Bible Reading Plan – Day 305

₁The same thing happened in Iconium: Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of Jews and Gentiles became believers. ₂But the Jews who would not believe stirred up the Gentiles and turned them against the believers. ₃The apostles stayed there for a long time, speaking boldly about the Lord, who proved that their message about his grace was true by giving them the power to perform miracles and wonders. ₄The people of the city were divided: some were for the Jews, others for the apostles.

₅Then some Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, decided to ill-treat the apostles and stone them. ₆When the apostles learnt about it, they fled to the cities of Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia and to the surrounding territory. ₇There they preached the Good News.

₈In Lystra there was a man who had been lame from birth and had never been able to walk. ₉He sat there and listened to Paul's words. Paul saw that he believed and could be healed, so he looked straight at him ₁₀and said in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” The man jumped up and started walking around. ₁₁When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they started shouting in their own Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us!” ₁₂They gave Barnabas the name Zeus, and Paul the name Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ₁₃The priest of the god Zeus, whose temple stood just outside the town, brought bulls and flowers to the gate, for he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice to the apostles.

₁₄When Barnabas and Paul heard what they were about to do, they tore their clothes and ran into the middle of the crowd, shouting, ₁₅“Why are you doing this? We ourselves are only human beings like you! We are here to announce the Good News, to turn you away from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven, earth, sea, and all that is in them. ₁₆In the past he allowed all people to go their own way. ₁₇But he has always given evidence of his existence by the good things he does: he gives you rain from heaven and crops at the right times; he gives you food and fills your hearts with happiness.” ₁₈Even with these words the apostles could hardly keep the crowd from offering a sacrifice to them.

₁₉Some Jews came from Antioch in Pisidia and from Iconium; they won the crowd over to their side, stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, thinking that he was dead. ₂₀But when the believers gathered round him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he and Barnabas went to Derbe.

₂₁Paul and Barnabas preached the Good News in Derbe and won many disciples. Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium, and on to Antioch in Pisidia. ₂₂They strengthened the believers and encouraged them to remain true to the faith. “We must pass through many troubles to enter the Kingdom of God,” they taught. ₂₃In each church they appointed elders, and with prayers and fasting they commended them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

₂₄After going through the territory of Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. ₂₅There they preached the message in Perga and then went to Attalia, ₂₆and from there they sailed back to Antioch, the place where they had been commended to the care of God's grace for the work they had now completed.

₂₇When they arrived in Antioch, they gathered the people of the church together and told them about all that God had done with them and how he had opened the way for the Gentiles to believe. ₂₈And they stayed a long time there with the believers.

₁Some men came from Judea to Antioch and started teaching the believers, “You cannot be saved unless you are circumcised as the Law of Moses requires.” ₂Paul and Barnabas got into a fierce argument with them about this, so it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others in Antioch should go to Jerusalem and see the apostles and elders about this matter.

₃They were sent on their way by the church; and as they went through Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported how the Gentiles had turned to God; this news brought great joy to all the believers. ₄When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, to whom they told all that God had done through them. ₅But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and told to obey the Law of Moses.”

₆The apostles and the elders met together to consider this question. ₇After a long debate Peter stood up and said, “My brothers and sisters, you know that a long time ago God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, so that they could hear and believe. ₈And God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, showed his approval of the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he had to us. ₉He made no difference between us and them; he forgave their sins because they believed. ₁₀So then, why do you now want to put God to the test by laying a load on the backs of the believers which neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry? ₁₁No! We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”

₁₂The whole group was silent as they heard Barnabas and Paul report all the miracles and wonders that God had performed through them among the Gentiles. ₁₃When they had finished speaking, James spoke up: “Listen to me, my brothers and sisters! ₁₄Simon has just explained how God first showed his care for the Gentiles by taking from among them a people to belong to him. ₁₅The words of the prophets agree completely with this. As the scripture says:

₁₉“It is my opinion,” James went on, “that we should not trouble the Gentiles who are turning to God. ₂₀Instead, we should write a letter telling them not to eat any food that is ritually unclean because it has been offered to idols; to keep themselves from sexual immorality; and not to eat any animal that has been strangled, or any blood. ₂₁For the Law of Moses has been read for a very long time in the synagogues every Sabbath, and his words are preached in every town.”

₂₂Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, decided to choose some men from the group and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose two men who were highly respected by the believers, Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, ₂₃and they sent the following letter by them:

₃₀The messengers were sent off and went to Antioch, where they gathered the whole group of believers and gave them the letter. ₃₁When the people read it, they were filled with joy by the message of encouragement. ₃₂Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, spoke a long time with them, giving them courage and strength. ₃₃After spending some time there, they were sent off in peace by the believers and went back to those who had sent them.

₃₅Paul and Barnabas spent some time in Antioch, and together with many others they taught and preached the word of the Lord.

₃₆Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit our brothers and sisters in every town where we preached the word of the Lord, and let us find out how they are getting on.” ₃₇Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, ₃₈but Paul did not think it was right to take him, because he had not stayed with them to the end of their mission, but had turned back and left them in Pamphylia. ₃₉There was a sharp argument, and they separated: Barnabas took Mark and sailed off for Cyprus, ₄₀while Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the care of the Lord's grace. ₄₁He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.