"And Jesus said, "This is my commandment:" "Love one another as I have loved you." "There is no greater love than this-- that a man should lay down his life for his friends." "Take home Jesus' love." "And keep it by giving it to others." "Amen." "Amen." "Peter..." "I came as soon as I couId." "Here, drink this." "James, you lead us well." "twelve men, praying in a grotto." "Deceit and betrayal are everywhere." "It's true, then, they've taken Stephen." "They're holding him in prison." "He's to appear before the Sanhedrin." "What harm is Stephen to them?" "His mission was to provide foodto our poor." "He got into an argument on the temple steps." "He quotedthe prophets to prove that Jesus was the true Messiah." "There were bitterwords." "He was warned by the guards to move on." "Things went against him very fast." "Informants in the crowdreported him to the council." "He's chargedwith blasphemy." "They have noright to try a man for a capital charge." "The Romans forbid it." "Rights?" "Rights no Ionger matter." "There arereasonabIe men amongthe Sanhedrin." "They can't be all of one mind." "The zealots are in control." "reasonable men can no Ionger oppose them." "They see themselves on the brink of destruction under Roman rule, highways of Jews being crucified all over palestine." "John, Who was with him when he was taken?" "No one." "No one?" "None stood up with him?" "Where are our voices?" "Keep yours down." "What justifies yourwords?" "To shame us?" "No." "No, no, no." "You fulfill your duty." "It seems to be some special providence that all we can rejoice in is suffering." "GodwiII one dayrepay us." "I do not believe that was my pact with Jesus!" "Stephen goes too far!" "Andwe desert him?" "There is nothing any of us can do." "saul PauIus of Tarsus, it's in your charge!" "Witnesses identify yourselves!" "SaIIum of alexandria." "Sabhah, the Cyrenian." "caleb of CiIicia." "Who isready?" "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" "Do not hoIdthis sin against them!" "Rabban GamaIieI." "Thank you." "Thank you." "You look worn, saul." "I have felt concern for you." "I have never seen a man being stoned before." "It's somethingthat I will neverforget." "But, it was necessary and it was also a moral right if we are to preserve the Law." "It was consideredremarkabIe that you came to us with such a fund of knowledge of the Law." "well, whatever my own feelings are in this matter," "I cannot affordto take account of them." "I've wastedtoo much time as it is in thinking and I..." "Besides, I have my commission from the High Priest." "I have heard of this commission." "A house-to-house search for otherfoIIowers of Jesus, is it not?" "Yes, Yes I myself askedforthe commission to go to Damascus andto the synagogues there andto arrest these people and bringthem back to jerusalem andthere by make them eitherrenounce theirfaith of suffer punishment." "You should be of great service." "We are waging a just war!" "AndThey're the ones to be blamed." "Heathen still at heart, this Stephen called us." "Heathen still at heart, And Deaf to the truth!" "That we hadthe law brought to us by angels andthat we are the ones who have not kept it that was the insult, that was the monstrous insult!" "andto say that Jesus paidfor our sins?" "That this Jesus paidfor our sins andthat we only by accepting Him, can we be forgiven ours?" "Jews and gentiles alike?" "I must go against them!" "But against whom?" "We are occupied by Rome, not by followers of Jesus." "Rome, whose force is overwhelming, who corrupts our leaders, subverts from within, who throw us into bitter opposition against each other, until we see threats and act against them more in passion than reason." "And Jews, in the name of salvation, turn against Jews." "They would destroy the temple!" "WouIdthey not?" "It is against them that I turn." "Not the Jews!" "What are they if not Jews?" "Rabban GamaIieI." "saul PauIus." "Be cautious in decidingwhat you do with these men." "Leave them alone." "If this idea of theirs or its execution is of human origin, it will collapse." "But if it comes from God, you will never be able to put them down, and you risk finding yourself at warwith God." "tell me, Lord, who are you!" "I can't see!" "I'm blind..." "This man has important work to do here in Damascus." "He was to be brought to me." "His companions brought him." "To leave him like this?" "Why?" "He will take nothing, no food no water." "He will say nothing." "Keep me notified of his condition." "Save me, God!" "I am sinking in the deepest swamp, there is no foothold;" "Worn out with calling, my throat is aching, My eyes are strained," "Iookingfor my God." "please, pull me out of this swamp;" "let me sink no further," "Do not let the waves wash over me, do not let the deep swallow me orthe Pit close it's mouth on me." "In your great kindness, Father, answer me." "Who's there?" "My name is Ananias." "Ananias?" "Why are you here?" "I am directed here, by a vision." "vision?" "Ananias, it called out to me..." "'Go to the street called Straight and ask forthe man from Tarsus named saul.'" "Are you saul?" "Yes." "I often heard of you and all