Match These New Testament Characters -- #1 Quiz

Answer: Apostle to Gentiles

Prior to having a dramatic encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul was known as Saul, according to Scripture. Under the name of Paul, he would become known as the great apostle to the Gentiles. The account of Paul's conversion is found in Acts 9:1-31.

More details about Paul's life can be gleaned from Acts 26:1-32, which tells of his appearance before King Agrippa. Paul was originally from Tarsus, which is in present day Turkey.

Answer: Young church worker

In addition to being young, Timothy was known for being timid. For example, in 1 Corinthians 16:10, Paul tells the believers in Corinth to make sure Timothy has nothing to fear, should he visit. Paul, on a number of occasions, describes, Timothy as his son. The last we read about Timothy is in Hebrews 13:23 and it tells of him being released from prison.

Answer: Freed of demons

Mary Magdalene was freed of demons with Mark 16:9 and Luke 8:2 stating Jesus had driven seven demons out of Mary. However, no details are given with the verses simply stating the demons had been driven out previously. Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state the fact Jesus had driven seven demons out of Mary "would explain her strong devotion to Him."

Incidentally, Mary Magdalene was the first person to see Jesus after His resurrection, as per John 20:11-18. She must have been completely astonished when she saw Jesus, even though He had told His followers many times He would die and rise from the dead three days later.

(Feel free to play another quiz I have posted on FunTrivia. It's called 'Facts About Mary Magdalene: True or False?')

Answer: The beloved physician

Paul, in Colossians 4:14 in the NKJV, describes Luke as "the beloved physician." (In the NIV, he describes him as "dear friend Luke, the doctor.") Luke was the writer of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.

Here are two interesting tidbits about Luke and his writings in the Gospel that bears his name. When he writes about the woman who was healed by simply touching Jesus' gown, he is the only Gospel writer who doesn't mention she wasted all her money on doctors. And when it comes to Peter severing Malchus' ear in the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke is the only one who writes about Jesus touching his ear and returning it to normal.

Answer: Imprisoned with Paul

Silas, according to Scripture, was imprisoned with Paul at Philiippi. Acts 16:16-40 states Silas and Paul ended up before the magistrates after they drove demons out of a slave girl who was capable of telling people's fortunes. With the demons no longer living in her, she lost the ability to tell fortunes and her owners were furious as she brought them much profit.

Acts 16:19 states the owners of the slave girl seized Paul and Silas and "dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities". And this is where things turned ugly. Scripture states a crowd ended up attacking the two church workers and after they were stripped, flogged and severely beaten, they were thrown into prison. Despite their condition, Silas and Paul "were praying and singing hymns to God" shortly after midnight while with their feet in stocks!

Answer: Replaced Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot, one of the original Twelve Disciples, hanged himself after betraying Jesus prior to the crucifixion, and Matthias was selected to replace him. Judas Iscariot's suicide is reported in Matthew 27:5. Meanwhile, the selection of Matthias is reported in Acts 1:12-26. He was selected over Joseph, called Barsabas, according to Scripture.

However, little is known about Matthias as his name appears only in the first chapter of Acts.

Answer: Married, impulsive

We know Peter was married because Scripture says Jesus healed his mother-in-law. Luke 4:38-39, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house. But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them." However, no name is given for Peter's mother-in-law.

It seemed a number of disciples were guilty of acting without thinking things through. However, the most impulsive of the lot had to be Peter.

If there ever was an impulsive person in the New Testament, it was Peter. Be it jumping out of a boat to walk on water only to quickly lose his faith and sink, or defiantly proclaiming he would never deny Christ, Peter is front and center in the New Testament when it comes to impulsiveness. Scripture suggests he often spoke without thinking. The account of Peter walking on the water, for an ever-so-brief amount of time, is found in the 14th chapter of Matthew. The account of Peter proclaiming he would never deny Christ and his about-face is found in the 26th chapter of Matthew.

Another example of Peter's impulsiveness is found in the 21st chapter of John, Scripture telling of Jesus, after His resurrection, appearing to seven disciples fishing on the Sea of Galilee. John 21:7 in the NKJV says Peter "plunged" into the water to meet Christ. (The NIV says he "jumped" into the water.) However, the other disciples, according to Scripture, stayed in their little boat and headed to shore to meet Jesus.

Yet another indication of Peter acting without thinking can be found in the thirteenth chapter of the of John. The passages tells of Jesus pouring water into a basin and preparing to wash the feet of the Twelve Disciples. When Christ started washing the disciples' feet, Scripture reports Peter was adamantly opposed. In John 13:8, Jesus responds by telling Peter that "unless I wash you, you have no part with Me." When Jesus made this statement, Peter replies in Verse 9, by saying: "Then Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

Verses 10-11 go on to quote Jesus' reply to Peter: "'He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you'. For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, 'You are not all clean'."

Answer: Served in Crete

Titus, one of thirteen books the apostle Paul is credited with writing, was addressed to him. Titus was serving in Crete at the time of the letter, as per Titus 1:5. The general theme of the letter is the emphasis on good works. It appears after 2 Timothy and before Philemon.

Titus was a worker in the early church who was converted by Paul, as per Galatians 2:3. He was from Greece and appears to have been a Gentile. Titus is one of the smallest books in the Bible, consisting of three chapters and only 46 verses.

Answer: Struck dead

Sapphira and her husband Ananias were stuck dead after selling their property and withholding part of the money from going to the Lord's work, as per Acts 5:12-11.

According to Scripture, they were struck dead after they met separately with Peter and both claimed they had turned over the entire proceeds from the sale of their property.

Acts 5:3-5, in the NKJV, states: "But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.' Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last."

According to Scripture the same thing happened three hours later to Sapphira.

Acts 3:11 tells of "great fear" coming upon members of the early church.

Answer: Son of Encouragement

Barnabas was known as the Son of Encouragement, as per Acts 4:36. The nickname was given because Barnabas was apparently always upbeat and encouraging other workers in the early church. He could have easily earned the nickname "Mr. Cheerful Giver" as Acts 4:37 states that Barnabas sold a field he owned and put the money at the apostles' feet.