Talk of JESUS .com

Tag: Proverbs

A popular saying, regarded as conveying wisdom. Scripture records a great number of didactic proverbs and also preserves some popular sayings.

Proverbs – Biblehub.com Proverbs topical index

Rebuke of ministers that perish without the Cross
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
1 Corinthians 1:11 KJV
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Contentions (from the KJV) 

Sounds rather serious doesn't it?
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1 Corinthians 1 – Contentions between Christians

In our previous look at Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians we looked at the REPORT from Chloe’s household and the Apostle’s brief summary.

NO Divisions in our Church ?

ἔρις – ἔρις, er’-is; of uncertain affinity; a quarrel, i.e. (by implication) wrangling:—contention, debate, strife, variance.

What will Paul do about such serious contentions over ministers and teaching in distant Corinth?

Before we proceed with Paul’s Apostolic approach, let’s briefly clarify terms of WHO ARE WE talking about.

ὑπηρέτης – hypēretēs – Ministers of Christ

Who is Paul addressing?

Certain Corinthian church members must have wondered, “Is HE writing to ME?”
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Later in his Epistle the Apostle appeals:
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Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers^G5257 of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
1 Corinthians 4:1 KJV

SOME of us resist the role to which God calls us in Christ.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

A minister [ὑπηρέτης] from this context and application is a SERVANT
1. an underrower, subordinate rower
  - (Picture Paul and other prisoners later rowing a Roman ship toward Rome.)
2. any one who serves with hands: a servant
3. any one who aids another in any work
  - an assistant
  - of the preacher of the gospel
I might add that certain servants had the authority of Roman governors or military leaders to judge men under their jurisdiction and prescribe punishments.

The wisdom of the cross and Christian ministers – Rebuke
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Problem #1 - Paul reiterated the report of divisions over Christian ministers.

NOW the Apostle will REBUKE the Corinthian church divisions over Christian ministers.
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ἐπιτιμάω – Rebuke

LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath,

And do not punish me in Your burning anger.
Psalm 38:1 NASB20

Better is open rebuke

Than love that is concealed.
Proverbs 27:5 NASB20

Jesus said to his disciples, “Stumbling blocks are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!

Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him.
Gospel of Luke 17:1,3 NET
Ruins of the synagogue in Corinth

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
Paul’s Rebuke of the Church

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but to us who are saved, it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 – Noah Webster’s 1833 Bible.

PREACHING
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The above 19th century English translation by Noah Webster of a 17th century King James Version, which also begins verse 1:18, "For the preaching of the cross...
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19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

WISDOM is a BIG THING to Greek thinking.

Pastor, Preacher or Minister?

Many prefer to think of ‘Preachers’ as ‘Pastors.’

A popular 20th century title for both was ‘MINISTER.‘

In fact, some English Bibles begin 1 Corinthians 1:18,

For the message of the cross..

OR more true to Paul’s A.D first century Greek,

For the word of the cross…

1:18 Ὁ λόγος γὰρ ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μὲν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστίν τοῖς δὲ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις θεοῦ ἐστιν
λόγος logos https://www.blueletterbible.org/web/1co/1/1/t_conc_1063018

I can’t help but recalling the opening of John’s Gospel.
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The logos of Christ's Cross FOOLISHNESS? 
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The Apostle continues rhetorically asking WHO among you seeks some other WISDOM than Christ?
- Where is the wise?
- where is the scribe?
- where is the disputer of this world?
hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Paul’s answer:

For when in the wisdom [sophia] of God [theos] the world [kosmos] by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1 Corinthians 1:21 WEB

Signs and Sophia

Just as Paul’s WISDOM passages point to the Hellenists [GREEK-thinking] of the Empire, the Apostle’s earlier reference to the Scribes points specifically to the JEWS.

“This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also shall the Son of man be to this generation.
Gospel of Luke 29:11b-12

Paul points to BOTH, in that some JEWS and some GREEKS in the Corinthian church DO NOT believe.

For the Jews require a sign,

and the Greeks seek wisdom:

But to them who are called,
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Not ALL are called who gather in the Corinthian Church (or in yours).
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both Jews and Greeks,

Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

That no flesh should glory in his presence.
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The Apostle Paul's REBUKE of Christian MINISTERS begins here. 
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Glory Only in the Lord

1 Corinthians 1:26- NKJV

For [consider] your calling, brethren, that
- not many wise according to the flesh,
- not many mighty,
- not many [well-born] noble,
are called.
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What think you, 21st century common era evangelical, of Paul's humbling rebuke?
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27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the [insignificant or lowly] base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen,

and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

NEXT: Further rebuke of CHRISTIAN MINISTERS.
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Paul will continue his rebuke of the wayward throughout his first epistle to the Corinthians up to Cor. 4:5.
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Headings from the NKJV
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- Christ Crucified
- Spiritual Wisdom
- Sectarianism Is Carnal
- Watering, Working, Warning
- Avoid Worldly Wisdom
- Stewards of the Mysteries of God
Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel
June 19, 2024
My HOT reaction to a 1st. c. Hot Topic
As I read my own contemporary REACTION to Paul’s epistle (letter) to the ‘foolish Galatians’ I realized that the Apostle had provoked PREACHING in my own commentary.

