Christian Church
Paul ministered at Philippi during his second missionary journey, spending about three months in the city. The ministry at Philippi marked Paul’s entrance into Macedonia (first entry to Europe), which came about as a result of a vision he had in the city of Troas, just across the northeastern corner of the Aegean Sea from the port city of Neapolis and its close neighbor Philippi (Read Acts 16:8–12).
During this first stay in Philippi—he later briefly visited the city on his third missionary journey (Read Acts 20:6)—Paul brought to faith in Christ people who would form the core of the burgeoning congregation in the city. Among them were Lydia, a businesswoman who opened her home to Paul and his coworkers (Read 16:13–15), and the Philippian jailer, who was converted under Paul’s ministry after an earthquake miraculously broke open the prison (Read Acts 16:22–34).
Paul wrote Philippians while he was a prisoner in Rome. Paul’s imprisonment in Rome is verified by the book of Acts, where we find references to his being guarded by soldiers (Read Acts 28:16),
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