Pisidian Antioch (Yalvac)

Pisidian Antioch was located in what is sometimes called the lake district of southwest Asia Minor, in the border area between the districts of Pisidia and Phrygia. After John Mark left Paul and Barnabas in Perga to return to Jerusalem, Luke records that the two missionaries “passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia,” where they went into the synagogue and Paul was invited to stand and exhort the people (Acts 13:14-16). Strabo refers to Antioch as “near Pisidia”. In Paul’s day, Antioch was geographically in the district of Phrygia; politically it was in the Roman province of Galatia.

Antioch was built on a plateau, overlooking the plain in front of it. It was protected by natural defenses, which Ramsay described after he visited the site in 1905.11 Much of the population must have lived in the open country outside the city: here “the land is pleasant, part of it is rich and fertile, [and] part contains high-lying pastures”

Antioch entered into a new period of history when it became a possession of Rome and was made a Roman colony in 25 B.C. New inhabitants, including veteran soldiers, were introduced to the city from the west. They came as Roman citizens, while the older Hellenic population had to wait for citizenship to be conferred. Still, the latter group enjoyed privileges, including freedom from direct taxation, that were not enjoyed by the citizens of ordinary Hellenic cities

Antioch was frequently visited by Roman governors whose entourages enriched the merchants and shopkeepers. Sightseers also came to witness the games, the wild beasts, and the gladiatorial contests. Their presence and their money made the city a center of activities in Galatia.

When Paul rose to speak in the synagogue of Antioch, he spoke to an audience consisting of Jews and God-fearing Greeks. He recounted the history of Israel from their deliverance from Egypt to the reign of King David, which brought him to the point of his preaching: “Of [David’s] posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.” Then Paul gave this witness:
The Apostle finished his discourse, preaching that forgiveness of sin comes through Christ, and that “by him everyone that believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39). Many who listened believed. The next Sabbath, “almost the whole city gathered together to hear the word of God.” Certain unbelieving Jews were filled with envy and spoke against Paul, contradicting him and reviling him. But Paul and Barnabas stood their ground, proclaiming boldly that these Jews had judged themselves unworthy of eternal life. “Behold,” said Paul, “we turn to the Gentiles.”12 (Acts 13:44-46)

Bible Study (Pisidian Antioch)

Acts 13:14-41. Paul preached in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch to Jews and God-fearing Greeks.
Acts 13:42-44. Many Jews and Greeks believed Paul and Barnabas, and returned the next Sabbath to hear more of their preaching.
Acts 13:45-52. Through the preaching of Paul and Barnabas, “the word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” Envious Jews, stirred by the missionaries’ success, persecuted Paul and Barnabas and fomented resentment and jealousy among the city’s leading citizens, finally driving them from the city.
Acts 16:6; 18:23. Paul may have visited Antioch on his second and third missionary journeys.
2 Tim. 3:11-17. Paul wrote Timothy about his persecutions and sufferings at Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra: “What persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived.” Paul reminded Timothy that “sacred writings” are profitable for “training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”



Acts 13:14-52
14: But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
15:
And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
16:
Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
17:
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18:
And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
19:
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20:
And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
21:
And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
22:
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.
23:
Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
24:
When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25:
And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
26:
Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
27:
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
28:
And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
29:
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
30:
But God raised him from the dead:
31:
And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
32:
And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
33:
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
34:
And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35:
Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
36:
For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37:
But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38:
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39:
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40:
Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41:
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
42:
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
43:
Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44:
And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45:
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46:
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47:
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48:
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
49:
And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
50:
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
51:
But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
52:
And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

2 Timothy 3:11-17
11: Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12:
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13:
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14:
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15:
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.