Paul Preaches in the Synagogue at Antioch Acts 13

Paul Preaches in the Synagogue at Antioch-A Light to the Gentiles
Acts 13:14-52

(no coloring page for this story)

After Paul and Barnabas were in Paphos, they went to Antioch, and on the sabbath day, they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue said that if anyone had something they wanted to teach they should speak. So Paul stood up and this is what he taught them:

"Men of Israel and you that fear God.. listen to me. The God of Israel chose our fathers,...and brought them out of Egypt..and for 40 years they were in the wilderness..after that he gave them their land.. and after that he gave to them judges for 450 years until the time of Samuel. After that the people wanted a king, so God gave them Saul who ruled over them for 40 years..and when God had removed Saul as king, he raised David up to be king.. because David was a man after God's own heart..and from the line of David (that means down through all his family) God according to his promise gave to Israel a Saviour, Jesus..

John preached to Israel the baptism of repentance before the coming of Jesus..and told the men of Israel that to those who fear God, the word of salvation was sent. But those who lived at Jerusalem would not listen to the words of the prophets and they wanted Jesus to be killed, even though Pilate found no reason that Jesus should be killed. And when all was fulfilled that had been written about Jesus, he was taken down from the cross and buried in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead..

And he was seen for many days by those who had been with him and they are his witnesses to the people..

And so let it be known to you that through this man (Jesus) is preached the forgiveness of sins..and by him (Jesus) all that believe are justified.." and when the Jews left the synagogue, the Gentiles asked that the same words might be preached to them too on the next sabbath day. And many of the Jews followed Paul and Barnabas and they continued in the grace of God.

And the next sabbath day almost the whole city came to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw this, they were very jealous and spoke against the things that Paul had taught. So Paul and Barnabas became very bold and said "It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you, but seeing as how you have turned away from it, we judge that you are unworthy of everlasting life, and so we turn to the Gentiles. For the Lord has commanded us saying 'I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles, so that salvation should reach the whole world'.. and when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and many...believed.

And the word of the Lord was taught throughout the whole area. But the Jews created problems for Paul and Barnabas and persecuted them and threw them out of that area. So Paul and Barnabas went to a place called Iconium, and they were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

___________________________

Memory Verse: Acts 13:47"..the Lord commanded us saying "I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles...." (King James Version)

Questions:
1 In the synagogue at Antioch, why did Paul get up and speak to the people?
2 What did Paul teach them?
3 What was the best gift that God gave to Israel?
4 Why did Paul say that he was turning to the Gentiles?
5 What did the Gentiles do when the heard the word of God?

Answers:
1 Because the rulers said that if anyone had something to teach they should speak up.
2 How God had brought them out of Egypt, given them land, judges and kings.
3 the Saviour, Jesus
4 Because the Jews were speaking against, and turning away from, the word of God.
5 They were glad, and the glorified the word of the Lord: and they believed.

Vicki C. Gross/Mar'05