Paul And Barnabas In Foreign Lan

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.