44. On the next Sabbath day, almost all the people in the city came to hear the word of the Lord.
45. Seeing the crowd, the Jews became very jealous. They said insulting things and argued against what Paul said.
46. But Paul and Barnabas spoke very boldly. They said, “We must speak the message of God to you first. But you refuse to listen. You are judging yourselves not worthy of having eternal life! So we will now go to the people of other nations!
47. This is what the Lord told us to do. The Lord said:‘I have made you a light for the non-Jewish nations.You will show people all over the world the way to be saved.’” Isaiah 49:6
48. When the non-Jewish people heard Paul say this, they were happy. They gave honor to the message of the Lord. And many of the people believed the message. They were the ones chosen to have life forever.
49. And so the message of the Lord was spreading through the whole country.
50. But the Jews stirred up some of the important religious women and the leaders of the city against Paul and Barnabas. They started trouble against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their area.
51. So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and went to Iconium.
52. But the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.