[PAGE-BREAK][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]From Paphos Paul and his companions sailed northwest to Perga, a large port city in Pamphylia where for reasons unknown John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). From there they crossed the rugged Taurus Mountains to Psidian Antioch, a moderately-sized city in southern Galatia lying a hard ten-days’ walk from the coast (Acts 13:13–14). [/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”14938″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text el_class=”content-img-src”]THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL, AD 49 or 50
Image source: © Carta, Jerusalem[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Arriving in town they naturally headed first to the synagogue where Paul preached a message of Jesus “through whom everyone who believes is freed from all things from which you could not be freed through the Torah of Moses” (Acts 13:39). Most of the Jews in attendance were understandably opposed to the message, although Paul’s words were generally well received by God-fearing Gentiles (Acts 13:15–49). [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Facing opposition, Paul and Barnabas fled southeast along the main trade route that connected Galatia with Syria, to Iconium and then Lystra, where his strategy—and the results—were the same (Acts 13:50–14:20). From there he continued on to Derbe where he enjoyed results without opposition (Acts 14:21–23). [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]From there it was a fairly short walk back to Tarsus and Paul likely would have returned home were it not for the positive response he finally had to the Gospel message. Encouraged and emboldened (he actually never lacked for courage), Paul decided instead to retrace his steps the same way he had come (Acts 14:21–28).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
