482-483 : Pauls First Journey :YEAR 0043
AFTER preaching on the island of Cyprus, Paul and Barnabas set sail again
and went to the mainland cities of Perga in Pamphylia and Antioch in Pisidia.
They were at Antioch on the sabbath day and they went into the synagogue, and sat down.
And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent word to them,
saying, "If you have anything to preach to the people, say it."
Then Paul stood up and motioning with his hands spoke to the congregation of Jesus and the history of Israel. "Men of Israel," he said, "and you that fear God, listen.
The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and gave strength to our people when they
dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt.
He delivered them with great power from their oppressors
and for about forty years he maintained them in the wilderness.
When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan,
he divided the land to them by lot,
and gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years until Samuel the prophet.
"The people asked for a king and he gave them Saul,
the son of Kish of the tribe of Benjamin for forty years.
Then he raised up David in Saul's place, saying, 'I have found David the son of Jesse a man after my own heart who shall do my will.'
"Of David's seed, God according to his promises has now raised to Israel a Saviour, Jesus.
To you and to all who fear God is this saviour and this word of salvation sent."
And the following sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear Paul and Barnabas.
But their enemies stirred up the chief men of the city against them,
so they departed from Antioch.
They preached in the synagogues and in the streets wherever they went,
bringng the message of Jesus to Jews and Gentiles alike, for as they said,
"The Lord gave us this command:'I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles,
that you should work for the saving of souls to the ends of the earth."'
And it came to pass in Iconium that they went together into the synagogue and
spoke so that a great multitude of both the Jews and Gentiles believed.
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and set their minds against Paul and Barnabas.
The city was divided and part held with the Jews and part with the disciples.
When an attempt was made to stone them, Paul and Barnabas were aware of it,
and fled into Lystra and Derbe, other cities of Galatia, and into the region that lies round about.
And there they preached the gospel.
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