Which HOT Topic that matters to YOU will push your button of REACTION?

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO PERVERSION?

OR YOUR REACTION TO HYPOCRISY?

HOW DO YOU REACT TO SIN?
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IF you even hold that SIN is identifiable in a man or woman.
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IS YOUR REACTION TO OPPONENTS OF GOD SIMILAR TO PAUL’S?
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IF YOU YOURSELF are not opposed to the ONE GOD and JESUS CHRIST?
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REACTION to Galatians
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Think of this an extended personal COMMENT and reaction to my own post 
AND then ADD your reaction to Paul's letter with YOUR comment.

Please forgive any overlap of content from Scripture. It is my hope that these exhortations may also convict 21st century christians in addition to the Galatians.
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HOT topics from Galatians – Perversion of the Gospel

Galatians 1:7b LSB – .. there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Apostasy appears throughout the Holy Bible when God’s people become unholy.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?

It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
Paul’s epistle to the churches in Galatia 3:1 ESV

Foolish Reactions of milk-fed christians

(My REACTION to those led to ‘some other gospel,’ as Paul puts it.)

For the turning away^H4878 of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

See Paul’s reference to foolishness according to Proverbs

God’s reaction to worshipers turning from HIM!

Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine:

the soul who sins shall die.
the word of the LORD through His Prophet Ezekiel 18:4

It is NOT ONLY the flesh which will wither and die; but, SAYS THE LORD, ‘the soul who sins shall die.’

Galatians 4:

SON OF A SLAVE! (What’s your reaction to that?)

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.

DOES THIS NOT CONTINUE TO BE THE CONDITION OF EVERY CHRISTIAN BEFORE WE TURN TO JESUS CHRIST?

So why then, O foolish 21st century sinner, do you speak of reparations for slavery when you continue to refuse release from the CHAINS of CULTURE?

We are ENSLAVED by CULTURE! – the PERVERSE cultures of media leavening every moment of our day; the PERVERSE claims of political leaders PAID FOR secretly by those evil ones of Satan to whom their parties are chained.

The list is endless in these last days of this 21st century since the ascension of the risen Christ until HE returns to judge the living and the dead.

What’s your REACTION to HELL?
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Now there's a HOT Topic to avoid for those who pervert justice and oppose the Gospel of Christ's return. Again Paul's concern for the Galatians ought to mirror our own concern for 21st century church.
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9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
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OR, foolish claimant of Christ, is your own perversion of the Gospel leading your own soul into inevitable darkness, death, Judgment and right punishment for preaching culture and not Christ?
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15 What then has become of your blessedness? .. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
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DO YOU CHOOSE THE TRUE GOSPEL or have you foolishly followed the descending flow of their cultural gospel (which is false) into the very pit of perdition?
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17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
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The Apostle Paul exhorts so-called christians of the churches of Galatia to return to the GOSPEL OF CHRIST. 

I, too, have cultural HOT buttons of REACTION.
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false – for it is intolerant of Christ and Scripture

Syncretism

You can’t be Orthodox AND Roman..

You’re no longer Catholic..

You can’t be righteous to Allah if you claim Christ..

Moroni and Smith hid in a secretive and false church of Jesus Christ in these latter days..

Our preaching is NOT Universal and CANNOT accept all religions..

GOD calls SELF-worship ‘SIN.’

Buddha can help you find your true SELF..

Our gods of the earth and nature bring you to the karma of this life..

We are ALL good..

The Bible is just another book.. )

DO YOU SEE THE DANGERS?

Evidence of Christ or Signs of Apostasy?

No Bible translation I know is so brash as to use this HEADING for Paul’s closing argument in his case against some members of the churches we call Galatians;

yet I’ll risk closing this HOT topic with such a summation for a jury of my Christian peers.

4 You are severed [cut away] from Christ, you who would be justified by the law;

you have fallen away from grace.

The GOSPEL of Christ’s grace IS good news not only to the redeemed but in its evidence to others.

17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit,

and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh,

for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

CAN THE PERVERSITY OF HYPOCRISY BE ANY MORE OBVIOUS IN ITS WITNESS THOUGH THOSE WHO CLAIM CHRIST?

