Acts 13:27-52 ▼

27 For the people of Jerusalem and their rulers, by the judgement they pronounced on Jesus, have actually fulfilled the predictions of the Prophets which are read Sabbath after Sabbath, through ignorance of those predictions and of Him.

28 Without having found Him guilty of any capital offence they urged Pilate to have Him put to death;

29 and when they had carried out everything which had been written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

30 "But God raised Him from the dead.

31 And, after a few days, He appeared to the people who had gone up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem and are now witnesses concerning Him to the Jews.

32 And we bring you the Good News about the promise made to our forefathers,

33 that God has amply fulfilled it to our children in raising up Jesus; as it is also written in the second Psalm, 'Thou art My Son: to-day I have become Thy Father.'

34 And as to His having raised Him from among the dead, never again to be in the position of one soon to return to decay, He speaks thus: 'I will give you the holy and trustworthy promises made to David.'

35 Because in another Psalm also He says, 'Thou wilt not give up Thy Holy One to undergo decay.'

36 For David, after having been useful to his own generation in accordance with God's purpose, did fall asleep, was gathered to his forefathers, and did undergo decay.

37 But He whom God raised to life underwent no decay.

38 "Understand therefore, brethren, that through this Jesus forgiveness of sins is announced to you;

39 and in Him every believer is absolved from all offences, from which you could not be absolved under the Law of Moses.

40 Beware, then, lest what is spoken in the Prophets should come true of you:

41 Behold, you despisers, be astonished and perish, because I am carrying on a work in your time--a work which you will utterly refuse to believe, though it be fully declared to you.'"

42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people earnestly begged to have all this repeated to them on the following Sabbath.

43 And, when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and of the devout converts from heathenism continued with Paul and Barnabas, who talked to them and urged them to hold fast to the grace of God.

44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole population of the city came together to hear the Lord's Message.

45 Seeing the crowds, the Jews, filled with angry jealousy, opposed Paul's statements and abused him.

46 Then, throwing off all reserve, Paul and Barnabas said, "We were bound to proclaim God's Message to you first. But since you spurn it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of the Life of the Ages--well, we turn to the Gentiles.

47 For such is the Lord's command to us. "'I have placed Thee,' He says of Christ, 'as a light to the Gentiles, in order that Thou mayest be a Saviour as far as the remotest parts of the earth.'"

48 The Gentiles listened with delight and extolled the Lord's Message; and all who were pre-destined to the Life of the Ages believed.

49 So the Lord's Message spread through the whole district.

50 But the Jews influenced the gentlewomen of rank who worshipped with them, and also the leading men in the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of the district.

51 But they shook off the dust from their feet as a protest against them and came to Iconium;

52 and as for the disciples, they were more and more filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.