Paul's First Sermon; Part 2

Acts 13:26–43 (NASB95)

“Brethren, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.

“For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him.

“And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed.

“When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

“But God raised Him from the dead;

and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people.

“And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers,

that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today i have begotten You.’

“As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

“Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’

“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay;

but He whom God raised did not undergo decay.

“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

“Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you:

‘Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish;

For I am accomplishing a work in your days,

A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you.’ ”

As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath.

Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.