First ReadingActs 13:13-25
From the Acts of the Apostles
13Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphosand came to Perga in Pamphylia.John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem.14But they, passing on from Perga,came to Antioch of Pisidia.They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.15After the reading of the law and the prophets,the rulers of the synagogue sent to them,saying, “Brothers,if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”
16Paul stood up, and gesturing with his hand said,“Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.17The God of this people chose our fathers,and exalted the peoplewhen they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt,and with an uplifted arm,he led them out of it.18For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.19When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan,he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred fifty years.20After these things,he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.21Afterward they asked for a king,and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish,a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.22When he had removed him,he raised up David to be their king,to whom he also testified,‘I have found David the son of Jesse,a man after my heart,who will do all my will.’23From this man’s offspring,God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise,24before his coming,when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.25As John was fulfilling his course,he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am?I am not he.But behold, one comes after me,the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’