Paul and Barnabas, sent by the
Holy Spirit, went to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. When
they came to Salamis, they, with Mark as their helper, told God's
message in the Jewish synagogue.
When they had gone over the whole island as far as Paphos, they set
sail, and Paul and his companions came to Perga in Pamphylia. There
Mark left them to return to Jerusalem, but they went on to Antioch.
On the Sabbath they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the
reading of the law and the prophets the men in charge of the
synagogue service sent word to them, "Brothers, if you have any word
of encouragement for the people, say it." So Paul stood up and
motioning with his hand said, "Listen, men of Israel and you who
worship God. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers. While
they were in Egypt he made them a great people, and then with
wonderful signs of his power he led them out of that land. After
destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them that
land to have as their own and later made David their king. From
David's family God brought to Israel, as he had promised, a Saviour,
Jesus.
"Brothers, sons of Abraham's race, and all among you who worship
God, to us has been sent this saving message. The people of
Jerusalem and their rulers did not believe Jesus, and though they
could find no reason why he should be killed, they asked Pilate to
put him to death. But God raised him from the dead, and for many
days he was seen by those who had come with him from Galilee to
Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people. So we bring you
the good news that God, by raising Jesus from the dead, has
fulfilled for our children the promise made to our fathers."
As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people begged that this be
repeated to them on the following Sabbath. After the congregation
broke up, many of the Jews and religious Greeks followed Paul and
Barnabas, who spoke to them, urging them through God's help to
remain loyal.
On the next Sabbath nearly all the people of the city came to hear
the message of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowd, they were
jealous and began to contradict what Paul said, and to insult him.
But Paul and Barnabas spoke out fearlessly and said, "It was
necessary that God's message should be spoken first to you; but
since you will not hear it and prove yourselves unworthy of eternal
life, here and now we turn to those who are not Jews. For this is
the Lord's command to us: 'I have set you as a light to other races,
to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"
When those who were not Jews heard this, they were glad and gave
thanks for God's message; and as many as were ordained to receive
eternal life believed, and God's message was carried far and wide
throughout the country. But the Jews, with the help of women of high
rank and the leading men in the city, started a persecution against
Paul and Barnabas and drove them from the city. So the apostles
shook the dust from their feet as a protest against them, and went
on to Iconium. The new disciples, however, were filled with joy and
the Holy Spirit.
At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and
spoke, so that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But
the Jews who did not believe stirred up the other races and poisoned
their minds against the apostles. The people of the town were
divided, some being on the side of the Jews and others on the side
of the apostles. An attempt was made both by the other races and by
the Jews, with the help of their rulers, to attack and stone the
apostles; but they learned of it and escaped to the towns of Lystra
and Derbe, and there they continued to preach the good news.
At Lystra there was a man who could not move his feet, who had been
lame from his birth and had never walked. As this man listened to
Paul's preaching, the apostle fixed his eyes on him and, seeing that
he had faith enough to make him well, said in a loud voice, "Stand
up on your feet." And the man sprang up and began to walk. When the
crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their language, "The
gods have come down to us in the form of men!" Barnabas they called
"Zeus," and Paul "Hermes," because he was the chief speaker. The
priests of the temple of Zeus, which stood in front of the town,
brought oxen and wreaths to the gates, so as to join the crowds in
offering sacrifice to them.
But when Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and
rushed into the crowd, shouting, "Men, why are you doing this? We
are but men like yourselves, and are bringing you the good news so
that you may turn from these idols and worship the living God who
made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them. In
past ages he allowed all nations to worship as they pleased; yet as
the bountiful Giver he did not leave himself without a witness, for
he gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and makes your
hearts happy with food and good cheer." Yet even with these words
they could hardly keep the crowd from sacrificing to them.
But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds, who
stoned Paul, and then, believing him dead, dragged him out of the
city. However, when the disciples had gathered about him, he got up
and went into the city.
The next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe. After they had preached
the good news to that city and had won many disciples, they returned
to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, and encouraged the disciples urging
them to be true to the faith. Then they passed through Pisidia and
came to Pamphylia, and after preaching in Perga, they went down to
Attaleia. From there they set sail for Antioch.
When they reached Antioch, they called together the members of the
church and told everything that God had done with them, and how he
had opened the door of faith to those who were not Jews. And they
stayed there a long time with the disciples.