The apostolic letter - Acts 15:22-29 - N. T. - 

Then the apostles and elders decided to choose delegates to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; the whole church concurred with this. They chose Judas known as Barsabbas and Silas both leading men in the brotherhood, and gave them this letter to take with them:

'The apostles and elders, your brothers, send greetings to the brothers of pagan birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. We hear that some of our members have disturbed you with their demands and have unsettled your minds. They acted without any authority from us, and so we have decided unanimously to elect delegates and to send them to you with Barnabas and Paul, men we highly respect who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly, we are sending you Judas and Silas, who will confirm by word of mouth what we have written in this letter. It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to saddle you with any burden beyond these essentials: you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication. Avoid these, and you will do what is right. Farewell.'

Cf. - Acts 15:40 - 

Cf. - 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 - N. T. - From Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the Church in Thessalonika which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; wishing you grace and peace.

We always mention you in our prayers and thank God for you all, and constantly remember before God our Father how you have shown your faith in action, worked for love, and persevered through hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We know, brothers, that God loves you and that you have been chosen, because when we brought the Good News to you, it came to you not only as words, but as power and as the Holy Spirit and as utter conviction. And you observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord; and it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the gospel, in spite of the great opposition all round you. This has made you the great example to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia since it was from you that the word of the Lord started to spread - and not only throughout Macedonia and Achaia, for the news of your faith in God has spread everywhere. We do not need to tell other people about it: other people tell us how we started the work among us, how you broke with idolatry when you were converted to God and became servants of the real, living God; and now you are waiting for Jesus, his Son, whom he raised from the dead, to come from heaven to save us from the retribution which is coming.

Cf. - 2 Thessalonians 1:1 - N. T. - From Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the Church in Thessalonika which is in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; wishing you grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Cf. - 1 Peter 5:12 - N. T. - I write these few words to you through Silvanus, who is a brother I know I can trust, to encourage you never to let go this true grace of God to which I bear witness.

Cf. - Acts 16:4; 15:1 - 

Cf. - Galatians 2:12 - N. T. - His custom had been to eat with the pagans, but after certain friends of James arrived he stopped doing this and kept away from them altogether for fear of the group that insisted on circumcision.

Cf. - Acts 9:15-16; 1:8+; 5:32; 21:25 -

The delegates at Antioch - Acts 15:30-35 - N. T. -

The party left and went down to Antioch, where they summoned the whole community and delivered the letter. The community read it and were delighted with the encouragement it gave them. Judas and Silas, being themselves prophets, spoke for a long time, encouraging and strengthening the brothers. These two spent some time there, and then the brothers wished them peace and they went back to those who had sent them. Paul and Barnabas, however, stayed on in Antioch, and there with many others they taught and proclaimed the Good News, the word of the Lord.       

Cf. - Acts 11:27+; 14:22; 14:28; 2:42+ - 

                                                            -  PAGE  122  -

                                                    IV.  PAUL'S  MISSIONS

Paul separates from Barnabas and recruits Silas

On a later occasion Paul said to Barnabas, 

                                                             -  PAGE  123  - 

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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.     

Controversy at Antioch - Acts 15:2-4 - N. T. -

Then some men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, 'Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved'. This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the problem with the apostles and elders.

All the members of the church saw them off, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they told how the pagans had been converted, and this news was received with the greatest satisfaction by the brothers. When they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church and by the apostles and elders, and gave an account of all that God had done with them.

Cf. - Galatians 2:1-9 - N. T. - It was not till fourteen years had passed that I went up to Jerusalem again. I went with Barnabas and took Titus with me. I went there as a result of a revelation, and privately I laid before the leading men the Good News as I proclaim it among the pagans; I did so for fear the course I was adopting or had already adopted would not be allowed. And what happened? Even though Titus who had come with me is a Greek, he was not obliged to be circumcised. The question came up only because some who do not really belong to the brotherhood have furtively crept in to spy on the liberty we enjoy in Christ Jesus, and want to reduce us all to slavery. 

I was so determined to safeguard for you the true meaning of the Good News, that I refused even out to deference to yield to such people for one moment. As a result, these people who are acknowledged leaders - not that their importance matters to me, since God has no favourites - these leaders, as I say, had nothing to add to the Good News as I preach it. On the contrary, they recognised that I had been commissioned to preach the Good News to the uncircumcised just as Peter had been commissioned to preach it to the circumcised. The same person whose action had made Peter the apostle of the circumcised had given me a similar mission to the pagans. So, James, Cephas and John, these leaders, these pillars, shook hands with Barnabas and me as a sign of partnership: we were to go to the pagans and they to the circumcised.  

