Episode 274: The circumcision letter

Acts 13-15

The Holy Ghost selects Barnabas and Saul

13 ^1-2 While the leaders of the Church in Antioch fasted, the Holy Ghost said, "I've selected Barnabas and Saul to do some work for me.”

³ So they fasted, prayed, and laid their hands on them, and sent them away.

Elymas is blinded by Paul and God

⁴ And so Barnabas and Saul were sent by the Holy Ghost to Cyprus.

⁶ In Paphos, they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Barjesus.

⁷ There was also an official named Sergius Paulus in Paphos who asked Saul and Barnabas about the word of God.

⁸ But Barjesus (aka Elymas) tried to keep the official from the faith.

⁹ Then Saul (aka Paul), filled with the Holy Ghost, looked at Elymas, and said,

¹⁰ You child of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you ever stop opposing God?

¹¹ The hand of God is on you, and you’ll be blind for a while.

And immediately, Elymas was blinded.

¹² When the official saw what was done, he believed.

Paul speaks in the Antioch synagogue

^13-14 Paul and his companions left Paphos and went to Antioch, where they attended the synagogue on the sabbath day.

¹⁵ The leaders of the synagogue asked Paul if he had anything to say.

^16-41 Paul stood up and told them some Bible stories (about the exodus from Egypt, the judges, Saul, David, and the death and resurrection of Jesus).

⁴² When Paul finally stopped talking and the Jews had left the synagogue, the Gentiles asked Paul to preach again to them on the next sabbath.

⁴⁴ And on the next sabbath, nearly everyone in the city came to hear the word of God.

⁴⁵ But the Jews were filled with envy, and spoke against Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

⁴⁶ Paul and Barnabas said to the Jews,

We spoke to you first, but since you proved unworthy of everlasting life, we turned to the Gentiles instead.

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced.

And those who were predestined to eternal life believed.

⁵⁰ But the Jews expelled Paul and Barnabas from the city.

⁵¹ So they shook off the dust from their feet and went to Iconium.

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

14 ¹ In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas spoke at the synagogue, and many Jews and Gentiles believed. ² But the unbelieving Jews turned the Gentiles against them.

³ Although Paul and Barnabas did signs and wonders in Iconium, the people didn't know who to believe. ⁵ But finally the leaders decided to stone them.

^6-7 So Paul and Barnabas left Iconium and went to Lycaonia and preached the gospel there.

Paul heals a crippled man

⁸ There was a man in Lystra who was crippled from birth.

⁹ Paul looked at him and figured he had enough faith to be healed.

¹⁰ So he said with a loud voice, "Stand up." And the man stood up and walked.

The people think Paul is Mercury (and Barnabas is Jupiter)

¹¹ When the people saw what Paul had done, they said, “The gods have come down to us in human form.”

¹² They thought Barnabas was Jupiter and Paul was Mercury.

¹⁴ When Paul and Barnabas heard about it, they tore their clothes, and cried out,

¹⁵ Why do you believe these things? We are just men like you.

The people stone Paul (but he somehow survives)

¹⁸ Still the people weren't convinced and wanted to sacrifice to them.

¹⁹ Then some Jews convinced the people to stone Paul, and they carried him out of the city, thinking he was dead.

^20-28 But Paul wasn't hurt. The next day he and Barnabas left Iconium, preaching at various cities before returning to Antioch.

The council of Jerusalem

15 ¹ Some men from Judea said, “If you aren't circumcised, you can't be saved.”

² Since Paul and Barnabas disagreed, they went to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the apostles.

⁶ When they arrived in Jerusalem, the apostles and elders were debating the circumcision matter.

⁷ Peter stood up and said,

God decided that I should preach to the Gentiles.

¹⁰ So why are you tempting God by requiring Gentile converts to obey the law that we never could?

¹³ Then James said,

²⁰ All that should be required of them is to abstain from idols, fornication, from strangled things, and blood.

The letter about circumcision was read to the Gentiles (and there was much rejoicing)

²² The elders and the whole church wrote a letter that said this:

²⁴ Certain men have told you that you must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses, but we have no such commandment.

²⁸ It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to require only that you abstain from the following things: eating meat offered to idols, from blood, from things that are strangled, and from fornication.

³⁰ The epistle was read to the Gentile believers in Antioch, and there was much rejoicing.

Paul and Barnabas split up

³⁶ Paul said to Barnabas,

Let's go visit the people we preached to already and see how they're doing.

³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John (aka Mark) with them. ³⁸ But Paul didn't. ³⁹ Their disagreement was so strong that they split up. So Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. ^40-41 And Paul went with Silas through Syria and Cilicia.