Book of Common Prayer

Address in Antioch

¹³ Paul and his companions set off from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and went back to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ But they came through from Perga and arrived in Antioch of Pisidia, where they went into the synagogue on the sabbath day and sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading of the law and the prophets, the ruler of the synagogue sent word to them.

“My brothers,” he said, “if you have any word of exhortation for the people, let us hear it.”

¹⁶ So Paul stood up and motioned with his hand for attention.

“Fellow Israelites,” he said, “and the godfearers among you: listen. ¹⁷ The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, and he raised the people up to greatness during their stay in the land of Egypt. Then he led them out from there with his outstretched hand, ¹⁸ and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert. ¹⁹ He drove out seven nations from the land of Canaan, and gave them the land as their inheritance ²⁰ for about four hundred and fifty years. After that, he gave them judges, up until Samuel the prophet. ²¹ After that, they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin. He ruled for forty years, ²² and after God had removed him he raised up for them David as king. He is the one to whom God bore witness when he said, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will accomplish all my purpose.’

²³ “From this man’s offspring, in accordance with his promise, God has produced a savior for Israel: Jesus! ²⁴ Before he appeared, John had announced a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. ²⁵ As John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose I am? I am not the one. But look: someone is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’ ”

The Twelve are appointed

⁷ Jesus went off towards the sea with his disciples, and a large crowd from Galilee followed him. A great company, too, from Judaea, ⁸ Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjordan, and the region of Tyre and Sidon, heard what he was doing and came to him.

⁹ There was a real danger that he might be crushed by the crowd, so he told his disciples to get a boat ready for him. ¹⁰ He healed large numbers, and sick people were pushing towards him to touch him. ¹¹ Whenever unclean spirits saw him, they fell down in front of him and yelled out, “You are the son of God!” ¹² He gave them strict orders not to reveal his identity.

¹³ Jesus went up the mountain, and summoned the people he wanted, and they came to him. ¹⁴ He appointed twelve (naming them “apostles”) to be with him and to be sent out as heralds, ¹⁵ and to have authority to cast out demons. ¹⁶ In appointing the Twelve, he named Simon “Peter”; ¹⁷ James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John, he named “Boanerges,” which means “sons of thunder.” The others were ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean, ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot (the one who handed him over).