the harm you have done my people in jerusalem." "That you were sent here to Damascus to arrest anyone who followed Jesus of Nazareth." "Andwas it a true vision that came to me." "I too had a vision." "I saw a light shining all around me and around my companions." "It was a light more brilliant than the sun itself." "We fell to the ground, andthen I heard a voice, sayingto me, "saul, saul, why do you persecute me!"" "I said, "Lord, Who are you?"" "Andthe LordrepIied," ""I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." "I have appearedto you for a purpose." "Get up and go into the city" "And you will be toIdwhat you have to do."" ""Go", the LordtoId me, andteII this man that I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to gentiles and kings andto the people of israel." "And I myself will show him all he must sufferfor my sake."" "saul, my brother may you be fiIIedwith the holy Spirit." "And Isaiah replied," ""Listen, now, descendants of King David." "The LordwiII give you a sign... a youngwoman who is with child, will have a son andwiII name him 'ImmanueI.'" "A child is born to us!" "A son is given to us!" "He will be called 'eternal Father,'" "'Prince of Peace.'" "HisroyaI powerwiII continue to grow;" "His kingdom will always be at peace." "He will rule as King David's successor, basing His power on right and justice" "From now until the end of time."" "Andthen Jesus addressedthe people and his disciples with these words saying:" "'The doctors of the Iaw andthe Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses;" "therefore do what they tell you;" "pay closely to theirwords." "But do not always follow their practice;" "forthey say one thing and yet they do another." "They make heavy packs and pile them on other men's shoulders" "But will notraise a fingerto lift the IoadthemseIves." "What everthey do is done for show." "Some of these men, they like to go about with large tassels on theirrobes;" "and have places of honorforfeasts andthe chief seats in synagogues, to be addressedrespectfuIIy in the streets, pay no heath to these men." "They're waitingto kill you at the gates." "We'II wait until nightfall andthen we can arrange your escape." "I won'trun." "I won't be driven out." "There is suffering in survival." "You'II see." "One of my horses needs attention." "Is the hoof split." "There's a sweIIingthere in the upper part of the front leg." "Right here?" "Here?" "You don't know much about horses, do you?" "I'm a tentmaker." "Not many tents are sold in jerusalem." "I work where I can find it." "And speak where you will." "No one has spoken the words of Jesus on the temple steps since Stephen." "You've done so more than once I heard you." "Who sent you?" "I come for myself." "what's your name?" "Barnabas, a follower of Jesus." "This is my young cousin, Mark." "tell me, You have said," "'Faith becomes supreme of all human acts', tell me, how do you know?" "Through whose authority was the Word of the Lord conveyedto you?" "Through Jesus." "The Lord spoke directly to you?" "Yes, told me what I am to do." "What are you to do?" "I am to take the Word elsewhere." "Then why are you here in jerusalem and not elsewhere?" "I am here to Iearn." "What?" "From whom?" "From those people who where with him... with Jesus and Peter." "You would see Peter?" "Yes, that's why I'm here." "It will be difficult." "well, as I say, give my horse a good scrubbing, we'II be back." "Come." "We thank you Lordforthe blessings you have bestowed upon this house." "Forthis house which has been offeredto us for prayer andforfeIIowship by this good gentle woman, Mary." "For Barnabas who sustains us with his personal treasure for God... who'srich in mercy even when we are dead in sin." "Who has quickened us together in Christ by grace we are saved." "Amen." "Amen." "tell them cousin Barnabas, tell them." "AII in goodtime." "Jacob of Beth-horan is still without work." "How is the family forfood?" "Too proudto ask." "But the baby cries." "while we have this and a warm kitchen to sit in?" "Mark will take them food in the morning." "The man saul PauIus of Tarsus preaches on the temple steps." "So it is said." "We heard him." "He speaks out openly in the name of Jesus..." "Atrick, to gain ourtrust." "We spoke to him." "He works in a stable." "He says he has seen the Lord and heard His voice." "Andwe've heard yours." "Take him." "Enough for now, I think." "Bring your supper." "Mother, I'm not finished." "Good bye, Mark." "You went to him!" "Yes." "We decided against it." "We agreedto avoid him!" "I would Iike to hear more from Barnabas." "A knock on the door, does it always mean a friend?" "It could be." "Then you open it, brother of mine." "I say the man is our enemy." "I agree." "I think something different." "It's a trap!" "I've met the man." "There's been a change." "That takes my appetite!" "He has been beaten for preaching in Damascus." "He barely escapedthe city with his life." "It was probably arranged, I still say it's a trap." "Enough, James." "I've heard him speak of things we are meant to do and do not." "Such things as?" "That the Word be taken to all nations." "We have yet