Acts 13:42-52
Paul and Barnabas started to leave the synagogue. The people invited them to say more about these things on the next Sabbath day. The people were told they could leave the service. Many Jews followed Paul and Barnabas. Many Gentiles who faithfully worshiped the God of the Jews did the same. Paul and Barnabas talked with them. They tried to get them to keep living in God’s grace.
On the next Sabbath day, almost the whole city gathered. They gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they became very jealous. They began to disagree with what Paul was saying. They said evil things against him.
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly. “We had to speak God’s word to you first,” they said. “But you don’t accept it. You don’t think you are good enough for eternal life. So now we are turning to the Gentiles. This is what the Lord has commanded us to do. He said,
“ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles.
You will bring salvation to the whole earth.’ ” (Isaiah 49:6)
When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad. They honored the word of the Lord. All who were appointed for eternal life believed.
The word of the Lord spread through the whole area. But the Jewish leaders stirred up the important women who worshiped God. They also stirred up the men who were leaders in the city. The Jewish leaders tried to get the women and men to attack Paul and Barnabas. They threw Paul and Barnabas out of that area. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet. This was a warning to the people who had opposed them. Then Paul and Barnabas went on to Iconium. The believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 14:1-7
Paul and Barnabas Preach in Iconium
At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue as usual. They spoke there with great power. Large numbers of Jews and Greeks became believers. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up some of the Gentiles who were there. They turned them against the two men and the new believers. So Paul and Barnabas spent a lot of time there. They spoke boldly for the Lord. He gave them the ability to do signs and wonders. In this way the Lord showed that they were telling the truth about his grace. The people of the city did not agree with one another. Some were on the side of the Jews. Others were on the side of the apostles. Jews and Gentiles alike planned to treat Paul and Barnabas badly. Their leaders agreed. They planned to kill them by throwing stones at them. But Paul and Barnabas found out about the plan. They escaped to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding area. There they continued to preach the good news.
