Acts 13:13-35.
Acts 13:13-35
Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia
Paul and the others left Paphos and sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. But
John left them and went back to Jerusalem. The rest of them went on
from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia. Then on the Sabbath they went to the
Jewish meeting place and sat down. After the reading of the Law and
the Prophets, the leaders sent someone over to tell Paul and Barnabas,
"Friends, if you have anything to say that will help the people,
please say it." Paul got up. He motioned with his hand and said:
People of Israel, and everyone else who worships God, listen! The God
of Israel chose our ancestors, and he let our people prosper while
they were living in Egypt. Then with his mighty power he led them out,
and for about forty years he took care of them in the desert. He
destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave their land to
our people. All this happened in about years.
Then God gave our people judges until the time of the prophet Samuel,
but the people demanded a king. So for forty years God gave them King
Saul, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. Later, God removed
Saul and let David rule in his place. God said about him, "David the
son of Jesse is the kind of person who pleases me most! He does
everything I want him to do." God promised that someone from David's
family would come to save the people of Israel, and that one is Jesus.
But before Jesus came, John was telling everyone in Israel to turn
back to God and be baptized. Then, when John's work was almost done,
he said, "Who do you people think I am? Do you think I am the Promised
One? He will come later, and I am not good enough to untie his
sandals." Now listen, you descendants of Abraham! Pay attention, all
of you Gentiles who are here to worship God! Listen to this message
about how to be saved, because it is for everyone. The people of
Jerusalem and their leaders didn't realize who Jesus was. And they
didn't understand the words of the prophets that they read each
Sabbath. So they condemned Jesus just as the prophets had said. They
did exactly what the Scriptures said they would. Even though they
couldn't find any reason to put Jesus to death, they still asked
Pilate to have him killed. After Jesus had been put to death, he was
taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb. But God raised him
from death! Then for many days Jesus appeared to his followers who
had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our
people about him. God made a promise to our ancestors. And we are here
to tell you the good news that he has kept this promise to us. It is
just as the second Psalm says about Jesus, "You are my son because
today I have become your Father." God raised Jesus from death and will
never let his body decay. It is just as God said, "I will make to you
the same holy promise that I made to David."
And in another psalm it says, "God will never let the body of his Holy
One decay."
God bless you.
Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia
Paul and the others left Paphos and sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. But
John left them and went back to Jerusalem. The rest of them went on
from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia. Then on the Sabbath they went to the
Jewish meeting place and sat down. After the reading of the Law and
the Prophets, the leaders sent someone over to tell Paul and Barnabas,
"Friends, if you have anything to say that will help the people,
please say it." Paul got up. He motioned with his hand and said:
People of Israel, and everyone else who worships God, listen! The God
of Israel chose our ancestors, and he let our people prosper while
they were living in Egypt. Then with his mighty power he led them out,
and for about forty years he took care of them in the desert. He
destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave their land to
our people. All this happened in about years.
Then God gave our people judges until the time of the prophet Samuel,
but the people demanded a king. So for forty years God gave them King
Saul, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. Later, God removed
Saul and let David rule in his place. God said about him, "David the
son of Jesse is the kind of person who pleases me most! He does
everything I want him to do." God promised that someone from David's
family would come to save the people of Israel, and that one is Jesus.
But before Jesus came, John was telling everyone in Israel to turn
back to God and be baptized. Then, when John's work was almost done,
he said, "Who do you people think I am? Do you think I am the Promised
One? He will come later, and I am not good enough to untie his
sandals." Now listen, you descendants of Abraham! Pay attention, all
of you Gentiles who are here to worship God! Listen to this message
about how to be saved, because it is for everyone. The people of
Jerusalem and their leaders didn't realize who Jesus was. And they
didn't understand the words of the prophets that they read each
Sabbath. So they condemned Jesus just as the prophets had said. They
did exactly what the Scriptures said they would. Even though they
couldn't find any reason to put Jesus to death, they still asked
Pilate to have him killed. After Jesus had been put to death, he was
taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb. But God raised him
from death! Then for many days Jesus appeared to his followers who
had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our
people about him. God made a promise to our ancestors. And we are here
to tell you the good news that he has kept this promise to us. It is
just as the second Psalm says about Jesus, "You are my son because
today I have become your Father." God raised Jesus from death and will
never let his body decay. It is just as God said, "I will make to you
the same holy promise that I made to David."
And in another psalm it says, "God will never let the body of his Holy
One decay."
God bless you.
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