³⁴ “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

Not Peace but Division^(A)

⁴⁹ “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ But I have a baptism^(B) to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!^{(C) 51} Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵² From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”^(D)

⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying^(A) and heaped abuse^(B) on him.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first.^(C) Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.^{(D) 47} For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord;^(G) and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord^(H) spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.^(I)

⁴ The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles.^(A)

² But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.^(A)

⁴⁰ On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”^(A)

⁴¹ Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?^{(B) 42} Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants^(C) and from Bethlehem,^(D) the town where David lived?” ⁴³ Thus the people were divided^(E) because of Jesus. ⁴⁴ Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.^(F)

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

⁴⁵ Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

⁴⁶ “No one ever spoke the way this man does,”^(G) the guards replied.

⁴⁷ “You mean he has deceived you also?”^(H) the Pharisees retorted. ⁴⁸ “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?^{(I) 49} No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

⁵⁰ Nicodemus,^(J) who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ⁵¹ “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

⁵² They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”^(K)