Paul and Barnabas preach to the pagans - Acts 13:44-52 - N. T. -

The next Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God. When they saw the crowds, the Jews, prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. 'We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, we must turn to the pagans. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said: I have made you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth.' 

It made the pagans very happy to hear this and they thanked the Lord for his message; all who were destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread through the whole countryside.

But the Jews worked upon some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city and persuaded them to turn against Paul and Barnabas and expel them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in defiance and went off to Iconium; but the disciples were filled joy and the Holy Spirit.

Cf. - Acts 5:17;17:5 - 

Cf. - 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 - N. T. - For you, my brothers, have been like the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judaea, in suffering the same treatment from your own countrymen as they have suffered from the Jews, the people who put the Lord Jesus to death, and the prophets too. And now they have been persecuting us, and acting in a way that cannot please God and makes them the enemies of the whole human race, because they are hindering us from preaching to the pagans and trying to save them. They never stop trying to finish off the sins they have begun, but retribution is overtaking them at last. 

Cf. - Acts 13:5+; 18:6; 28:24; 1:8 - 

Cf. - Isaiah 49:6 - O. T. - 'It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.'

Cf. - John 8:12+ - N. T. - When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said: 'I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark; he will have the light of life'.

Cf. - Acts 15:14; 26:23; 2:46-47+ - 

Cf. - Romans 8:28 - N. T. - We know that by turning everything to their good God cooperates with all those who love him, with all those that he has called according to his purpose. 

Cf. - Acts 3:15+; 6:7+; 10:2+; 18:6 - 

Cf. - Luke 9:5-6, 10 - N. T. - As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them. So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere. On their return the apostles gave him an account of all they had done. Then Jesus took them with him and withdrew to a town called Bethsaida where they could be by themselves.

Cf. - Acts 2:46+ - 

Cf. - Matthew 10:14 - N. T. - And if anyone does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, as you walk out of the house or town shake the dust from your feet.

Iconium evangelised - Acts 14:1-7 - N. T. - 

At Iconium they went to the Jewish synagogue, as they had at Antioch, and they spoke so effectively that a great many Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, refused to believe, and they poisoned the minds of the pagans against the brothers.

Accordingly, Paul and Barnabas stayed on for some time, preaching fearlessly for the Lord; and the Lord supported all they said about his gift of grace, allowing signs and wonders to be performed by them.

The people in the city were divided, some supported the Jews, others the apostles, but eventually with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by pagans as well as Jews to make attacks on them and to stone them. When the apostles came to hear of this, they went off for safety to Lycaonia where, in the towns of Lystra and Derbe and in the surrounding country, they preached the Good News.

Cf. - Acts 13:5+; 17:13 - 

Cf. - 1 Thessalonians 2:14 - N. T. - For you, my brothers, have been like the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judaea, in suffering the same treatment from your own countrymen as they have suffered from the Jews.

Cf. - Acts 4:29-30; 13:46+; 20:24, 32 - 

Cf. - Mark 16:16-20 - N. T. - 'Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He or She who believes and is baptised will be saved; he or she who does not believe will be condemned. These are signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.'

And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

Cf. - 2 Timothy 3:11 - N. T. - The persecution and hardships that came to me in places like Antioch, Iconium and Lystra - all the persecutions I have endured; and the Lord has rescued me from every one of them.                                                -  PAGE  119  -

Healing of a cripple 

A man sat there who had never walked....  

                                                          -  PAGE  120  -

 -     WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY     - 

Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ Jesus, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to it function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 - 

I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself, but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He/She will glorify me, since all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine." - John 16:12-15 -

Your generous contribution and support is profoundly cherish. I sincerely pray that: God blessing be upon you, always. Amen! Bank transfer: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah - Public Bank Berhad account no. 4076577113 - Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.