From Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered [into] the synagogue and took their seats. 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, “My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”
16 So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Fellow Israelites and you others who are God-fearing, listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm he led them out of it 18 and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert. 19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance 20 at the end of about four hundred and fifty years. After these things he provided judges up to Samuel [the] prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king. God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 Then he removed him and raised up David as their king; of him he testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.’ 23 From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. 24 John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; 25 and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’
In Acts chapter 13, the Holy Spirit prompts the Church in Antioch to set apart Barnabas and Saul to proclaim the Word of God beyond Judea. In Acts 13:1-12, their journey begins in Cyprus, where they confront Elymas the magician, a false prophet opposing the Gospel. Saul, now referred to as Paul for the first time (Acts 13:9), confronts Elymas with spiritual authority, and the miracle that follows—his temporary blindness—leads the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus to believe, being “astonished by the teaching about the Lord” (Acts 13:12).
From Cyprus, Paul and his companions travel to Pisidian Antioch. However, John Mark, a relative of Barnabas (Col 4:10) and likely the same “Mark” who later authored the Gospel, departs and returns to Jerusalem (v. 13)—a moment that would later become a point of tension between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:37-39). On the Sabbath, Paul is invited to speak in the synagogue, and what follows is the first recorded sermon of Paul in Acts, delivered to a synagogue audience composed of both Jews and Gentile God-fearers.
Paul begins by recounting the history of Israel from the Exodus to the coming of David. He emphasizes that it was God who chose the ancestors, exalted the people in Egypt, and led them out by His mighty power (v. 17; cf. Deut 7:7-8). The forty years in the wilderness, the conquest of Canaan, the era of the judges, and the rise of the monarchy are all presented as a continuous act of divine providence. This entire summary echoes God’s unfolding plan of salvation and reflects a pattern also seen in Stephen’s speech (Acts 7), though Paul’s tone is more pastoral and less confrontational. Paul’s emphasis on divine initiative—("God chose," "God led," "God gave")—underscores that salvation is the result of grace, not human achievement. His summary also reveals the unity of the Old and New Testaments in God's salvific plan.
A key turning point in Paul’s sermon is the mention of David: “a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish” (v. 22; cf. 1 Sam 13:14; Ps 89:20). From David’s descendants, Paul announces, “God, according to His promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus” (v. 23). This explicitly ties Jesus to the Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7:12–14), confirming Him as the Messiah awaited by Israel.
John the Baptist’s role is also highlighted (v. 24-25), not as the focus, but as the final prophetic voice preparing the way for the Christ. Paul underscores John's humility in declaring that he was not the Messiah and was unworthy even to loosen His sandals (cf. John 1:20-27), thereby reinforcing the supremacy of Jesus.
Paul’s ability to recall and connect these saving events shows the importance of knowing salvation history, not merely as religious trivia, but as the narrative of God’s love and fidelity toward His people, now revealed as all those—Jew and Gentile alike—who are called into covenant through Christ. For every generation, understanding this history anchors faith in reality: God has acted, continues to act, and will fulfill His promises. In a world tempted to forget its spiritual heritage, the retelling of this story renews hope, deepens identity, and reminds us that we, individually and collectively, are part of a much greater story—God’s story of redeeming love unfolding in every generation.
Almighty God, You led your people with mercy, raised up a king after your heart, and in the fullness of time sent your Son to bring us salvation. Open our hearts to remember your faithfulness and live in joyful response. May we never cease to proclaim your mighty works to the generations to come. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
O Lord, guide
every soul who seeks You
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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