Acts 21: Willing to Die

Acts 21 offers an insight into the radically changed life of Paul. He began his life committed to the Law, including the persecution of Christians. We are told he even stood watch over the cloaks of those who killed the first Christian martyr, Stephen, meaning he approved of his death. But something changed. In verses 13-14, a prophet warns Paul not to go to Jerusalem because of harm that would come to him. The text reads:

¹³ Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴ When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Paul had shifted from persecuting Christians and approving of their death to being persecuted and being willing to die for Christ.

What had changed?

His heart.

Outsiders often view Christianity as one of many world religions. Yet Christianity is different. It is based on a real historical person who lived, died, and rose again to change the hearts of those who believe in him. Paul was proof of the kind of change Jesus could make in person’s heart.

Are you?

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Dillon Burroughs is the author or co-author of numerous books and is handwriting a copy of the New Testament in 2011 at HolyWritProject.com. Find out more about Dillon at Facebook.com/readdB or readdB.com