13 ¹³ Leaving Paphos, Paul and his companions went by sea to Perga in Pamphylia; John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem. 13 ¹⁴ From Perga they continued their journey as far as Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they went to synagogue and took their seats; 13 ¹⁵ and after the readings from the Law and the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent this message to them: 'Friends, if you have anything to say to the people by way of exhortation, let us hear it.' 13 ¹⁶ Paul rose, made a gesture with his hand, and began:

'Men of Israel and you who worship our God, listen to me! 13 ¹⁷ The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers. When they were still living as aliens in Egypt he made them into a nation and brought them out of that country with arm outstretched. 13 ¹⁸ For some forty years he bore with their conduct Some witnesses read: he sustained them. in the desert. 13 ¹⁹ Then in the Canaanite country he overthrew seven nations, whose lands he gave them to be their heritage 13 ²⁰ for some four hundred and fifty years, and afterwards appointed judges for them until the time of the prophet Samuel.
13 ²¹ 'Then they asked for a king and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. 13 ^{22 [ Ps.89.20, 1Sm.13.14. ]} Then he removed him and set up David as their king, giving him his approval in these words: "I have found David son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my purposes." 13 ²³ This is the man from whose posterity God, as he promised, has brought Israel a saviour, Jesus. 13 ²⁴ John made ready for his coming by proclaiming baptism as a token of repentance to the whole people of Israel. 13 ²⁵ And when John was nearing the end of his course, he said, "I am not what you think I am. No, after me comes one whose shoes I am not fit to unfasten."

13 ²⁶ 'My brothers, you who come of the stock of Abraham, and others among you who revere our God, we are the people to whom the message of this salvation has been sent. 13 ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him, or understand the words of the prophets which are read Sabbath by Sabbath; indeed they fulfilled them by condemning him. 13 ²⁸ Though they failed to find grounds for the sentence of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 13 ²⁹ And when they had carried out all that the scriptures said about him, they took him down from the gibbet and laid him in a tomb. 13 ³⁰ But God raised him from the dead; 13 ³⁵ and there was a period of many days during which he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.
13 ³² 'They are now his witnesses before our nation; and we are here to give you the good news that God, who made the promise to the fathers, 13 ^{33 [ Ps.2.7. ]} has fulfilled it for the children Some witnesses read: out children; others read: their children. by raising Jesus from the dead, as indeed it stands written, in the second Some witnesses read: first. Psalm: "You are my son; this day have I begotten you." 13 ^{34 [ Is.55.3. ]} Again, that he raised him from the dead, never again to revert to corruption, he declares in these words: "I will give you the blessings promised to David, holy and sure." 13 ^{35 [ Ps.16.10. ]} This is borne out by another passage: "Thou wilt not let thy loyal servant suffer corruption." 13 ³⁶ As for David, when he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, he died, and was gathered to his fathers, and suffered corruption; 13 ³⁷ but the one whom God raised up did not suffer corruption; 13 ³⁸ and you must understand, my brothers, that it is through him that forgiveness of sins is now being proclaimed to you. 13 ³⁹ It is through him that everyone who has faith is acquitted of everything for which there was no acquittal under the Law of Moses. 13 ⁴⁰ Beware, then, lest you bring down upon yourselves the doom proclaimed by the prophets:

13 ⁴² As they were leaving the synagogue they were asked to come again and speak on these subjects next Sabbath; 13 ⁴³ and after the congregation had dispersed, many Jews and gentile worshippers went along with Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to hold fast to the grace of God.

13 ⁴⁴ On the following Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of God. 13 ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealous resentment, and contradicted what Paul and Barnabas said, with violent abuse. 13 ⁴⁶ But Paul and Barnabas were outspoken in their reply. 'It was necessary', they said, 'that the word of God should be declared to you first. But since you reject it and thus condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 13 ^{47 [ Is.49.6. ]} For these are our instructions from the Lord: "I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, and a means of salvation to earth's farthest bounds." ' 13 ⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were overjoyed and thankfully acclaimed the word of the Lord, and those who were marked out for eternal life became believers. 13 ⁴⁹ So the word of the Lord spread far and wide through the region. 13 ⁵⁰ But the Jews stirred up feeling among the women of standing who were worshippers, and among the leading men of the city; a persecution was started against Paul and Barnabas, and they were expelled from the district. 13 ⁵¹ So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 13 ⁵² And the converts were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.