Daily Reading for Personal Growth, 40 Days with God

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak on the same subject the next day of worship. ⁴³ When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas talked with them and were persuading them to continue trusting God’s good will.^[a]

⁴⁴ On the next day of worship, almost the whole city gathered to hear the Lord’s word. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they became very jealous. They used insulting language to contradict whatever Paul said.

⁴⁶ Paul and Barnabas told them boldly, “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject the word and consider yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, we are now going to turn to people of other nations. ⁴⁷ The Lord gave us the following order:

⁴⁸ The people who were not Jews were pleased with what they heard and praised the Lord’s word. Everyone who had been prepared for everlasting life believed. ⁴⁹ The word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region. ⁵⁰ But Jews stirred up devout women of high social standing and the officials of the city. These people started to persecute Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their territory.

⁵¹ In protest against these people, Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and went to the city of Iconium. ⁵² Meanwhile, the disciples in Antioch continued to be full of joy and the Holy Spirit.