Daily Reading for Personal Growth, 40 Days with God

⁴² As they were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to speak further on these subjects on the following Sabbath. ⁴³ After the congregation had dispersed, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God.

⁴⁴ Paul’s Speech to the Gentiles. On the next Sabbath, almost the entire city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and with blasphemy they contradicted whatever Paul said. ⁴⁶ Then both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be proclaimed to you first. However, since you have rejected it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For so has the Lord commanded us to do, saying,

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were delighted, and they praised the word of the Lord. All those who were destined for eternal life became believers. ⁴⁹ Thus, the word of the Lord continued to spread throughout the entire region.

⁵⁰ However, the Jews incited the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city. As a result, a campaign of persecution was stirred up against Paul and Barnabas, and they were driven out of the territory. ⁵¹ And so they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.^{[a] 52} And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.