from Paphos, and came to Perga* in Pamphylia : and John departed from them, and returned to Jerusalem; but they went through the country from Perga, and came to Antiocht in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, and took their seats. And, after the reading of the law and the prophets,§ the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, speak. Then Paul stood up, and after beckoning with his hand, said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, hearken. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and lifted up the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm he brought them out of it. And about the time of forty years he bore with their behaviour in the wilderness. And, having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land among them by lot. And, after these things, for about four hundred and fifty years, he gave * Perga. They crossed over from Paphos to the coast of Asia Minor, where was the city of Perga, the chief town of the district or province of Pamphylia. + This Antioch is to be carefully distinguished from Antioch in Syria, from whence the apostle and his companions were sent out. Took their seats.-Not merely sat down, but took seats as teachers; for the rulers of the synagogue, observing this, sent to them, to ask whether they had any address to make to the people. $ After the reading, &c.-The books of Moses (called the law) were divided into sections, one of which was read every Sabbath, so that the whole was read in the course of the year. And the section from the law was accompanied with a passage from the writings of the prophets. After the reading, the meaning was explained to the people. Deut. i. and Isaiah liii. are still read in the synagogues on the same Sabbath; and from the strain of the apostle Paul's discourse, which follows, it is probable that these were the portions read at this time. them judges, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, during forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who shall fulfil all my will. Of this man's seed hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus, after John had preached before his coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was fulfilling his course, he said, Whom do you think me to be? I am not he: but, behold, one cometh after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. For Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God,* to you is the word of this salvation sent. they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, not having known him, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath-day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And, though they found no cause of death in him, yet they entreated Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: and he was seen many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses unto the people. And we declare to you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, this promise God hath fulfilled to us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as Paul here addresses himself both to Jews and to devout Gentiles, Children of the stock of Abraham, and Whosoever feareth God. it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. And that he raised him up from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he declared thus, I will give you the sure mercies of David.* Therefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou wilt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. But David, having served his own generation, by the will of God fell asleep, and was gathered to his fathers, and saw corruption: but he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known to you, therefore, brethren, that, through this man, is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses, every one that believeth is justified by him. : Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of by the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye will not believe, though any one should declare it unto you. And, when they were going out, the people entreated that these words might be spoken to them the next sabbath. Now when the assembly was broken up, many of the Jews and of the strangers who worshipped God, followed Paul and Barnabas : who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and contradicted those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting *Isaiah lv. 3. The sure mercies of David-literallythe holy things of David, the faithful things-referring to the promises made to David, that his family should possess the throne for ever; and which promises the apostle here applies to the Lord Jesus Christ, whom God raised up, of the seed of David, to sit upon his throne. and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out plainly, saying, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and do not judge yourselves worthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the farthest parts of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were set in the way eternal life believed. : * to And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their territory. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. QUESTIONS ON LESSON XI. Who were assembled with the Church at Antioch? * Set in the way. The word literally signifies to be set in order, drawn up, disposed as an army is for marching, fighting, &c. It is rendered in the Authorised and Rheims version ordained. But that word leads the mind to the idea of a decree, without reference to the state of the persons to whom the word ordained is applied. And it certainly was not the intention of the apostle to state, that all who in Antioch were decreed to eternal life believed at this time. The word disposed has been proposed by some; but that word does not necessarily suggest the operation of God as the disposing cause. See Luke ix. 62. No man looking back is fit for the kingdom of heaven. And Acts xvi. 14. Whose heart the Lord opened. The word in the text seems to combine the ideas conveyed by these two passages. + Iconium.-The capital city of Lycaonia, a province of Asia Minor. How were they employed? When they were so employed, what did the Holy Spirit say to them? How did they fulfil this direction? Where did Barnabas and Saul go to? Where did they sail to from Seleucia, and what town did they first visit? Who attended upon them? What other town did they visit in Cyprus ? Relate what happened in Paphos ? What name is given to Saul after this? From Paphos whither did they sail ? What took place at Perga? What town did they next visit? What did they do there? What was the object of Paul's address? Of what did he remind them from the Old Testament What did he tell them respecting John the Baptist? What did he tell them respecting Jesus Christ? How did he show that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was foretold? What warning did he give them? What effect had this address upon the people? How did the Jews behave? What did Paul and Barnabas then determine to do? What did the Jews then do? What did Paul and Barnabas then do, and to what town did they go? Where is Iconium? LESSON XII. Paul and Barnabas remain at Iconium-they are driven away and proceed to Lystra-there Paul heals an impotent man, and is afterwards stoned, but recovers-they go on to Derbe-they return to Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, Perga, and then sail to Antioch in Syria, which ends Paul's first missionary journey. FROM ACTS XIV. AND it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and spoke to such effect, that a great mul |