Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Acts, chapters 13 and 14. Chapter 13 Now in the
church that was at Antioch there were certain
prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was
called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manan, who had
been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch, and
Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted,
the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to which I have called
them. Then having fasted and prayed and laid
hands on them, they sent them away. So being
sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to
Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached
the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.
They also had John as their assistant. Now when
they had gone through the island to Paphos, they
found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a
Jew whose name was Bar -Jesus, who was with the
proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man.
This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought
to hear the word of God. But Elimas, the sorcerer,
for so his name is translated, withstood them,
seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
Then Saul, who also is called Paul, And immediately
a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking
someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul
believed when he saw what had been done. being
astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Now when
Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they
came to Perga in Pamphylia, and John departing
from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they
departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in
Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath
day and sat down. And after the reading of the
law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue
sent to them, saying, Men and brethren, if you
have any word of exhortation for the people,
say on. Then Paul stood up, and motioning with
his hand, said, Men of Israel, and you who fear
God, listen. The God of this people, Israel,
chose our fathers, and exalted the people when
they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt,
and with an uplifted arm he brought them out
of it. Now for a time of about forty years he
put up with their ways in the wilderness, and
when he had destroyed seven nations in the land
of Canaan, he distributed their land to them
by allotment. After that, he gave them judges
for about 450 years, until Samuel the prophet.
And afterward they asked for a king, so God gave
them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe
of Benjamin, for 40 years. And when he had removed
him, he raised up for them David as king, to
whom also he gave testimony and said, I have
found David the son of Jesse, a man after my
own heart, who will do all my will. From this
man's seed, according to the promise, God raised
up for Israel a savior, Jesus. After John had
first preached, before his coming, the baptism
of repentance to all the people of Israel. And
as John was finishing his course, he said, Who
do you think I am? I am not he. But behold, there
comes one after me, the sandals of whose feet
I am not worthy to lose. Men and brethren, sons
of the family of Abraham, and those among you
who fear God, to you the word of this salvation
has been sent for those who dwell in jerusalem
and the rulers because they did not know him
nor even the voices of the prophets which are
read every sabbath have fulfilled them in condemning
him and though they found no cause for death
in him they asked pilate that he should be put
to death now when they had fulfilled all that
was written concerning him they took him down
from the tree and laid him in a tomb but god
raised him from the dead. He was seen for many
days by those who came up with him from Galilee
to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people.
And we declare to you glad tidings, that promise
which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled
this for us their children, in that he has raised
up Jesus, as it is also written in the second
Psalm, You are my son, today I have begotten
you. And that he raised him from the dead, no
more to return to corruption. He has spoken thus,
I will give you the sure mercies of David. Therefore,
he also says in another psalm, You will not allow
your Holy One to see corruption. For David, after
he had served his own generation by the will
of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers,
and saw corruption. But he whom God raised up
saw no corruption. Therefore, let it be known
to you, brethren, that through this man is preached
to you the forgiveness of sins. And by him everyone
who believes is justified from all things from
which you could not be justified by the law of
Moses. Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken
in the prophets come upon you. Behold, you despisers,
marvel and perish. For I work a work in your
days, a work which you will by no means believe,
though one were to declare it to you. So when
the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles
begged that these words might be preached to
them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation
had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes
followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to
them, persuaded them to continue in the grace
of God. On the next Sabbath, almost the whole
city came together to hear the word of God. But
when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled
with envy. In contradicting and blaspheming,
they opposed the things spoken by God. Then Paul
and Barnabas grew bold and said, It was necessary
that the word of God should be spoken to you
first. But since you reject it and judge yourselves
unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn
to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded
us, I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,
that you should be for salvation to the ends
of the earth. Now when the Gentiles heard this,
they were glad and glorified the word of the
Lord, and as many as had been appointed to eternal
life believed. And the word of the Lord was being
spread throughout all the region. But the Jews
stirred up the devout and prominent women and
the chief men of the city, raised up persecution
against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them
from their region. But they shook off the dust
from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
and the disciples were filled with joy and with
the Holy Spirit. Chapter 14 Now it happened in
Iconium that they went together to the synagogue
of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude,
both of the Jews and of the Greeks, believed.
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles
and poisoned their minds against the brethren.
Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking
boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to
the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders
to be done by their hands. But the multitude
of the city was divided, part sided with the
Jews and part with the apostles. And when a violent
attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews
with their rulers to abuse and stone them, they
became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe,
cities of Lyconia, and to the surrounding region.
and they were preaching the gospel there. And
in Lystra, a certain man without strength in
his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's
womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul
speaking, Paul observing him intently, and seeing
that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud
voice, Stand up straight on your feet. And he
leaped and walked. Now when the people saw what
Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying
in the Lycanian language, The gods have come
down to us in the likeness of men. And Barnabas
they called Zeus and Paul Hermes, because he
was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus,
whose temple was in front of their city, brought
oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to
sacrifice with the multitudes. But when the apostles
Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their
clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying
out and saying, Men, why are you doing these
things? We also are men with the same nature
as you, and preach to you that you should turn
from these useless things to the living God,
who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and
all things that are in them. who in bygone generations
allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.
Nevertheless, he did not leave himself without
witness, in that he did good, gave us rain from
heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts
with food and gladness. And with these sayings
they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from
sacrificing to them. Then Jews from Antioch and
Iconium came there and having persuaded the multitudes
they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city
supposing him to be dead however when the disciples
gathered around him he rose up and went into
the city and the next day he departed with Barnabas
to Derbe And when they had preached the gospel
to that city and made many disciples, they returned
to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening
the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to
continue in the faith, and saying, We must through
many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. So
when they had appointed elders in every church
and prayed with fasting, they commended them
to the Lord in whom they had believed, and after
they had passed through Pisidia, they came to
Pamphylia. Now when they had preached the word
in Perga, they went down to Atalia. From there
they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended
to the grace of God for the work which they had
completed. Now when they had come and gathered
the church together, they reported all that God
had done with them, and that he had opened the
door of faith to the Gentiles. So they stayed
there a long time with the disciples. I hope
you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did
and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow
to continue on our journey. God bless you and
have a great day.