Didn’t you, our God, force those who were living in this country out of Israel’s way? Didn’t you give this country to the descendants of your friend Abraham to have permanently?
Listen to this, descendants of Jacob! You are given the name of Israel. You are descended from Judah. You take oaths by the name of the Lord. You acknowledge the God of Israel, but you are not honest or sincere.
Scripture also says that by the authority of Jesus people would be told to turn to God and change the way they think and act so that their sins will be forgiven. This would be told to people from all nations, beginning in the city of Jerusalem.
When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas talked with them and were persuading them to continue trusting God’s good will.
Paul and Barnabas told them boldly, “We had to speak God’s word to you first. Since you reject the word and consider yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, we are now going to turn to people of other nations.
The chief priest and the entire council of our leaders can prove that I did this. In fact, they even gave me letters to take to the Jewish community in the city of Damascus. I was going there to tie up believers and bring them back to Jerusalem to punish them.
You have these because of the hope which is kept safe for you in heaven. Some time ago you heard about this hope in the Good News which is the message of truth.