PAUL AND BARNABAS AT ANTIOCH
IN PISIDIA.
ON departing from Perga, Paul and Barnabas took their journey northward through the mountains of Pamphylia, and across the table-land of Pisidia to the city of Antioch, in the northern part of that province.
This Antioch, like the one on the River Orontes in Syria, was founded by one Seleucus, and named in honor of his father, Antiochus.
When the Sabbath had come, Paul and Barnabas went into the synagogue, and sat down. It was the custom on such occasions to have portions of the law and of the prophets read by a man standing in the middle of the synagogue, the people sitting all around.
When he had read and expounded certain portions of the Scriptures, it was the privilege of others to speak. Paul and Barnabas being strangers received a special invitation from the rulers of the synagogue, who said to them, "Brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on." Then Paul, standing up, and beckoning with his hand, said, "Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, hearken. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led he them forth out of it. And for about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years; and after these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
"And afterward they asked for a king; and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for the space or forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; to whom also he bare witness, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who shall do all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to promise brought unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus; when John had first preached before his coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
"And as John was fulfilling his course, he said, What suppose ye that I am? I am not he.
But behold, there cometh one after me, the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to unloose. Brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us is the word of this salvation sent forth.
For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.
And though they found no cause of death in him, yet asked they of Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead: and he was seen for many days of them that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses unto the people.
And we bring you good tidings of the promise made unto the fathers, how that God hath fulfilled the same unto our children, in that he raised up Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
"And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more; to return to corruption, he hath spoken on this wise, I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David. Because he saith also in another psalm, Thou wilt not give thy Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: but he whom God raised up saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: and by him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken in the prophets,-
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; For I work a work in your days, A work which ye shall in no wise believe, if one declare it unto you."
As the people went out of the synagogue, they begged that these words might be spoken to them again the next Sabbath; and as Paul and Barnabas left the place, many Jews and devout proselytes followed them.
The apostles urged them to continue in the grace of God; but on the very next Sabbath, when nearly the whole city had come together to hear the word of God, the Jews were filled with jealousy, contradicted Paul's preaching, and railed against him. Then the apostles spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the Word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying,- I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth."
The Gentiles rejoiced at these words, and the gospel spread throughout all those parts. But the Jews, stirring up the honorable women and chief men of the city, raised such a persecution against Paul and Barnabas as to drive them from the province. Their disciples, however, were greatly blessed, being filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost.