(AN: A chapter filled with danger, and some very controversial issues. Let me just say that I think it's really lame and weak that pagans call themselves the victims, then go and burn churches and write such filth like "By the Light of the Northern Star". That's not being the victim, that's fighting fire with fire, being the aggressor. Does that mean I support what the Catholic Church has done in Christ's name? Hell no! If you're Christ's, act like it, that's my motto [well, one of them].)

(On a side note, no, I am not anti-Semitic. I relate to the Jewish part of my own pedigree and feel that they are just as able to be saved as anyone else. They were God's chosen people, but now they're just like anyone else - just as savable.)

(Also, and I think you're getting to see where I'm going with this, there's a portion of that iffy chapter in Paul's first letter to Timothy that I'm trying to explicate on through this story. Not the part of "I suffer not a woman to preach or hold authority over men", I myself don't understand that [Christ had no problem with women being intrusted as the ones to bear witness of His resurrection, He even said that men and women are equal in the Kingdom of God: so what gives, Sha'ul?], but the part about keeping silent in the synagogues.)

Left for Dead

In the days of old, when the people of Israel still held sway over their own land, the Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great conquered the known world. Everywhere he went, he made a city of Alexandria, named after himself. Like his master, Seleucus founded many cities with the name of Antioch. One was in the south-west of Anatolia, on the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and another - one of at least sixteen - in the region of Pisidia. In Antioch-of-Pisidia there were a company of the sons of Israel. Here Paul and Barnabas came to first, and came to the synagogue on the Sabbath to hear the Torah read.

"Is there anyone," the rabbi said, once all had been read. "Who wishes to comment on what has been said?"

At length, there appeared a hand raised up from the audience of the men. The rabbi gestured him forward, and up came Raf Sha'ul, Paul of Tarsus.

"Men of Israel," he began. "Those who believe, listen to what I have to say. HaShem glorified the people of Israel, even in their captivity in Egypt: with a strong arm He brought them out of bitter bondage. And He suffered them to remain for forty years in the wild..."

"What is he saying?" someone from the back, behind the partition, asked.

"In the wilderness," Paul continued. "After seven nations of the Canaanites were destroyed, HaShem gave the children of Israel the land of their inheritance. For the next four hundred and fifty years, the children of Israel were given the prophets and judges..."

"Did he say four hundred and fifty ears?" another woman's voice cried out from the back of the congregation.

"Please, let me speak!" Paul continued. "For four hundred and fifty years, HaShem sent prophets and judges to rule the people, until the days of Samuel the Prophet, when the people clamored for a king. So they were given Sha'ul Ben-Kish, a Benjamite, who ruled Israel for forty years: after HaShem removed him for his iniquities, He rose up David Ben-Jesse, of whom He said: 'I have found in David a man after My own heart, who shall fulfill all of My will.' People of Israel, I tell you all that..."

"Did he say 'fulfill My will' or 'fill my mill?'"

"Can you not wait until we are done?" Paul asked. "I have much more to speak. People of Israel, pardon me, I tell you all that HaShem has raised up a Savior from the seed of David the King: Joshua. Behold, John the Baptist heralded His coming, saying: 'There is One coming after me who came before me, whose sandals I am unworthy to even untie.' Unto you, children of Israel, and those who believe in HaShem, this word of Salvation is first sent!

"For, in Jerusalem, they knew not that Joshua is the Messiah, nor did they understand the prophets, whose words they themselves read every Sabbath. And in the iniquity of their hearts they persecuted Him and delivered Him up to the Gentiles to be crucified and killed: but HaShem raised Him from the dead."

"Did he really say raised from the dead?"

"In the name of HaShem and the glory of the Messiah!" Paul exclaimed. "Can you not hold your tongue! I have good news to tell you! For this Joshua was raised up from the dead and appeared unto those who have declared Him, the believers from Galilee and Jerusalem. Behold, we declare these glad tidings unto you: the prophecies that were told to your fathers have been fulfilled! For David said: 'Thou, HaShem, did not leave my soul in She'ol, nor didst Thou suffer Thy holy One to see corruption.' But this is not about David, for he was laid to rest with his fathers in the grave, in She'ol, and his body rotted away and was corrupted. Yet of Joshua the Messiah, He was raised up from the grave, out of She'ol, and His body never saw corruption! In Joshua's name you may find the forgiveness of all your sins!"

