The Bible Story Part 268

And at Lystra there sat a certain man, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his birth, who never had walked. This man heard Paul speaking: who, fastening his eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole, said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on thy feet." And he leaped up and walked.

And when the mult.i.tudes saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, "The G.o.ds are come down to us in the likeness of men." And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Jupiter whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the mult.i.tudes. But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their garments, and sprang forth among the mult.i.tude, crying out and saying, "Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like pa.s.sions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto the living G.o.d, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is: {387} who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways. And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness."

And with these sayings scarce restrained they the mult.i.tudes from doing sacrifice unto them.

But there came Jews thither from Antioch and Iconium: and having persuaded the mult.i.tudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and entered into the city: and on the morrow he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that "through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of G.o.d." And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed. And they pa.s.sed through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia; and thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been committed to the grace of G.o.d for the work which they had fulfilled. And when they had come, and had gathered the church together, they told all things that G.o.d had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles. And they tarried no little time with the disciples.

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IV

A DISTURBANCE IN THE CHURCH

_How a Serious Dispute Was Settled by Mutual Conference_.

(Trouble arose in the church very early over the question of admitting people of the outside world, or Gentiles, into the fellowship of the faith. There was a party in the church who insisted very strongly that the Gentiles, if they came in, must conform to all the rites and ceremonies of the Jews. Another party, headed by Paul, said that it was not necessary for the Gentiles to become Jews; that they could be Christians without following all the religious ceremonies of the Jews.

After Paul and Barnabas returned from their missionary journey, and reported the conversion of many Gentiles to the new faith, a great meeting of the leaders was called at Jerusalem, and the matter, after warm discussion, was decided in favor of the broader view of Paul.)

And certain men came down from Judaea and taught the brethren, saying, "Except ye keep the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved." And when Paul and Barnabas had no little disagreement and questioning with them, the brethren decided that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, pa.s.sed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they repeated all the things that G.o.d had done with them.

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And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter. And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up and said unto them, "Brethren, ye know how that a good while ago G.o.d made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And G.o.d, who knoweth the heart, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye G.o.d, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they."

And all the mult.i.tude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul as they told what signs and wonders G.o.d had wrought among the Gentiles by them. And after they had ceased speaking, James answered, saying,--

"Brethren, hearken unto me: Symeon hath rehea.r.s.ed how first G.o.d did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,--

'After these things I will return, And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; And I will build again the ruins thereof, And I will set it up: That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from the beginning of the world.'

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"Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not those who from among the Gentiles turn to G.o.d; but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from uncleanness, and from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: and they wrote thus by them,--

"_The apostles and the elder brethren unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:_--

"Forasmuch as we have heard that certain men who went out from us have troubled you with words, vexing your souls; to whom we gave no commandment; it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from uncleanness; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. _Fare ye well_."

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So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the mult.i.tude together, they delivered the epistle. And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation it afforded. And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren to those that had sent them forth. But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

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THE SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY

Paul started on his second missionary journey by the land route, pa.s.sing through his native city of Tarsus, over the Taurus mountains and into Galatia, where he revisited the cities of Derbe and Lystra. He attempted to visit other places, but was prevented from doing so, and pressed on through many miles of wild and desolate country of northern Asia Minor until the welcome waters of the Aegean again greeted his eyes at Troas.

Here he faced Europe and the great crisis of his life. In the night he saw the vision of the man and heard the cry, "Come over into Macedonia and help us." Then Paul determined upon the great step which meant so much to the world. He went on board a coaster at Troas, made "a straight run" to the island of _Samothracia_, and the next day came to the harbor of Neapolis, which is only a few miles from Philippi. The important Macedonian campaign included the cities of _Philippi_, _Thessalonica_, and _Beroea_. Here his work in Macedonia abruptly ended. In danger of his life from evil persons who followed him from Thessalonica, he was hurried out of the country by his friends and journeyed by land and sea to _Athens_. Then he went to _Corinth_, where he stayed for some time preaching and working at his trade of tentmaker. Embarking on a pilgrim ship carrying Jews to Pa.s.sover, Paul sailed to Caesarea and then journeyed to Jerusalem, stopping briefly on the way at Ephesus. Thus ended the second great journey.

Companions: Silas and Timothy.

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

Map of land around the Mediterranean Sea showing Paul's journey.

[End ill.u.s.tration]

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I

REVISITING THE SCENES OF FORMER VICTORIES IN PHRYGIA AND GALATIA

_Paul and Barnabas Again Take the Field_.

And after some time, Paul said unto Barnabas, "Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare."

And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark. But Paul thought it not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed in the new faith, but his father was a Greek. The same was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. And Paul took him with him.

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and when they were come over against Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not; and pa.s.sing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

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II

"THE MACEDONIAN CRY"

_The New Faith Enters Europe. The Midnight Rescue from the Jail at Philippi_.

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us."

And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that G.o.d had called us to preach the gospel unto them.

Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis; and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a Roman colony: and we were in this city tarrying certain days. And on the Sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spoke to the women who were come together. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped G.o.d, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, to give heed to the things which were spoken by Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, "If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there." And she persuaded us.

And it came to pa.s.s, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.