toreach beyond Judea." "Peter," "He asks for a meetingwith you." "Tomorrow..." "I'II see him tomorrow." "You can tell him where." "I've heard you want to know of Jesus." "So." "Sit there." "It was here that we spent our last night with Him." "AII of us, here, together, before the PassoverfestivaI." "He knew that his hour had come." "At supper, He arose and pouredwater into a basin andwashed ourfeet." "I objected." "'You Lord, washing my feet?" "'" "He answered," "'So that you will do just as I have done for you.'" "'One of you,' He said, 'will betray me.'" "'It is the man to whom I give this piece of bread.'" "And he took it and dipped it in a dish and gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, who was sittingwhere you sit now." "'Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread hasraised his heel against me...'" "I know the prophecies as well as you." "Though I am unaware that Judas, also, was torise from the dead." "Are you Judas?" "Come." "You askedto know." "Then come." "He came with us here that night to this garden to wait." "Three times we slept while He prayed." "Andthen, near midnight, we awoke to hear Him say," "'The hour has come!" "Let us go forward." "The traitor is upon us.'" "Judas appearedwith a great crowd." "'HaiI, Rabbi!" "' he cried out to Jesus and kissed Him, which was a signal." "They came forward and held Jesus fast." "I took up a sword and struck off the ear of a temple servant." "'Put up your sword,' Jesus criedto me." "'AII who live by the sword, die by the sword!" "What is it you want?" "To do what He has told me to do." "Why should His teachings be entrustedto you?" "You have condemned Him, denied Him, executed one of His followers, persecuted others!" "Yes, didn't any of you doubt his word when you first heard him?" "Didn't you all experience your own conversion?" "I would no more deny Him than you, Peter." "They led Him away as we fled, all of us deserting him." "He was brought before the High Priest andthe Sanhedrin." "I was sitting outside." "A serving maid stopped and said," "'You were with Jesus the galilean.'" "I denied it." "'I do not know what you mean,' I said." "'This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth,'" "Someone else said." "And again I denied it." "'I do not know the man!" ", I said." "'SureIy, you must be one of them, the way you speak gives you away,' said someone else." "And again, I said, 'I do not know the man!" "'" "Andwhen He died?" "None of us was there to be with Him." "Save one." "Andthat one was John." "We are not Jesus." "We are only men." "But, believe in Him andwe are forgiven." "Isn't that the great gift?" "In GaIiIee once, I asked Him," "'Lord, how many times am I to forgive my brother if he goes on wronging me?" "As much as seven times seven?" "'" "JesusrepIied," "'I do not say seven times;" "I say seventy times seven.'" "Show me GaIiIee." "I told Jesus once," "'Master, we've fished all night andtaken nothing.'" "'Put out into deep water,' He said," "'And let down your nets for a catch!" "Sit, sit, I have no other boat." "We made so great a haul that night, our nets began to split, andwe loaded our boats until they almost sank." "'Henceforth, you shall catch men,' He said." "That was his mission to you?" "I send you out like sheep amongwoIves,' He told us." "To heal the sick, bringto life the dead of spirit, cleanse the lepers, cast out the devils.'" "'Be wary as serpents, yet innocent as doves.'" "That is my mission, also." "After His death, He came to us once again" "By the Sea of Tiberias." "Quite alone to me, He said," "'Peter, I tell you this in very truth:" "When you were young, you fastened your belt around you andwaIkedwhere you chose;" "but when you are old, you will stretch out your arms and a strangerwiII bind you fast andtake you where you have no wish to go.'" "Can you go there with me?" "I'II wait for you there." "James... you honor my house." "There are assassins waitingfor you in jerusalem." "Where did you hear of this?" "There was a messenger, from the temple." "There's an uproar over your preaching against the Law." "Then he'II stay here." "They'II find him here." "We'II hide him." "To what end?" "To the endthat there will be no end if we don't stand up against them." "You are thinkingwith your pride, not your head!" "The man steps forward as only one of us has done, as Stephen did!" "Andwhat was thatresuIt." "Ahh, is there's something else." "It is clearthat Peter has accepted you." "As Barnabas has." "Others are not so certain." "I accuse them of jealousy!" "I accuse John of not beingforcefuI!" "You, of beingtimid...!" "I am for one thing onIy-- the survival of the Church." "You didn't buiIdthe Church!" "Norwere you in jerusalem with Jesus!" "That's true." "I wasn't." "But you commissioned me to lead, you andthe others." "I didn't ask for it." "I was askedto assume it when none of you would do so." "His sacrifice has been greaterthan any one of us!" "His sacrifice is nothing if the temple is goadedto violence andthe Romans close in!" "They'II send chosen troops" "Andwe'II be crushed in the middle!" "He cannotremain here." "You must leave Judea!" "Home