Paul's Missionary Journey Continues
(Acts 13:13-52)

Paul and his friends sailed from the island of Cyprus to a place called Perga. It was there that their helper, John Mark, decided to leave them and go back to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas continued on their journey without him, traveling to a city in the region of Pisidia called Antioch.

On the Sabbath day, Paul and Barnabas went to the local synagogue, which was the Jewish place of worship and learning. The leaders of the synagogue invited them to speak. "Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, please say it," they said.

Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to tell the story of God's people. He started from the very beginning, with the time when the Israelites lived in Egypt as slaves. He told how God brought them out with a mighty hand and led them through the wilderness for forty years. He spoke of the judges who ruled Israel, and then of King Saul, and finally of King David, a man after God's own heart.

"From David's descendants," Paul declared, "God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, just as He promised." Paul explained that John the Baptist had prepared the way for Jesus, but John was not the Messiah. He was only a messenger pointing to someone far greater.

Then Paul shared the most important news of all. He told them how the religious leaders in Jerusalem did not recognize Jesus. Even though they read the words of the prophets every Sabbath, they did not understand that those very words were about Jesus. They asked Pilate to have Him killed, and when they had carried out everything the Scriptures said would happen, they took Jesus down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

But God raised Jesus from the dead! For many days, Jesus appeared to His followers, and now Paul and Barnabas were telling this good news to everyone. "Through this man Jesus," Paul proclaimed, "forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Everyone who believes in Him is set free from everything the law of Moses could not free you from."

Paul warned the people not to let the words of the prophets come true about them. He quoted from the prophet Habakkuk, saying, "Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you."

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people begged them to come back and speak more about these things on the next Sabbath. Many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed them, and Paul urged them to continue in the grace of God.

The next Sabbath, almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jewish leaders saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to argue against what Paul was saying and insulted him. Paul and Barnabas became bold and said, "We had to speak God's word to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles." This was a huge turning point, because now the good news about Jesus was going out to all people, not just the Jews.

When the Gentiles heard this, they were overjoyed and praised the word of the Lord. All who were appointed for eternal life believed. The word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region. But the Jewish leaders stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet as a sign against them and went to the city of Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.