Acts 13:16An Understandable Version (2005 edition)So, Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand [to get their attention], he said, “You Israelites and those who have great respect for God, listen [to me]. See the chapter |
“The person who has an ear should listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches. To the person who has victory [in the Christian life] I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will [also] give him a white stone with a new name written on it, which no one understands, except the one who receives it.
“The person who has an ear should listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches. To the person who has victory [in the Christian life] I will give [the opportunity] to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.” [Note: “Paradise” is equivalent to heaven. See II Cor. 12:4].
But Paul and Barnabas [continued to] speak out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the message of God be delivered to you [Jews] first. But since you have rejected it and [thereby] consider yourselves to be unworthy of [receiving] never ending life, we [i.e., Paul and Barnabas] will now begin proclaiming it to the [unconverted] Gentiles.