How do commissioning, Paul’s speech and opposition develop?

Antioch’s church has prophets and doctors including Barnabas, Simon Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manahen, the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While ministering and fasting they hear the Holy Ghost direct Saul and Barnabas’s separation for the chosen work. They fast, pray, impose hands and send them. Sent by the Holy Ghost, the two go to Seleucia and sail to Cyprus, preaching in Salamina’s Jewish synagogues with John in the ministry. At Paphos they find the Jewish magician and false prophet Bar-Jesu with the prudent proconsul Sergius Paulus, who wishes to hear God’s word. Elymas, interpreted magician, opposes them and tries to turn him from faith. Saul, also called Paul, is filled with the Holy Ghost and calls him full of guile, the devil’s child and an enemy of justice perverting the Lord’s ways. He announces the Lord’s hand and blindness for a time. Mist and darkness fall, and Elymas seeks someone to lead him. The proconsul sees, believes and admires the Lord’s doctrine.

Paul’s company sails to Perge in Pamphylia; John returns to Jerusalem. At Pisidian Antioch they sit in the synagogue on the sabbath. After the readings its rulers invite an exhortation. Paul addresses Israel’s men and God-fearers. God chose their fathers, exalted the Egyptian sojourners, brought them out with a high arm and endured their manners in the desert for forty years. He destroyed seven nations in Chanaan and divided the land by lot. The printed sequence says as it were after four hundred and fifty years, then judges until Samuel. It is not rewritten as a duration assigned solely to the judges. At their request Saul, Cis’s son of Benjamin, was king for forty years. After removing him God raised David, testified as a man after his heart, to do his wills. From David’s seed God brought the promised Saviour Jesus. John first preached baptism of penance, denying he was the expected one and declaring himself unworthy to loose the coming one’s shoes.

The word of salvation is sent to Abraham’s stock and God-fearers. Jerusalem’s inhabitants and rulers, not knowing Jesus or the prophets read weekly, fulfilled them by judging him. Finding no cause of death, they sought his killing by Pilate. They took him from the tree and buried him, but God raised him on the third day. Those accompanying him from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him for many days and remain witnesses. Paul announces the fathers’ promise fulfilled to the children by raising Jesus, citing the second psalm’s words about the Son begotten this day. His not returning to corruption is supported by the faithful holy things of David. The annotation cites Isaias 55:3 and the Septuagint’s sense of faithfully fulfilling David’s promises. Another text says the Holy One will not see corruption. David served his generation, died and saw corruption, but God’s raised one did not. Forgiveness is preached through him, and believers justified from things beyond justification by Moses’s law. Paul warns of the prophets’ despisers wondering and perishing at a work they would not believe.

Listeners ask to hear again the next sabbath. Many Jews and God-serving strangers follow, encouraged to continue in grace. Almost the whole city gathers the following week. Envious Jews contradict and blaspheme. Paul and Barnabas explain that speaking first to them was necessary, but their rejection and judgment of themselves as unworthy lead the preachers to the Gentiles. They cite the Lord’s command for light and salvation to the earth’s utmost. Gentiles rejoice and glorify the word; as many as were ordained to everlasting life believe. The word spreads through the country. Jews stir honourable religious women and chief men to persecution and expel the two. They shake dust against them and go to Iconium. The disciples are filled with joy and the Holy Ghost.