to Tarsus." "I shouIdfeeI happy, but, I feel nothing." "We'II sendfor you." "Findwork for you." "You'II receive letters and instructions." "Messengers will come." "I wont' be idle." "I'II cast my net into deeperwaters." "He spoke to me, and I with him." "We spoke of many things." "What did you talk about?" "We talked about you." "Ah, you never did." "Forfifteen days that he was here I felt...renewed." "Do you know what I mean?" "tell me." "As though a ceiIingwere lifted andthere was fresh air." "He'sreaIIy affected you." "afflicted me." "With all that's gone before andwe committedto do and do not." "Words." "I am affIictedwith words." "Words are what the Master gave you." "To act upon." "I do not act." "'You are myrock,' He saidto me." "James leads." "James..." "I honor James, he does not lead!" "He prays..." "Behind closed doors and shutteredwindows." "only one, this one, this saul, stands fast in the open, andwe send him away!" "I fear... it could end in words." "Just words... behind closed doors." "'I send you out innocent as sheep amongwoIves,' He said." "'For men will flog you for my sake... all will hate you for your allegiance to me;" "but the man who holds on to the endwiII be saved...'" "A better place fortents than JerusaIem." "saul, it's me." "AIongwhiIe, hey?" "Yes, eight years." "As long as that." "well, they were eight difficult years I can tell you." "Not once have I heardfrom JerusaIem-- by letter, by messenger or by word of mouth, not once." "I've been abandoned." "Yes, I've been abandoned, Barnabas." "You will understand, therefore, if I am not overjoyed by your visit." "But, I am." "Besides, I don't come from jerusalem." "Why are you here?" "Forthe fish." "So, you continue to preach declaring your new views?" "Yes." "In synagogues?" "Yes, until I was driven out." "Andthen..." "I spoke where I couId, in the streets." "This is your birth place, isn't it?" "What of yourfather?" "He mourns me as if I were dead." "tell me, who are they who listen to you in the streets?" "Greeks." "It's a Greek city, Tarsus." "Greeks?" "But, they are gentiles, heathens." "Yes, with a concept ofreIigion." "Based on ignorance and superstition." "Jesus said, 'Make my name known to gentiles and Kings...'" "You're testing me, Barnabas." "Of course I am as I test myself all the time, believe me." "Now listen..." "I'd heardwhat you've been doing." "That's why I'm here." "Now, In Antioch, you see, some Greek-speaking Jews, such as myself, have startedto preach directly to the Greeks, Iike you." "Andwe need help." "I thought of you." "will you come?" "Where, to Antioch?" "Yes, we could leave in a few days." "We could leave tonight if you'd Iike." "Oh, good." "What's happening in jerusalem, where's Peter?" "You haven't heard?" "No." "I thought you knew." "What?" "jerusalem is starving." "The first order of business in Antioch will be toraise some money for our people there." "Yes, jerusalem is starving." "Your esteem..." "Save yourreverence." "I was almost set upon coming out of the temple." "the situation is desperate..." "You understand it wonderfully well." "Starvation is upon the city..." "Starvation is upon world!" "You answerfor JerusaIem." "You rule Judea." "I am King, not High Priest." "You rule the house of God, not I." "Is this not a godly choice?" "I am for myself andthese good men, certainly not the object of God's wrath." "We uphold and protect the Law." "Our lives are given overto the Law." "We are creatures of Rome, you and I." "WeruIe so long as Rome is satisfied." "My King, we are Jews...!" "Yes, we are Jews!" "But not as they are Jews." "There is something in their characterwhich awes me." "They are for israel with a passion for independence, even as they break apart from each other" "Sadducees, Essenes, Pharisees." "In time enough, they'II unite against the Caesars... but not in my time." "The Law... meanwhile." "The Law controls them, as long as there is control." "We are holy men, My King." "We can do nothing but conform to the Law..." "Then give them someone otherthan ourselves to cry out against." "Listen to them!" "Might not the fault lie with this Jesus sect..." "Yes, theyrebeI andreject andthereby bring God's wrath on all of us!" "Is it not written in the psalms:" "'See how the eye of God is on those whoreIy on His love...' '..." "Torescue their souls from death and keep them alive in famine.'" "'As forthe wicked... they shall perish, these enemies of God.'" "So it is written." "James!" "This one's fortomorrow." "Keep him upright." "These people like to kneel." "Put it with therest, We'II store it later." "How'd you get it past the guards?" "They are starving, too." "That's the Iast of it." "Ask who it is." "Who is there?" "Peter." "It's Peter." "The girl's mad, he's in prison." "Of course, lets hide the food." "Peter, Peter... how did you escape?" "The Lord delivered me... it's true." "But listen, you must leave quickly." "I'II give you water." "No, there's no time." "A house-to-house search is certain." "Where will you go?" "To GaIiIee." "There will berefugees." "I'II join you." "I'II go, too!" "No Mark!" "I won't be left behind!" "He'II come