Cf. - Acts 21:21,25; 21:19 - 

Controversy at Jerusalem - Acts 15:5-12 - N. T. -

But certain members of the Pharisees' party who had become believers objected, insisting that the pagans should be circumcised and instructed to keep the Law of Moses. The apostles and elders met to look into the matter, and after the discussion had gone on a long time, Peter stood up and addressed them.

Cf. - Acts 15:1; 2:14+ -

Peter's speech - Acts 15:8-12 - N. T. -

'My brothers,' he said 'you know perfectly well that in the early days God made his choice among you: the pagans were to learn the Good News from me and so become believers. In fact God, who can read everyone's heart, showed his approval of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he had to us. God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith. It would only provoke God's anger now, surely, if you imposed on the disciples the very burden that neither we nor our ancestors were strong enough to support? Remember, we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.'

This silenced the entire assembly, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had worked through them among the pagans.

Cf. - Acts 10:1-11:18+; 10:44-47; 11:15-17; 11:7+ -

Cf. - Matthew 23:4 - N. T. - They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them?

Cf. - Galatians 5:1 - N. T. - When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

Cf. - Romans 7:1-25 [ - The Christian is not bound by the Law - The function of the Law - The inward struggle - ]

Cf. - Galatians 3:10-12 - N. T. - Why? So that the Sovereignties and Powers should learn only now, through the Church, how comprehensive God's wisdom really is, exactly according to the plan which he had had from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is why we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him; so, I beg you, never lose confidence just because of the trials that I go through on your account: they are your glory.

Cf. - Acts 14:3,27; 21:19 -

Cf. - Galatians 2:7 - N. T. - On the contrary, they recognised that I had been commissioned to preach the Good News to the uncircumcised just as Peter had been commissioned to preach it to the circumcised.

James' speech - Acts 15:13-21 - N. T. -

When they had finished it was James who spoke, 'My brothers,' he said 'listen to me. Simeon has described how God first arranged to enlist a people for his name out of the pagans. This is entirely in harmony with the words of the prophets, since the scriptures say: After that I shall return and rebuild the fallen House of David; I shall rebuild it from its ruins and restore it. Then the rest of mankind, all the pagans who are consecrated to my name, will look for the Lord, says the Lord who made this known so long ago. I rule, then, that instead of making things more difficult for pagans who turn to God, we send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from fornication, from the meat of strangled animals and read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.'

Cf. - Acts 12:17+; 13:47; 18:10 - 

Cf. - Romans 9:26; 15:9-12; 16:26-27 - N. T. - Instead of being told, 'You are no people of mine', they will now be called the sons of the living God. It was also to get the pagans to give glory to God for his mercy, as scripture says in one place: For this I shall praise you among the pagans and sing to your name. And in another place: Rejoice, pagans, with his people, and in a third place: Let all the pagans praise the Lord, let all the peoples sing his praise. Isaiah too has this to say: The root of Jesse will appear, rising up to rule the pagans, and in him the pagans will put their hope. But now so clear that it must be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring them to the obedience of faith. This is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be. God alone is wisdom; give glory therefore to him through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.                                                                                                   -  PAGE  121  -

The apostolic letter

Then the apostles and elders decided.......        -  PAGE  122  -

 -     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.  

Healing of a cripple - Acts 14:8-18 - N. T. - Acts 3:1-10 - 

A man sat there who had never walked in his life, because his feet were crippled from birth; and as he listened to Paul preaching, he managed to catch his eye. Seeing that the man had the faith to be cured, Paul said in a loud voice, 'Get to your feet - stand up', and the cripple jumped up and began to walk.

When the crowd saw what Paul had done they shouted in the language of Lycaonia, 'These people are gods who have come down to us disguised as men'. They addressed Barnabas as Zeus, and since Paul was the principal speaker they called him Hermes. The priests of Zeus-outside-the -Gate, proposing that all the people should offer sacrifice with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates.

When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening they tore their clothes, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, 'Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that these hold. In the past he allowed each nation to go its own way; but even then he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for you: he sends you rain from heaven, he makes your crops grow when they should, he gives you food and makes you happy.' Even this speech, however, was scarcely enough to stop the crowd offering them sacrifice.

Cf. - Acts 28:6; 3:12; 10:26; 2:38+; 3:19; 17:22-30+ - 

Cf. - Psalm 147:20 - O. T. -  He never does this for other nations, he never reveals his rulings to them.

