Acts 13:23-43

Summary
In Today’s passage, Paul recounts how God prospered the Israelites in Egypt and with mighty power led them out of Egypt, their journey from the wilderness to the Promised Land. He gave them judges to rule up until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then the people asked for a king and God gave them Saul, after Saul’s disobedience, He then made David king instead of Saul. From David’s descendent came Jesus the Saviour of the world. He furthered explained how God fulfilled his promise by raising Jesus from dead that his body may not decay after he was condemned by them. Through Jesus, the forgiveness and freedom from sin is received for as many as believed.

Life Application
God has fulfilled his word by making a way of escape for us from eternal condemnation. That way is to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We must therefore cease this opportunity that has been availed to us by God

Personal Declaration
I will proclaim the good news of our Lord Jesus.

Reading – Acts 13:23-43

²³ “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. ²⁴ Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. ²⁵ As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

²⁶ “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. ²⁸ Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. ²⁹ When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised him from the dead, ³¹ and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

³² “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors ³³ he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

“‘You are my son;
    today I have become your father.’^[a]

³⁴ God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’^[b]

³⁵ So it is also stated elsewhere:

“‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’^[c]

³⁶ “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. ³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

³⁸ “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. ³⁹ Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

⁴¹ “‘Look, you scoffers,
    wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
    that you would never believe,
    even if someone told you.’^[d]”

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. ⁴³ When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Footnotes:

1. Acts 13:33 Psalm 2:7
2. Acts 13:34 Isaiah 55:3
3. Acts 13:35 Psalm 16:10 (see Septuagint)
4. Acts 13:41 Hab. 1:5