THE young man you see here with the apostle Paul is Timothy. Timothy lives with his family in Lysʹtra. His mother is named Euʹnice and his grandmother Loʹis.

This is the third time that Paul has visited Lysʹtra. About a year or so before, Paul and Barʹna·bas first came here on a preaching trip. And now Paul has returned again with his friend Silas.

Do you know what Paul is saying to Timothy? ‘Would you like to join Silas and me?’ he is asking. ‘We could use your help in preaching to people in faraway places.’

‘Yes,’ Timothy answers, ‘I would like to go.’ So soon afterward Timothy leaves his family and goes with Paul and Silas. But before we learn about their trip, let’s find out what’s been happening to Paul. It’s been about 17 years since Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus.

Remember, Paul came to Damascus to hurt Jesus’ disciples, but now he is a disciple himself! Later some enemies plan to kill Paul because they don’t like his teaching about Jesus. But the disciples help Paul to escape. They put him in a basket and let him down outside the city wall.

Afterward Paul goes to Antioch to preach. It is here that Jesus’ followers are first called Christians. Paul and Barʹna·bas are then sent out from Antioch on a preaching trip to far-off countries. One of the cities they visit is Lysʹtra, the home of Timothy.

Now, about a year later, Paul is back in Lysʹtra on a second trip. When Timothy leaves with Paul and Silas, do you know where they go? Look at the map, and let’s learn some of the places.

First, they go to nearby I·coʹni·um, then to a second city named Antioch. After that they travel up to Troʹas, then over to Phi·lipʹpi, Thes·sa·lo·niʹca and Be·roeʹa. Do you see Athens on the map? Paul preaches there. After that they spend a year and a half preaching in Corinth. Finally they make a short stop in Ephʹe·sus. Then they come back by boat to Caes·a·reʹa, and travel up to Antioch, where Paul stays.

So Timothy travels hundreds and hundreds of miles helping Paul to preach the “good news” and to start many Christian congregations. When you grow older, will you be a faithful servant of God like Timothy?

OH! OH! What’s happening here? Is the boy who is lying on the ground hurt very bad? Look! one of the men coming out of the house is Paul! Can you see Timothy there too? Did the boy fall out the window?

Yes, that’s just what happened. Paul was giving a talk to the disciples here in Troʹas. He knew that he would not see them again for a long time because he had to leave on a boat the next day. So he kept talking until midnight.

Well, this boy named Euʹty·chus was sitting at the window, and he fell asleep. He fell over, and right out the window, three stories to the ground below! So you can see why the people look so worried. When the men pick up the boy, it’s just as they fear. He is dead!

When Paul sees that the boy is dead, he lies on top of him and hugs him. Then he says: ‘Don’t worry. He’s all right!’ And he is! It’s a miracle! Paul has brought him back to life! A wave of joy sweeps over the crowd.

They all go upstairs again and have a meal. Paul keeps on talking until it is daylight. But you can be sure that Euʹty·chus doesn’t go to sleep again! Then Paul, Timothy and those traveling with them get onto the boat. Do you know where they are going?

Paul is just finishing his third preaching trip, and he is on his way home. On this trip Paul had stayed three years in the city of Ephʹe·sus alone. So this is an even longer trip than his second one.

After leaving Troʹas, the boat stops at Mi·leʹtus for a while. Since Ephʹe·sus is just a few miles away, Paul sends for the older men in the congregation to come over to Mi·leʹtus so he can talk to them for the last time. Afterward, when it is time for the boat to leave, how sad they are to see Paul go!

At last the boat comes back to Caes·a·reʹa. While Paul is staying here at the house of the disciple Philip, the prophet Agʹa·bus warns Paul. He says that Paul will be made a prisoner when he comes to Jerusalem. And sure enough, this is what happens.