Part 166

13:22. And when he had removed him, he raised them up David to be king: to whom giving testimony, he said: I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man according to my own heart, who shall do all my wills.

13:23. Of this man's seed, God, according to his promise, hath raised up to Israel a Saviour Jesus:

13:24. John first preaching, before his coming, the baptism of penance to all the people of Israel.

13:25. And when John was fulfilling his course, he said: I am not he whom you think me to be. But behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

13:26. Men, brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you fear God: to you the word of this salvation is sent.

13:27. For they that inhabited Jerusalem and the rulers thereof, not knowing him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath, judging him, have fulfilled them.

13:28. And finding no cause of death in him, they desired of Pilate that they might kill him.

13:29. And when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him, taking him down from the tree, they laid him in a sepulchre.

13:30. But God raised him up from the dead the third day.

13:31. Who was seen for many days by them who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who to this present are his witnesses to the people.

13:32. And we declare unto you that the promise which was made to our fathers,

13:33. This same God hath fulfilled to our children, raising up Jesus, as in the second psalm also is written: Thou art my Son: this day have I begotten thee.

13:34. And to shew that he raised him up from the dead, not to return now any more to corruption, he said thus: I will give you the holy things of David, faithful.

I will give you the holy, etc. . .These are the words of the prophet Isaias, 55. 3. According to the Septuagint, the sense is: I will faithfully fulfil the promises I made to David.

13:35. And therefore, in another place also, he saith: Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption.

13:36. For David, when he had served in his generation, according to the will of God, slept: and was laid unto his fathers and saw corruption.

13:37. But he whom God hath raised from the dead saw no corruption.

13:38. Be it known therefore to you, men, brethren, that through him forgiveness of sins is preached to you: and from all the things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

13:39. In him every one that believeth is justified.

13:40. Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken in the prophets:

13:41. Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which you will not believe, if any man shall tell it you.

13:42. And as they went out, they desired them that on the next sabbath they would speak unto them these words.

13:43. And when the synagogue was broken up, many of the Jews and of the strangers who served God followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

13:44. But the next sabbath day, the whole city almost came together, to hear the word of God.

13:45. And the Jews, seeing the multitudes, were filled with envy and contradicted those things which were said by Paul, blaspheming.

13:46. Then Paul and Barnabas said boldly: To you it behoved us first to speak the word of God: but because you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold we turn to the Gentiles.

13:47. For so the Lord hath commanded us: I have set thee to be the light of the Gentiles: that thou mayest be for salvation unto the utmost part of the earth.

13:48. And the Gentiles hearing it were glad and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to life everlasting believed.