with me, to Antioch." "tell them all I'm safe." "Yes, there was a time when you were dead." "There was a time when you were dead to your sins andto yourwickedness, when you foIIowedthe evil ways." "Now, I say to you," "Rememberthat former condition -- you, gentiles," "You, 'the uncircumcised,' so called by those who are called 'the circumcised' remember yourformer condition." "Barnabas, it's goodto see you." "Barnabas has justreturnedfrom JerusaIem." "Yes, remember yourformer condition." "Because at that time you were separate from God." "YourworIdwas a worIdwithout hope." "But now in blessed union with Christ Jesus... both GentiIe and Jews, he has made the two one." "The God of peace be with you all." "Thank you." "The God of peace be with you all." "Barnabas... it's goodto see you back." "welcome back." "It's goodto see you." "Who is this?" "Mark." "Mark?" "not the little Mark I met eight years ago eight years." "It's goodto see you..." "Mark." "Yes, you'reright." "These Greeks they do think andthey do stimulate argument andthey provoke debate... thinking." "It's goodto see you." "He grew up." "Ah, yes, we have a new word by which to describe ourselves" " Christians- meaning partisans of Christ." "It's a wordthe Romans use in jest." "So be it." "Christians." "What's wrong?" "We do nothing in jerusalem!" "We hide andthen run!" "There was no choice left to us." "It was all we could do." "Then my teachers are not what they've educated me to be!" "When do you stand up to someone?" "When it's too late?" "You're wrong." "I'm right, you know I'm right." "You're wrong." "He'sright, of course." "and he's been through a terrible time." "We all have." "John's brother, James, has been killed." "How?" "Executed by Herod Agrippa, beheaded." "Where's Peter!" "No, no." "He hadfIed JerusaIem for GaIiIee." "They have all fIedthey hadto." "to avoid persecution." "I can tell you, our church of Jesus Christ is in disarray." "Cry for jerusalem." "When you took food and money to them in jerusalem, Barnabas," "I gloated over it." "Yes, I wantedrevenge on those who left me unsummoned in Tarsus all those years." "Peter and James and... yes, I wantedrevenge." "Eight years I waited... eight years." "I know it was wrong and everyday I ask God's forgiveness." "God has his plan." "I would not be here now, would I if I had done God's bidding, would I?" "You say that our church in jerusalem is in disarray?" "It is." "It seems to be dying, Barnabas." "It seems to be dying." "He has no wish to see our church perish" "I'm sure of that." "Who?" "God." "But, it is perishing." "It is perishing in our hands it is perishing." "He said, "bring my name before the nations andtheir kings,"" "that what he said." "Which nations, what kings?" "I mean... our church... where would you go with it?" "Where would I go with it?" "To the West." "Out of Judea?" "Why yes, Antioch is out of Judea, isn't it." "Antioch has been approved by JerusaIem, coming here to Antioch was a mission close to home." "Yes, well, now the mission must become a movement, Barnabas." "It must become a movement." "It has to become a living, movement, Barnabas." "Otherwise, believe me, it will surely die." "well, yes, I suppose we could go to Cyprus." "Cyprus, yes..." "Yes, I know it well, it is my home." "I startedtrainingthere." "Yes." "We'd land at SaIamis on the east coast andtraveI across the islands to the synagogues of soil." "Yes, Cyprus first." "You'd go further?" "well, yes, not just stop in Cyprus." "Where?" "Where?" "I don't know..." "I don't know..." "To PamphyIia, Pisidia, Asia, yes, Asia." "Yes, yes, I see, I see..." "A mission to preach to the whole heathen world, is that it?" "Yes, yes!" "He said bring my names before the gentiles and before their kings." "Do you remember?" "Yes...yes... well," "I'II write to James and ask what he thinks." "If you need James' permission, you betterwrite James then." "I have my commission." "It comes from no man." "I know...and paul we will do it." "We will penetrate the Greek cities one afterthe other." "Mark will come with us." "Yes, well, I'm not so sure about Mark." "Oh, oh..." "I ask forgiveness for hisrudeness." "It's not hisrudeness that disturbs me." "There'II be hardship andthey'II be danger, Barnabas, when we do it." "Yes, I know, he's become a man, don't forget.And he knows no fear." "Then one of the lawyers, who had been Iisteningto these discussions, came forward and asked Him," "'Which commandment is first of all?" "'" "'The first is,' Jesus answered..." "'Hear, O israel, the Lord is our God..." "the Lord is one." "'..." "Love the Lord your Godwith all your heart, with all your mind and all your soul...' '...with all your strength...'" "Pisidian bandits attacked us, six hours out..." "We fought as we could." "It was useless." "They killed six of us, they took the young men to be sold as slaves." "What's that?" "!" "animal..." "I heard nothing..." "What kind of animal?" "An animal." "I know we haven't done well here, but..." "We're not discouraged, are we?" "What are we then?" "In difficulty, perhaps." "But not in despair." "We're sick, andtired, and hungry..." "But we're never