Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Phapos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John left them and returned to Jerusalem. But going on from Perga they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
. . . you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Himself . . . for I bear you witness that if possible you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue official sent to them, saying, "Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."It was customary for Paul to visit the local synagogue whenever he entered a town. He knew he would find the Jews there, of course, but also those Gentiles who were God-fearers. Because of what the apostle says later in his sermon, it seems that on this occasion the Law was read from Deuteronomy 1, while the reading from the Prophets was taken from Isaiah 1. These readings covered the subjects of God's protection of Israel in the early days despite their rebellion, and his forgiveness of their sins, as recorded in Isaiah: "Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land."
And Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, he said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. And for a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet, and then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And after He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.' "
From the offspring of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, "Who do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie." Brethren, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation is sent out. For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. And when they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead; and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people.
. . . a ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I shall make it. This also will be no more, until He comes whose right it is, and I shall give it to Him.
Behold the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I shall raise up for David a Righteous Branch; and He will reign and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.
I have made a covenant with My Chosen, I have sworn to David My Servant, I will establish your seed forever and build up your throne to all generations.
And behold you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end.
And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, "Thou art My Son; today I have begotten Thee."
The Lord God said to the kings of the nations on earth who are taking their stand against Him and His Anointed . . . "I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, 'Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee.' "
And as for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no more to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: "I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David." Therefore He also says in another Psalm, "Thou wilt not allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay." For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay.
Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the law of Moses.
I will rejoice greatly in the Lord. My soul will exult in my God for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness.
Take heed, therefore, so that the things spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you." "Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish; for I am accomplishing a work in your days, a work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you."
And as Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of-God.
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