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Reconciliation, is found to be insufficient. It is true that the geographical terms are there, and in the order shown,

but there is little value in a mere list of names - except of course, that they show the footsteps of the apostles and the

opening up of the Roman world to the Gospel. Let the reader and the writer share together, as far as possible, the

thrill of first discovery and see the light dawn as patience, persistence and prayer overcome obstacles. The obstacles

are many and various. Chief among them is the wealth of detail and the amount of material. Look for instance at

the places mentioned: Galatia, Phrygia, Asia, Mysia, Bythinia, Troas, Macedonia, Samothracia, Neapolis, Philippi,

Thyatira, Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Mars' Hill, Corinth, Syria, Cenchrea, Ephesus,

Cæsarea, Antioch, Alexandria. To turn these geographical names into centres of real interest would demand a

volume. And if we add to these the different peoples that cross and re-cross the path, and the varied experiences of

the apostle, from the prison at Philippi to the Acropolis at Athens, the difficulty grows.

To return to our quest, here then are the chapters awaiting us, and we are convinced that they are stamped with

the hallmark of inspiration, that we have found throughout the Scriptures. We begin with the conviction that the

vision at Macedonia is a feature of importance, and we therefore make a note of it. We write `Macedonia: Vision'.

As we do so, there comes to mind another vision, recorded in chapter 18, and as this is a likely parallel, we make a

note of that too. `Corinth: vision'. Philippi, which follows the Macedonian vision, occupies a large space, and we

provisionally set aside the rest of chapter 16, under the heading `Philippi'. As we do so, however, we observe that

there is recorded here the strange occurrence of the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, and that the spirit,

instead of opposing the apostle, apparently endorses his message, saying: `These men are the servants of the Most

High God, which shew unto us the way of salvation'. This is evidently an indication that the old enemy is adopting

new tactics, and this item is therefore important. So we note, `Spirit of Python: Way of Salvation'. As we do so, we

recall that there is an incident parallel to this further on in the Acts, and to our delight we find waiting for us the

record of the Jewish exorcists, who used the name of `Jesus, Whom Paul preacheth'. This is so obviously a

corresponding member that we set it down in its place - `Evil Spirit: Jesus, Whom Paul preacheth'. We are now

well started, and soon the hospitality of Lydia and of Aquila and Priscilla are noted, and at the last minute we find

that minute perfectness necessary to confirm the whole scheme - the two references to Phrygia and the region or

country of Galatia. We now have the main outline of the new section before us, and soon we have the joy of seeing

it grow in beauty before our eyes. And not only so, but we have also exchanged a barren list of geographical terms

for the living issues of apostolic witness and conflict.

What has taken a few minutes to recount here represents, of course, in practice as many hours of search and

frustration. The pleasure which the reader has shared with us in the recounting cannot, therefore, be anything like as

keen as the joy that comes from the initial discovery. Truly the searching of the Scriptures brings its own reward,

and it is not without reason that the central member stresses the `nobility' of the Bereans, who searched to see

whether these things were so. We have deliberately taken up a certain amount of space in introducing this structure,

as so many readers ask us `how it is done'. There is no royal road to success, and it is most important that there

should be no invention. There are usually one or two obvious indications placed by the Lord on the surface, ready to

give the lead to any who will follow. The structure of the passage is as follows:

a 16:6. PHRYGIA, a country of GALATIA.

A 16:6-11.

b 16:6-11. THE VISION. MACEDONIA.

c 16:12-15. PHILIPPI. Lydia. Come into my house.

B 16:12-40.

d 16:16-18. PHILIPPI. Spirit of Python. The way of salvation.

e 16:19-40. PHILIPPI. Result: Prison and salvation.

C 17:1-14. THESSALONICA AND BEREA. `More noble'.

A 17:15 to 18:23.  b 17:15 to 18:17. THE VISION. ATHENS and CORINTH.

a 18:18-23. The country of GALATIA and PHRYGIA.

B 18:24 to 19:20.  c 18:24-28. EPHESUS. Aquila and Priscilla.

They took him unto them.

d 19:1-16. EPHESUS. Evil spirits. Jesus Whom Paul preacheth.