deserted." "You say that sittingthere with fever..." "Werejoice in our sufferings..." "Rejoice...?" "...Knowingthat suffering produces endurance, and endurance brings proof that we have stoodthe test, andthat is groundfor hope." "He'sraving!" "We failed here." "No one listens to us..." "Mark, we are deputies of Christ." "We are shipwrecked here, the Word of Christ is shipwrecked on the coast of PamphyIia." "Then we shall take his wordto Pisidia." "Through the hills?" "Into those mountains?" "That is no journey for a sick man." "Theroads are thick with bandits." "They kill the old men and sell the young ones into slavery." "We leave tomorrow." "You go, not me!" "Mark!" "Three men alone?" "Your duty is obedience." "To this madman?" "You are needed, have courage, don't despair." "I want to go home!" "Then go home, we have no pact with each other." "Go home." "Are you well?" "I know..." "Hey, don't worry my little friend, we'II soon have you home... in jerusalem." "There are plenty." "It was a good catch." "Peter..." "Two weeks and nothingfrom you." "We almost said kaddish." "What news from jerusalem?" "Herod Agrippa is dead." "When?" "A month ago." "Good news." "Eaten by worms, they say....." "Better news." "Mark was there." "He's with me." "He brings news that saul and Barnabas have left Antioch." "They've gone into Asia, makingfor Greece." "The last I saw" "Barnabas and paul walking into the hills." "Barnabas and paul?" "He no Ionger calls himself saul." "Herefers to himself by his Roman name." "What of saul?" "He threw off his Hebrew inheritance?" "Let him severwhat ties he will!" "Who has directed him to go to the gentiles?" "Directed him?" "He's to come to us?" "He owes us nothing!" "You wish to see him humbled?" "I wish see him humble." "God has a plan." "paul is confident of that." "The facts are these he is where we should be and are not!" "With the gentiles?" "!" "You think Jesus meant salvation forthe Jews alone?" "Jesus meant salvation for all men..." "In time!" "What is the man saying?" "That we are cornered by our own success." "Our JerusaIem Church..." "Is made of Jews, not GentiIes!" "You agreed salvation is for all men." "In time, Peter, in time!" "The time is now." "paul's seen to that." "My brothers, you who come of the stock of Abraham, and others among you whorevere our God, we are the people to whom the message of this salvation has been entrusted." "But, the people of jerusalem andtheirruIers did notrecognize Him or did not understand the words of the prophets which areread Sabbath by Sabbath." "Indeed, they fuIfiIIedthem byrejecting Him." "Andwhen they carried out all the Scriptures said about Him, they cut Him down from the gibbet and laid Him in a tomb!" "But,Godraised Him from the dead, andthere was a period of many days when He appearedto them to those same people who would come up with Him from GaIiIee to jerusalem." "Those same men who now bearwitness before our people before our nation..." "Andwe, my goodfriend Barnabas and I, come to bring you the good news that godwho had made the promise to the fathers has fuIfiIIedthe promise to the children byraising Jesus from the dead." "Andthis stands as written in the second psalms." "This man..." "This man whorose up from the dead!" "I would Iike to see this man!" "Open your heart and you will see Him!" "The Messiah?" "The Jews have a parable about that." "They say if you are planting a tree, and someone comes and says," "'Quick, comerunning, see the Messiah,' you're suppose to first finish pIantingthe tree." "There's also another saying of the Jews." "A proclamation of their own prophets:" "'See this man, you scoffers, and begone;" "for I am doing a deed in your days, a deedwhich you will never believe when you are told of it.'" "This man is a forger!" "He counterfeits this Jesus!" "It is written if a man is put to death for some crime and his body is hung on a post he brings God's curse on the land!" "'" "It was necessary that the Word of God shouIdfirst be decIaredto the Jews." "And it was providence that I found you here in Pisidia." "But since you do not accept it..." "We turn to the gentiles." "Forthese are our instructions from the Lord:" "'I have appointed you to be a light forthe GentiIes and a means of salvation to earth's farthest bounds!" "Our men marrying heathen women?" "What of your daughters?" "Where do they find husbands when Jewish men marry elsewhere?" "Ourfood is low, we arerun out of one city after another stones thrown at us... you seem to like those stones, I don't." "We could get down to the sea and make passage back to Antioch." "Yes, yes, that is on my mind." "I know Jesus said," "'If you are persecuted in one town, takerefuge in another.'" "But what can it be for us but the same in the next town." "please, don't lets go on to Lystra." "It's time to go home." "Hmm?" "Oh well, Iet's pray tonight the stones are softer in Lystra." "The scripture says that everyone who believes in him will be savedfrom shame... everyone." "But there is no distinction between Greek and Jew... there is no distinction." "The same Lord is the Lord of all." "And he has abundance ofriches to give to