Reception and Opposition to the Message

¹³ This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is,^(A) the word of God,^(B) which also works effectively in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea,^(C) since you have also suffered^(D) the same things from people of your own country,^(E) just as they did from the Jews ¹⁵ who killed the Lord Jesus^(F) and the prophets and persecuted us.^(G) They displease God and are hostile to everyone, ¹⁶ by keeping us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are constantly filling up their sins to the limit,^(H) and wrath has overtaken them at last.^[a]

The Parable of the Sower

13 On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.^{(A) 2} Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore.^(B)

³ Then he told them many things in parables,^(C) saying, “Consider the sower who went out to sow. ⁴ As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep. ⁶ But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.^{(D) 9} Let anyone who has ears^[a] listen.”^(E)

⁴⁴ The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord.^{[a] 45} But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him.^(A)

⁴⁶ Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.^{(B) 47} For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. ⁴⁹ The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district.^{(D) 51} But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet^(E) against them^(F) and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.^(G)