38 Paul and the Presbyters

17 And from Mile′tus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders [presbyteroi] of the church. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you all the time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with…

June 2, 2015

3rd Day of the Holy Trinity

Acts 20:1-16 Paul in Troas

Troas
Map of Paul’s journey, including Troas

7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8 There were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered. 9 And…

May 29, 2015

Acts 19:21-20:1 “Resolved in the Spirit”

19:21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedo′nia and Acha′ia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 And having sent into Macedo′nia two of his helpers, Timothy and Eras′tus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
23…

May 20, 2015

Resurrection

Leave-taking of Pascha: Christ is risen!

Acts 19:11-20 Magical Thinking

11 And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to pronounce the…

May 19, 2015

Acts 19:1-10 “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit”

Map
Map of primary cities in Acts

While Apol′los was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have never even heard…

May 15, 2015

Acts 18:18-28 “Love is in jeopardy” (Saint John Chrysostom)

18 After this Paul stayed many days longer, and then took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aq′uila. At Cen′chre-ae he cut his hair, for he had a vow. 19 And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself went into the synagogue…

May 13, 2015

Acts 18:1-17 Paul in Corinth

Corinth
Main street in ancient Corinth

1 After this he left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aq′uila, a native of Pontus, lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them; 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed…