A Light for the Gentiles

¹³Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. There John left them and returned to Jerusalem. ¹⁴From Perga they traveled on to Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. ¹⁵After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, please speak." ¹⁶Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and said, "People of Israel and you who fear God, listen. ¹⁷The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their stay as foreigners in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm he brought them out of it. ¹⁸For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. ¹⁹After he destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave their land to his people as an inheritance. ²⁰All of this took about four hundred and fifty years. After that, he gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. ²¹Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. ²²After removing him, God raised up David to be their king. He testified about him, saying, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my will.' ²³From this man's descendants, God has brought to Israel a Savior — Jesus — just as he promised. ²⁴Before his coming, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. ²⁵As John was completing his course, he said, 'Who do you think I am? I am not he. But look, one is coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.' ²⁶Brothers, children of Abraham's lineage, and all among you who fear God, to you this message of salvation has been sent. ²⁷The people living in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him, nor did they understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. By condemning him, they fulfilled those very words. ²⁸Even though they found no grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. ²⁹When they had carried out everything that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. ³⁰But God raised him from the dead. ³¹For many days he was seen by those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now his witnesses to the people. ³²And we bring you the good news that the promise made to our ancestors — ³³God has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you.' ³⁴And regarding the fact that God raised him from the dead, never to return to corruption, he spoke in this way: 'I will give you the sure mercies of David.' ³⁵Therefore he also says in another Psalm: 'You will not let your Holy One see decay.' ³⁶For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his ancestors, and saw decay. ³⁷But the one whom God raised up did not see decay. ³⁸Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this man the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. ³⁹Through him, everyone who believes is justified from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses. ⁴⁰Be careful, then, that what is spoken of in the prophets does not come upon you: ⁴¹'Look, you scoffers, marvel and perish! For I am doing a work in your days, a work that you would never believe, even if someone told you.'" ⁴²As they were going out, the people urged them to speak about these things again the next Sabbath. ⁴³When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. ⁴⁴On the next Sabbath, nearly the whole city gathered to hear the word of God. ⁴⁵But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting what Paul was saying, blaspheming. ⁴⁶Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly: "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. But since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷For this is what the Lord has commanded us: 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" ⁴⁸When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. ⁴⁹And the word of the Lord spread throughout the entire region. ⁵⁰But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. ⁵¹So they shook the dust off their feet against them and went to Iconium. ⁵²And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.