Study Desk

the place where they had been handed over to the care of God for the work which they had now completed.

When they arrived, they gathered the Messianic community together and reported what God had done through them, that he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

After being sent off by the congregation, they made their way through Phoenicia and Shomron, recounting in detail how the Gentiles had turned to God; and this news brought great joy to all the brothers.

On arrival in Yerushalayim, they were welcomed by the Messianic community, including the emissaries and the elders; and they reported what God had done through them.

After lengthy debate, Kefa got up and said to them, "Brothers, you yourselves know that a good while back, God chose me from among you to be the one by whose mouth the Goyim should hear the message of the Good News and come to trust.

And God, who knows the heart, bore them witness by giving the Ruach HaKodesh to them, just as he did to us;

So why are you putting God to the test now by placing a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we have had the strength to bear?

Then the whole assembly kept still as they listened to Bar-Nabba and Sha'ul tell what signs and miracles God had done through them among the Gentiles.

Shim‘on has told in detail what God did when he first began to show his concern for taking from among the Goyim a people to bear his name.

"Therefore, my opinion is that we should not put obstacles in the way of the Goyim who are turning to God.

As soon as he had seen the vision, we lost no time getting ready to leave for Macedonia; for we concluded that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in fine purple cloth. She was already a "God-fearer," and the Lord opened up her heart to respond to what Sha'ul was saying.

This girl followed behind Sha'ul and the rest of us and kept screaming, "These men are servants of God Ha‘Elyon! They're telling you how to be saved!"

Around midnight, Sha'ul and Sila were praying and singing hymns to God, while the other prisoners listened attentively.

After that, he brought them up to his house and set food in front of them; and he and his entire household celebrated their having come to trust in God.

Some of the Jews were persuaded and threw in their lot with Sha'ul and Sila, as did a great many of the Greek men who were "God-fearers," and not a few of the leading women.

But when the unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Sha'ul in Berea as well, they went there too to make trouble and agitate the crowds.

So he began holding discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the "God-fearers," and in the market square every day with the people who happened to be there.

For as I was walking around, looking at your shrines, I even found an altar which had been inscribed, ‘To An Unknown God.' So, the one whom you are already worshipping in ignorance — this is the one I proclaim to you.

"The God who made the universe and everything in it, and who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in man-made temples;