Perversion of the FLESH? vs. Fruit of the SPIRIT?

WHICH do YOU choose AND what evidence does every juror see, you who have been given the Gospel?

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident:

sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies,

and things like these.

I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;
Paul’s epistle [instructive letter to the churches] to the Galatians 5:22-23a ESV

against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

ARE YOU a christian wearing the Cross of Christ while living in the flesh just as Paul calls out to the Galatians to return to the GOSPEL of CHRIST?
- Does REACTION to your christian claim lead to further apostasy from God?
Does Paul’s HOT Topic #2 for the saints of the churches in Galatia CONVICT YOU?

WHAT FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT do you lack?

OR

Is your witness as a christian saint somewhat steeped in the unholiness of the fruit of the flesh?

COMMENTS? or Questions?
June 20, 2023
Sons of Abraham’s Family – Saul’s Conclusion in the Synagogue
Proselytes, Sojourners and Jewish visitors

Exhortation from the Jew of Jews Saulos Tarseus :שָׁאוּל

“Men of Israel, and you who fear God..” Paul begins his sermon to his brothers.
- Who are we preaching to? (Paul knew.)
- Everyone, of course; but mostly to proselytes, the faithful souls seeking God.
Keep in mind that Joseph of Cypress (Barnabas) and Saul of Tarsus (Paulos to his Greek friends) are visiting Jews to the synagogues of Antioch Pisidia and Jewish towns and cities where they will continue to travel from here.

So as Paulos continues his sermon pointing to the Messiah Jesus he begins:

“Brothers, sons of Abraham’s family..

Gatherings of Jews in the synagogues of Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Galatia and other communities of Jews throughout the Roman world of the first century commonly included practicing Jews of the local town or city like Antioch, visiting Jews from Jerusalem and other Jewish communities and a third category of worshiper you may well recognize in many worshipers at your local church.

These proselytes were practicing Jews not yet fully accepted into the culture of Judaism until all the requirements of membership of the archisynagōgos have been met. [see intro to Saul’s sermon]

Paul includes these proselytes defined by Scripture, perhaps even from the Law just read in the Torah, which refers to their Jewish brothers calling them ‘sojourners’ or ‘strangers.’
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(Think of the implication of this in Jesus' parables.)
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12:48 וְכִֽי־יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר וְעָשָׂה פֶסַח לַיהוָה הִמּוֹל לוֹ כָל־זָכָר וְאָז יִקְרַב לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ וְהָיָה כְּאֶזְרַח הָאָרֶץ וְכָל־עָרֵל לֹֽא־יֹאכַל בּֽוֹ׃

Masoretic Text

The Error of Jerusalem’s Jews

The largest divide of Jewish worship of the first century may have been that between Hellenists and the Temple of Herod and its politically appointed officials in Jerusalem. Variations of Jewish worship were not only a point of contention between Judeans and Samaritans, but between several parties of worshipers from congregations throughout the Roman Empire.

“The preaching of the gospel was preceded and prepared for by the dispersion of the Jews, and a world-wide propagandism of Judaism.
- In the 5th century BC the Jews had a temple of their own at Syene.
- Alexander the Great settled 8,000 Jews in the Thebais, and Jews formed a third of the population of Alexandria.
- Large numbers were brought from Palestine by Ptolemy I (320 BC), and they gradually spread from Egypt along the whole Mediterranean coast of Africa.
- After the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes (170 BC) they scattered themselves in every direction, and, in the words of the Sibylline Oracles (circa 160 BC), “crowded with their numbers every ocean and country.” – source
There was hardly a seaport or a commercial center in Asia Minor, Macedonia, Greece, or the Islands of the Aegean, in which Jewish communities were not to be found. Josephus (Ant., XIV, vii, 2) quotes Strabo as saying: “It is hard to find a place in the habitable earth that hath not admitted this tribe of men, and is not possessed by them.” – source: BlueLetterBible.org – Proselyte
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Saul of Tarsus, a leading Pharisee of Jerusalem had just preached [ACTS 13:23-24]:
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“From the seed of this man [King David], according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had preached before the face of His entering a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

Acts 13:26

“Brothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation was sent.

“For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning Him. And though they found no ground for death, they asked Pilate that He be executed.
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As a REMINDER: Paul preaches this in about A.D. 47 or 48.
The events of the crucifixion and resurrection took place about fourteen years ago in ~A.D. 33.
Luke records this gospel preached by Paul in Acts and published for the church of persecuted Christians, both gentile and Jew a few years later in the A.D. 60's.
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“And when they had finished all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.