anyone who invokes him." "Forwe are his offspring, we are his children." "So mark my words." "I, paul, say to you that faith becomes supreme of all human acts!" "Faith in Jesus Christ, whose death has broughtredemption from sin in all aspects forthose who believe!" "Who among you believes in him?" "Who has faith enough to believe?" "Anyone who has faith... raise your hand." "Yes you.. you'veraised your hand." "Yes." "Can you stand?" "Do you have magical powers?" "Then why are you not standing, huh?" "Can you stand?" "No, yourfaith alone can heal you." "Stand." "Take only my hand." "Now stand." "What do they say?" "They say we are Hermes and Zeus- gods from olympus!" "What are you doing?" "What are you doing?" "We are only men we're not God." "paul listen..." "paul they want us to stay." "They know we're only men, not Gods." "But, they want us to stay." "They want us to stay." "Say nothing... say nothing and be still..." "Let them pass..." "They are centurians..." "Romans trash..." "Cousin Barnabas." "Mark!" "well, You look fit." "I am." "What about you?" "Where did you come from?" "From paul." "In Antioch." "Antioch?" "How's your mother?" "well." "Andthe others?" "Returnedto JerusaIem with the end of the purges..." "But this..." "There's great unrest and growingworse." "Rome's done with JewsruIing Jews." "It's goingto end badly." "well..." "I'II go aIongto your mother's." "See you later, I imagine." "I should have stayedwith you in Perga, we should have stayedtogether." "I let you down, did you great harm." "How stupid of my innocence," "paul knew what I was... fiIIedwith seIf-righteousness, andtoo frightenedto go along." "I wantedto escape, I ran away." "Forgive me." "I was wrong." "Thank you, my boy." "Where is James?" "I'II take you to him." "We have great news." "Success in galatia!" "I must discuss it with James andthe council at once." "GaIatia is won!" "Where's Barnabas?" "His ship is anchored, isn't it." "He has arrived." "Yes, I know he has arrived." "Where is he?" "We're waitingto greet him." "He will not come." "What?" "well, did Jamesreceive you?" "Yes." "Open-heartedIy." "There were some others I had never seen before and didn't care fortoo much, but, yes, hereceived me." "What do they say about our accomplishments?" "They say we flood our Church with pagans." "That our gentile Christians are uncircumcised, unparticuIar about the foods they eat, they do not understandthe Law northe ceremony, that's what they say." "Andtheyreject your concept of salvation through faith alone." "They call it a boast." "A boast?" "..." "I don't boast of anything but the cross of Christ!" "I did protest, I battled..." "So they grant the Greeks nothing, is that it?" "Nothing?" "I understand." "So, I'II shall go to jerusalem myself." "It was theirfinaI word." "It is not final nothing is final..." "I reject theirword!" "Barnabas!" "Barnabas I'm goingto JerusaIem." "I promise to bereasonabIe, I shall be soreasonabIe." "But, I'm goingto JerusaIem." "welcome!" "I thank you for letting me appear before you." "First, I would Iike to make my companions known to you." "This is Titus." "He is the GaIatian from the western end of the Empire." "Most of you know my goodfriend, Barnabas." "I have come to jerusalem from Antioch to lay before you the gospel which I am accustomedto preach to the gentiles, andto make sure that therace I haverun, and am running, should not be in vain." "Christian faith stands on its own and should notrequire dependence on the Iaw." "And I have come to this after agonizing experience." "But, our success in winning over Greeks out in the Roman west is clearly evidenced by the case of Titus, who has been redeemed by faith in Christ." "There was a time, yes, there was a time..." "I grant you, there was a time when the Iaw was a kind of tutor in charge of us until Christ should come;" "but now that the tutor charge is at an end!" "please, please, Iet him finish here and speak..." "You wouIdrequire no circumcision of these heathens?" "Torequire circumcision of the Greeks will of itself make our movement just another sect of Judaism!" "How can you say that?" "Because you want to keep it for yourselves!" "But, Jesus said," ""extend it freely to others- give it away."" "We are the chosen people!" "CIearthe hall!" "CIearthe hall!" "We'II meet with them in private." "We stay!" "It is ourright." "I have promisedthis man that he could plead his case." "Let him plead it." "Weremain!" "The two of you?" "SiIas as well." "Agreed." "Continue..." "Why is he here?" "He is to be circumcised if he is to mix with those of us that live by the Iaw!" "Don't you understand yet that when onereceives Christ..." "They must first become Jews!" "We have no moreright or privilege in thisreIigion than Greeks or barbarians!" "Do any of you believe this man?" "'Go and make disciples of all nations,' Christ said." "No nation's people have advantage or priority in it." "It is for men andwomen." "It is for slaves andfree men," "Greeks and Jews alike!" "The Law is the full expression of God's will!" "Don't you see that you are tryingto effect a monopoly of the grace of God so that men will have to come