Cf. - Wisdom 13:1 - O. T. - Yes, naturally stupid are all men who have not known God and who, from the good things that are seen, have not been able to discover Him-who-is, or, by studying the works, have failed to recognise the Artificer.

Cf. - Jeremiah 5:24 - O. T. - They have not said in their hearts: Come, we must fear Yahweh our God who gives the rain, the early rain and the later, at the right time of year, who assures us of weeks appointed for harvest.

The mission is disrupted - Acts 14:19-28 - 

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and turned the people against the apostles. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town. the next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe.

Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, they went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. 'We all have to experience many hardships' they said 'before we enter the kingdom of God.' In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.

They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans. They stayed there with the disciples for some time. 

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. - 2 Corinthians 11:24-25 - N. T. - Five times I had the thirty-nine lashes from the Jews; three times I have been beaten with sticks; once I was stoned; three times I have been shipwrecked and once adrift in the open sea for a night and a day.

Cf. - 2 Timothy 3:11 - N. T. - You know my faith, my patience and my love; my constancy and the persecutions 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.

Cf. - Acts 15:32, 41; 18:23; 11:23; 13:43 - 

Cf. - Matthew 10:22; 24:13 - N. T. - You will be hated by all men on account of my name put to death. But the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Cf. - Romans 5:3-5 - N. T. - But that is not all we can boast about; we can boast about our sufferings. These sufferings bring patience, as we know, and patience brings perseverance, and perseverance brings hope, and this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.

Cf. - 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 - N. T. - And among the churches of God we can take special pride in you for your constancy and faith under all the persecutions and troubles you have to bear. It shows that God's judgement is just, and the purpose of it is that you may be found worthy of the kingdom of God; it is for the sake of this that you are suffering now.

Cf. - 2 Timothy 2:12-13; 3:12 - N. T. - If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him. If we disown him, then he will disown us. You are well aware, then, that anybody who tries to live in devotion to Christ is certain to be attacked; while these wicked impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and deceived themselves.

Cf. - Hebrews 10:36; 13:3 - N. T. - You will need endurance to do God's will and gain what he has promised. Keep in mind those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; and those who are badly treated, since you too are in the one body.

Cf. - Acts 13:2-3; 14:3; 15:4, 12; 21:19; 15:35 -          -  PAGE  120  -

Controversy at Antioch

Then some men came down from Judaea...

                                                                     -  PAGE  121  -

 -     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.       

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.   

Paul' preaching before the Jews - Acts 13:17-43 - N. T. - 

'Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen! The God of our nation Israel chose our ancestors, and made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt; then by divine power he led them out, and for about forty years took cares of them in the wilderness. When he had destroyed seven nations in Canaan, he put them in possession of the land for about four hundred and fifty years. After this he gave them judges, down to the prophets Samuel. Then they demanded a king and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years, he deposed him and made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, "I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose". To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David's descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, "I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal."

My brothers, sons of Abraham's race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you. What the people of Jerusalem and their rulers did, though their did not realise it, was in fact to fulfill the prophecies read on every Sabbath. Though they found nothing to justify his death, they condemned him and asked Pilate to have him executed. When they had carried out everything that scripture foretells about him they took him down from the tree and buried him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied him from Galilee to Jerusalem: and it is these same companions of his who are now his witnesses before our people. 

'We have come here to tell you the Good News. It was to our ancestors that God made the promise but it is to us, their children, that he has fulfilled it, by raising Jesus from the dead. As scripture says in the first psalm: You are my son: today I have become your father. The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to return to corruption, is no more than what he had declared: To you I shall give the sure and holy things promised to David. This is explained by another text: You will not allow your holy one to experience corruption. Now when David in his own time had served God's purposes he died; he was buried with his ancestors and has certainly experienced corruption. The one whom God has raised up, however, has not experienced corruption. 

'My brothers, I want you to realise that it is through Jesus Christ that forgiveness of your sins is proclaimed. Through him justification from all sins which the Law of Moses was unable to justify is offered to every believer. 'So be careful - or what the prophets say will happen to you. Cast your eyes around you, mockers; be amazed, and perish! For I am doing something in your own days that you would not believe if you were to be told of it.'

As they left they were asked to preach on the same theme the following Sabbath. When the meeting broke up many Jews and devout converts joined Paul and Barnabas, and in their talks with them Paul and Barnabas urged them to remain faithful to the grace God had given them.

