ACTS 13 PAUL'S GLAD TIDINGS

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13:16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

Paul was primarily addressing the Jews. He included anyone who would fear God. God always allowed strangers to come to Him thru Israel.

13:23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

Of the seed of David, God raised Jesus, to be Saviour to Israel. It was Israel, to whom Jesus came to save; it was according to promise.

13:24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

John was preaching to the nation of Israel. He was preaching repentance.

13:25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

John was pointing Israel to recognize and receive their Saviour.

13:26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

Salvation to the Jews is reiterated.

13:29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

13:30 But God raised him from the dead:

Paul emphasizes that Christ Jesus was raised from the dead.

13:31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

The resurrection was verified.

13:32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

13:33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

The resurrection of Jesus secured the promise made to the Jews.

13:34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

13:35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

13:37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

In Christ they were promised forgiveness.

13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Paul was saying that Israel could not keep the law; they could not be justified unto eternal life by the law and Moses. But by Christ, they could be eternally justified.

13:40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

13:41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

Paul declared scripture foretold their unbelief.

13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

The Gentiles were ready and willing to hear the gospel and believe.

13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

The Jews were blinded by unbelief.

13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Here, Paul turns to the Gentiles to offer salvation.

13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Israel in the Kingdom was to be that light; and in the future, they will.

13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.