The story that begins here and runs through to 21:16 covers the greatest years of Paul’s life—years that saw the foundation of the churches of Macedonia, Achaia (Greece), and Asia and the writing of some of his most important epistles. The story is told by means of a few typical pictures (see disc. on 3:1–10) by which Luke is able to show both the power of the gospel and the effect of its meeting with the other powers of that day: philosophy, religion, and the Roman state. At a number of points the story is corroborated and filled out by Paul’s letters. However, some of the details of Luke’s narrative have been questioned, especially his account of Paul and Silas’ imprisonment and the earthquake that interrupted it. Parallels have been adduced from other literature in proof that the story…