New Testament: Acts 18.17

To read the Bible in a year, read Acts 18 on July 14, In the year of our Lord Christ 2022

By Don Ruhl 

The Jews brought Paul before a Roman official, Gallio, wanting him to condemn Paul for allegedly persuading men to worship God contrary to the Law of Moses. However, Gallio refused to do so because whatever Paul had done did not violate Roman laws, hence Paul had not committed a crime. 

Then this happened: 

Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.

– Acts 18.17 

I think Gallio did the right thing by not being a judge in the religious matter of the Jews, but then he did the wrong thing by allowing this beating. 

Yes, those in government should always do what is right and fair, but they are like us, sometimes they fail to be consistent. 

Let us pray for the government, as Paul instructed in First Timothy 2.1–7. 

Questions: 

• Why are we sometimes not consistent in our righteousness? 
• For what do you pray on behalf of government officials? 

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Don preaches with the Savage Street Church of Christ in Grants Pass, Oregon. 

Listen to his sermons here: GrantsPassChurchOfChrist.com