to you to obtain it!" "And, I say to you, "who are you?"" "or any of us here to sit in judgment?" "CouIdwe not find some compromise?" "Yes, I say preserve the laws but do not impose them on the gentiles." "Ourtraditions are binding." "Indeed, andthey make it totally impossible for Jews to mix with gentiles." "And, further, I suggest that any person who tries to impose theserituaIs, laws on the gentiles is actingfaIseIy and perhaps has no business being in our church." "We heard enough." "God made no difference between the gentiles and us." "It is by the grace of Lord Jesus alone that we are saved" "And so they are." "Why do you now provoke God by laying on the shoulders of these converts a yoke which they should not be made to bear?" "We have sat with the Greek in violation of our customs." "Let him be circumcised in recognition." "It is a small concession." "No!" "Then you are no part of this!" "I disagree!" "He has earned his part in this!" "It is my judgment, therefore, that we impose norestrictions on these gentiles who are turningto God." "I..." "Thirteen years..." "Since we saidfareweII." "I saidthen..." "I promised I wouldn't be idle." "You return now to Antioch?" "Yes." "To your Greeks." "To my Greeks." "What are they like, these Greeks?" "noble andtranquiI." "'The fair and immortal children of the mind,' thus said PIato." "noble andtranquiI..." "I should like to meet such people." "well, come back with me." "You showed me your Christian heritage." "I'II show you my Greeks." "To Antioch?" "Yes." "Why not?" "The good Lord knows I couId use some tranquillity." "This food is a thief- it'II steal two nights sleep from me." "Eat." "How can you see such suffering." "Resign yourself." "We'II take care of yourwidow." "It's a miracle." "TheirtabIe is yourtabIe, enjoy!" "I embrace you all my brothers!" "Peter, would you let us use your name?" "My name?" "Why my name?" "This summer, if it is possible will you return with me to GaIatia?" "Why me?" "You?" "You're Peter, you were with Jesus." "Don't you know what you mean to these people?" "I am a poorrepIacement." "Now look, not only the GaIatians but we couIdwin the whole of Asia with your name." "The thought of such a journey..." "I have a taste for it." "Why shouldn't I?" "You will?" "Good!" "paul!" "Brothers have arrivedfrom JerusaIem." "There is a message from James." "'It is the decision of the holy Spirit, and our decision, that our Greek believers must avoidwhat has been sacrificedto idols, avoidtastingthe blood and meat of animals that have been strangled, and immorality." "If kept free of such violations, they will be acceptable to the Church." "This is from James?" "He's totally contradicted himself!" "Rethought himself." "His pledge to me was that there should be norequirement of these people, only faith." "It is his command..." "There are ten commandments and I don'trecaII one of them being James'!" "SiIas, as arespected man, a prophet and a teacher, tell me, why does James sendthis?" "The Ietterwas devised upon much prayer..." "Prayer...prayer did not change him, they did!" "James, not you, have been entrustedwith the care of souls." "You see they bend James to theirwiII!" "The name in my heart is with these gentiles." "Good, then let's endthis conversation here and now." "On the other hand, we cannot throw off all that's gone before in our lives anymore than we can shed our own skin." "What?" "We've pIedgedto these Greeks full standing in the Church, withoutruIes, without laws..." "What has James askedthat you find so unreasonable... that they accept some fewrequirements." "Afewrequirements?" "Anyrequirement betrays a conviction that faith is not enough!" "You are not the center of the Church, jerusalem is!" "I will not go against James!" "Peter, not long ago, you saidthat no yoke should be laid upon the shoulders of these converts..." "In your own words!" "You're like a straw blowing in the wind!" "would you end ourfriendship overthis?" "Can't there be compromise on some basis?" "No, listen..." "listen to me." "Before these people came from James, you ate with the heathen, you ate what they ate." "Now you're drawing back." "I mean can't you see your own conduct condemns you." "That you are like..." "Is that your answer." "Yes, that's my answer!" "You're like a straw blowing in the wind..." "like a straw..." "You're like a straw..." "paul, I..." "Yes..." "I know what you've been through andwhat you have achieved." "But..." "We shouIdreturn to GaIatia as soon as possible." "GaIatia?" "Yes, as soon as possible." "Very well..." "I think I'II ask Mark to join us, we will... no, I remember his last performance." "We'II give him another chance." "No!" "paul, bereasonabIe." "Barnabas, he's unreliable, he's not to be trusted!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Perhaps it's betterthen that I revisit our churches in Cyprus with Mark." "Good!" "You can go on to GaIatia without me." "excellent plan." "God speed." "I'II shall miss you." "What do you want?" "Consider me for your journey." "You're one of James' messengers." "That mission is accomplished." "If you will have me on yours, I want to come."