Cf. - Acts 2:22+; 10:2+ -

Cf. Isaiah 1:2 - O. T. - The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Listen, you heavens; earth, attend for Yahweh is speaking, 'I reared sons, I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 

Cf. - Exodus 1:7; 3-15 - O. T. - But the sons of Israel were fruitful and grew so immensely powerful that they filled the land.

Cf. - Deuteronomy 1:31; 7:1-11 - O. T. - In the wilderness too, you saw him: how Yahweh carried you, as a man carries his child, all along the road you travelled on the way to this place. When Yahweh your God has led you into the land you are entering to make your own, many nations will fall before you: Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than yourselves. Yahweh your God will deliver them over to you and you will conquer them. You must lay them under ban. You must make no covenant with them nor show them any pity. You must not marry with them: you must not give a daughter of yours to a son of theirs, nor take a daughter of theirs for a son of yours, for this would turn away your son from following me to serving other gods and the anger of Yahweh would blaze out against you and soon destroy you. Instead, deal with them like this: tear down their altars, smash their standing-stones, cut down their sacred poles and set fire to their idols. For you are a people consecrated to Yahweh your God has chosen to be his very own people out of all the peoples on the earth.

If Yahweh set his heart on you and chose you, it was not because you outnumbered other peoples: you were the least of all peoples. It was for love of you and to keep the oath he swore to your fathers that Yahweh brought you out with his mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery from the power of Pharaoh king of  Egypt. Know then that Yahweh your God is God indeed, the faithful God who is true to his covenant and his graciousness for a thousand generations towards those who love him and keep his commandments, but who punishes in their own persons those that hate him. He is not slow to destroy the man who hates him; he makes him work out his punishment in person. You are therefore to keep and observe the commandments and statues and ordinances that I lay down for you today.

Cf. - Genesis 5:13 - O. T. - After the birth of Mahalalel, Kenan lived for eight hundred and forty years and he became the father of sons and daughters. In all, Kenan lived for nine hundred and ten years; then he died.

Cf. - Exodus 12:40-41 - O. T. - The time that the sons of Israel had spent in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And on the very day the four hundred and thirty years ended, all the array of Yahweh left the land of Egypt.

 Cf. - 1 Samuel 8-10; 13:14 - O. T. - THE PEOPLE ASK FOR A KING - THE DISADVANTAGES OF THE MONARCHY - SAUL AND HIS FATHER'S SHE-DONKEYS - SAUL MEETS SAMUEL - THE CONSECRATION OF SAUL - THE RETURN OF SAUL - SAUL IS CHOSEN KING BY LOT - But now your sovereignty will not last; Yahweh has searched out a man for himself after his own heart and designated him leader of his people, since you have not carried out what Yahweh ordered you.

Cf. - Psalm 89:20-21 - O. T. - I have selected my servant David and anointed him with my holy oil; my hand will be constantly with him, he will be able to rely on my arm.

Cf. - Isaiah 44:28 - O. T. - I am he who says of Cyprus, 'My shepherd - he will fulfill my whole purpose, saying of Jerusalem "Let her be rebuilt", and of the Temple, "Let your foundation be laid"'.

Cf. - Acts 13:32; 19:3-4 - 

Cf. - Malachi - 3:1-2 - O. T. - Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says Yahweh Sabaoth. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears?

Cf. - Luke 1:76 - N. T. - And you, little child, you shall be called Prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him.

Cf. - Matthew 3:11-12 - N. T. - John the Baptist - I baptise you in water for repentance, but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to carry his sandals' he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand; he will clear his threshing-floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.

Cf. - John 1:19-20 - N. T. - This is how John the Baptist appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?' he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, 'I am not the Christ'.

Cf. - Acts 5:20+; 2:23+; 3:17+ -

Cf. - Luke 18:31-33; 13:14; 15:21 - N. T. - Then taking the Twelve aside Jesus said to them, 'Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man is to come true. For he will be handed over to the pagans and will be mocked, maltreated and spat on, and when they have scourged him they will put him to death; and on the third day he will rise again.'

Cf. - Acts 5:30+; 1:3; 1:8+; 2:24-31; 13:23 -

Cf. - Psalm 2:7 - O. T. - Let me proclaim Yahweh's decree; he has told me, 'You are my son, today I have become your father.'

Cf. - Acts 2:36+; 9:20+ -

Cf. - Isaiah 55:3 - O. T. - Pay attention, come to me; listen, and your soul will live. With you I will make an everlasting covenant out of the favours promised to David.