ὁ δὲ θεὸς ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν

“But God raised Him from the dead

Jew, Hellenist, Roman — Muslim or polytheist Taoist, Buddhist or Hindu; mortal man or woman of the first century AD or 21st century AD: this is NO ordinary event in history!

Paul proclaims the Gospel, providing proof (intentionally ignored by those whom God rejects) and preaches to the Jews in Pisidian Antioch how God’s grace has gone out into the world beyond Jerusalem.

But God raised him from the dead, and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from the Galil to Yerushalayim, who are his witnesses to the people.
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Those who 'came up with him from Galilee' of course were the Apostles AND many disciples who entered Jerusalem with their Messiah for  the feast of matzah, which is called the Pesach.
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Gospel Good NEWS!

Up to this point Saul’s exhortation has reasonably laid out the facts to this Shabbat assembly of mostly Hellenist Jews in Πισιδία Ἀντιόχεια [Pisidian Antioch] mentioning God – that is, θεός theos.

Paul has not confused any of his Greek audience of ‘Jews and God seekers’ by referring to ‘the LORD,’ or ‘YaHWeH‘ or ‘Y’HoVeH’ so familiar to the Jews from Hebrew Scripture — only God or Theos.

But now in introducing the Gospel the Apostle mentions Jesus by name — Ἰησοῦς – iēsous or Yeshua [yᵊhôšûaʿ in Hebrew; “LORD Savior”]– and immediately provides proofs of fulfillment of God’s promise to Avraham from Hebrew Scripture.

We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Yeshua. As it is also written in the second psalm,

‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’
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Scripture of ACTS 13 from the Hebrew Names Bible
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The Resurrection of Christ

“Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus:

‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’

From horaō diaphthora, some English versions graphicly illustrate the DEATH of mankind’s MORTAL flesh: ‘YOU WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.’

Psalm 16:10 כִּי לֹא־תַעֲזֹב נַפְשִׁי לִשְׁאוֹל לֹֽא־תִתֵּן חֲסִידְךָ לִרְאוֹת שָֽׁחַת׃

For you will not leave my soul in She’ol,
Neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.
Psalm 16:10 Hebrew Names Version
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NOTE the reference to She'ol, the place of the dead, as it relates not only to the decaying body which will most certainly see corruption, but its Scriptural connection of DEATH as a penalty of abandonment by GOD of the SOUL of the sinful.
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שְׁאוֹל

Son of David + :בֶּן־דָּוִד

But he whom God raised up saw no decay.

Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,

and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things,

from which you could not be justified by the law of Moshe.

Beware! Therefore:
- Thank you “Men of Yisra’el, and you who fear God..” for asking me for a word of exhortation today.
  - Acts 13:14-16
- God chose our fathers, exalted them, led them from Mitzrayim and for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
  - Acts 13:17-18
- He destroyed seven nations in Kana`an, which our fathers possessed for about 450 years.
  - Acts 13:19
- Our fathers had Judges until Shemu’el the Prophet, but our fathers asked for a King, Sha’ul ben Kish, replaced by David the son of Yishai whom the LORD chose as, ‘a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
  - Acts 13:20-23
From Avraham’s seed:
- salvation according to God’s promise when Yochanan had first preached the immersion of repentance to Yisra’el.
  - Acts 13:24-25
- children of the stock of Avraham who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.
  - Acts 13:26
- Yerushalayim, and their rulers found no cause for death and fulfilled all things that were written about him..
  - Acts 13:27-29
- Resurrection: good news of the promise made to the fathers, fulfilled to us, their children, in that he raised up Yeshua.
  - Acts 13:30-37
- therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins, justification for those who believe.
  - Acts 13:38-39
Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:
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'Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; 
For I work a work in your days, 
A work which you will in no way believe, 
if one declares it to you.'"
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Some Wisdom for Proselytes & the Unrepentant

Proverbs 1:23 תָּשׁוּבוּ לְֽתוֹכַחְתִּי הִנֵּה אַבִּיעָה לָכֶם רוּחִי אוֹדִיעָה דְבָרַי אֶתְכֶֽם׃
Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you. Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention; But you have ignored all my counsel, And wanted none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you; When calamity overtakes you like a storm, When your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; When distress and anguish come on you.. Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own schemes. For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, And will be at ease, without fear of harm." excerpt from מִשְׁלֵי (Proverbs) 1 ::
Come back and continue..

So when the Yehudim went out of the synagogue, the Goyim begged that these words might be preached to them the next Shabbat.

Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Yehudim and of the devout proselytes followed Sha’ul [Paulos] and Bar-Nabba [Barnabas]; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
ACTS of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas 13:43 – Hebrew Names Version

The next Shabbat almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.
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The Missionary Journey of Paul and Barnabas into all the world.. TO BE CONTINUED...
God-willing...
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October 19, 2022