Acts 13:13-25
A Savior from David's Line
Read the passage
13After setting sail from Paphos, Paul and his companions came to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
14And from Perga, they traveled inland to Pisidian Antioch, where they entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down.
15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”
16Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to speak: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who fear God, listen to me!
17The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.
18He endured their conduct for about forty years in the wilderness.
19And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as an inheritance.
20All this took about 450 years. After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.
21Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years.
22After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’
23From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.
24Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But there is One coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
At Pisidian Antioch, the synagogue leaders invite a word of encouragement. Paul answers by telling the story of what God has done for Israel. God chose their fathers, brought the people out of Egypt, endured their conduct in the wilderness, and gave them a land. Even Israel's failures had not exhausted his patience.
Paul moves through the judges and kings to David. Then he names the Savior:
From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.
Jesus belongs at the center of this story because God has kept his promise. Israel did not climb its way to a savior through steady improvement. God acted, remained faithful through the people's disobedience, and brought the rescue they needed.
John the Baptist understood that he was preparing people for someone greater. He called them to repentance and said he was not worthy to untie the coming One's sandals. His importance lay in pointing beyond himself. Paul is doing that too: the encouragement he brings rests on God's faithfulness and the Savior God has sent.
Questions
1 Where did Paul and Barnabas go after Perga?
AnswerThey traveled inland from Perga to Pisidian Antioch, where Paul and Barnabas entered the synagogue on the Sabbath.
2 What did the synagogue leaders invite Paul to give?
AnswerThey invited him to speak a word of encouragement to the people, giving Paul an opening to explain Israel’s history and God’s promise.
3 Whom did God raise up as king?
AnswerGod raised up David as king and testified that David was a man after His heart who would do God’s will.
4 What did John say about the One coming after him?
AnswerHe said he was not worthy to untie the sandals of the One coming after him, because the coming One was greater than John.
What This Means for Us
When we read an Old Testament story, we can ask more than whether a person behaved well. What did God give, promise, or patiently bear? Paul's sermon teaches us to notice his faithfulness across many generations. That helps us understand why Jesus is good news, and why our failures are a reason to turn to him rather than hide from him.
Prayer
Faithful God, help us see Jesus within the story of your promises. Keep us from seeking attention for ourselves when we are called to point toward him. Amen.