Cf. Psalm 16:9-11 - O. T. - So my heart exults, my very soul rejoices, my body, too, will rest securely, for you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor allow the one you love to see the Pit; you will reveal the path of life to me, give me unbounded joy in your presence, and at your right hand everlasting pleasures.

Cf. - Acts 2:38+ -  

Cf. - Romans 8:3; 5:11; 1:16-17; 3:20-23 - N. T. - God has done what the Law, because of the unspiritual nature, was unable to do. Let all the pagans praise the Lord, let all the peoples sing his praises. For I am not ashamed of the Good news: it is the power of God saving all who have faith - Jews first, but Greeks as well - since this is what reveals the justice of God to us: it shows how faith leads to faith, or as scripture says: The upright man finds life through faith. And this is because no one can be justified in the sight of God by keeping the Law: all that law does is to tell us what is sinful. God's justice that was made known through Law and Prophets has now been revealed outside the Law, since it is the same justice of God that comes through faith to everyone, Jew and pagan alike, who believes in Jesus Christ.

Cf. - Acts 28:26-27 -

Cf. - Habakkuk - 1:5 - O. T. - Cast your eyes over the nations, look, and be amazed, astounded. For I am doing something in your own days that you would not believe if you were told of it.

Cf. - Acts 10:2+; 17:4; 11:23; 14:22 - 

                                                              -  PAGE  118  -

Paul and Barnabas preach to the pagans

The next Sabbath almost......  

                                                             -  PAGE  119  -

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!

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 WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -                              

 Thank You for donating, your generous contribution is profoundly cherish. God bless.                 Bank transfer / cheque deposit: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah                                                                       Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113                                                                                   Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  

III. THE MISSION OF BARNABAS AND PAUL - THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM -   

The mission sent out - Acts 13:1-3 - N. T. -   

In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers; Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, 'I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them'. So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid hands on them and sent them off.

Cf. - Acts 11:27+; 4:36+; 13:9+; 1:8+; 14:25-26; 6:6; 14:23; 15:40 - 

Cyprus: the magician Elymas - Acts 13:4-12 - N. T. -

So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; John acted as their assistant.

They travelled the whole length of the island, and at Paphos they came in contact with a Jewish magician called Bar-jesus. This false prophet was one of the attendants of the proconsul Sergius Paulus who was an extremely intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and asked to hear the word of God, but Elmas magos - as he was called in Greek - tried to stop them so as to prevent the proconsul's conversion to the faith. Then, Saul whose other name is Paul, looked him full in the face and said, 'You utter fraud, you impostor, you son of the devil, you enemy of all true religion, why don't you stop twisting the straight forward ways of the Lord? Now watch how the hand of the Lord will strike you: you will be blind, and for a time you will not see the sun.' That instant, everything went misty and dark for him, and he groped about to find someone to lead him by the hand. The proconsul, who had watched everything, became a believer, being astonished by what he learnt about the Lord.

Cf. - Acts 12:12+; 13:15, 46; 14:1; 16:13; 17:1-2, 10, 17; 18:4, 6; 8: 20-23 - 

Cf. - John 8:44 - N. T. - The devil is your father, and you prefer to do what your father wants. he was a murderer from the start; he was never grounded in the truth; there is no truth in him at all: when he lies he is drawing on his own store, because he is a liar, and the father of lies.

Cf. - Matthew 22:31-33 - N. T. - And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you never read what God himself said to you: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? God is God, not of the dead, but of the living. And Jesus teaching made a deep impression on the people who heard it.

Cf. - Luke 4:31-32 - N. T. - Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority. 

They arrive at Antioch in Pisidia - Acts 13:13-16 - N. T. -

Paul and his friends went by sea from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia where John left them to go back to Jerusalem. The others carried on from Perga till they reached Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went to synagogue on the Sabbath and took their seats. After the lessons from the Law and the Prophets had been read, the presidents of the synagogue sent them a message: 'Brothers, if you would like to address some words of encouragement to the congregation, please do so' Paul stood up, held up a hand for silence and began to speak:

Cf. - Acts 15:38; 13:5+; 28:23 -

                                                           -  PAGE  117  -

Paul's preaching before the Jews

'Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen!...

                                                               -  PAGE  118  -

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!

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 WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -                              

 Thank You for donating, your generous contribution is profoundly cherish. God bless.                 Bank transfer / cheque deposit: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah                                                                       Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113                                                                                   Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.