Needless to say, there were many who murmured to each other in hushed tones at this. Paul, however, having finished, joined Barnabas and made his way out of the synagogue. As they were leaving, some people came up to them and told them that they should come back next Sabbath and preach more concerning Joshua. They agreed and went on their way. But once they had come outside of the synagogue, they found a host of Greeks who had waited outside the synagogues and listened to what Paul had preached. They also wanted to hear more and begged him to speak again, as those in the synagogues had done.

-~-|-O-|-~-

Seven days later, Paul and Barnabas were once again making their way through the crowds gathered around the synagogues. However, as they came towards the entrance, they found the rabbi and several of his servants guarding the door.

"What is the meaning of this?" Paul asked.

"These Gentiles want to violate our sacred synagogue," the rabbi said. "You started this, you should finish it!"

Paul found a place where he could stand over the crowd and spoke to them to quiet down that he might speak to them all.

"Why do you reject the word of God to these good people?" Paul asked the rabbi, speaking in Greek.

"Because what you say is blasphemous!" the rabbi returned. "Your Jesus can't save anyone, He was just a man, like anyone else!"

"Then it is good," Paul said. "That you were given first the news. But because you reject it in the hardness of your hearts, we shall preach to the Gentiles. For the LORD commanded me that I should be a light to the Gentiles. To bring salvation to the ends of the earth!"

The Greek crowd cried out in joy and many were coming up to them and asking what they must do to be saved. Paul and Barnabas started proclaiming that they should be baptized. The rabbi, meanwhile, had brought forth back-up to keep them out of the synagogues.

"You insulted our congregation!" the rabbi said. "Shall these good women be rebuked by your blasphemous tongue? Get out of this city at once, and never return!"

Against them came the congregation of the Jews, staves in hand as they tried to push out Paul and Barnabas and the Greeks. So they departed, and made their way out of the walls of the city. While they sat there, Barnabas removed his sandals and began beating them against a stone.

"What are you doing?" Paul asked.

"As Joshua commanded," Barnabas replied. "We're to shake off our shoes the dust of whatever town rejects us."

"Hmm," was all that Paul said, before removing his own sandals and doing as Barnabas had done.

"Where are we off to next?" Barnabas asked.

Iconium had not been open-minded. In fact, all things considered, the welcome they received in Pisidia was warm and friendly compared to that in the synagogues of Iconium. Though, to be fair, a good deal of the city did believe and were baptized. But this caused a division, for the whole of the town was either dead set against the kristianos or joined to them. The Jewish authorities went to the prefect, demanding that the ring-leaders of the cult be executed, blaming them for the cause of division in the town.

They had survived the encounter, which would have seen the two of them stoned to death. Now they came to the town of Lystra, and they were just outside when Paul fell to his knees.

"Merciful God," he begged again. "I know that you can do all things. Please spare me from this hour!"

The answer that he heard was the same he had been given before. He got himself back up and followed Barnabas into the town. As they passed through the gates and saw, sitting against the side of the wall, a crippled man. His crutches had been stolen, or else he had none, for they were not sitting on the side of the wall.

"Excuse me, sir," the crippled man said. "I heard you just now, praying to your God. Well, if you believe He will save you, then I have just as much right to believe He can help me. Everything else has failed me, right?"

"Then stand up, my good fellow," Paul announced. "On your feet!"

The man rose to his feet, wary at first, but surprised that he saw life now back into his dead feet and legs. He cried out for joy, and leaped about. This caught the attention of the crowd, many of whom had passed this way and saw with their own eyes that he who was now walking and leaping had once been crippled.

"The gods have come unto men!" one cried out. "Behold, they have come down in human form!"

Paul and Barnabas looked shocked to see this. This was exactly what they did not want. They preached the gospel of Christ and the people thought it was an affirmation of their old customs.

"Take the tall one to the temple of Zeus!" they cried out, and carried off Barnabas in one direction.

"This one is the prince of thieves!" another joined. "See how he speaks with a silver tongue!" They carried off Paul toward one of their temples. As he saw the temple of Hermes, with its naked statues and full of idolatry and uncleanness, he prayed quietly that HaShem keep him safe from this calamity. Opening his eyes again, he saw people bringing offerings and laying them at his feet as he stood at the door of the temple.

"I am not Hermes!" Paul cried out, tearing his robe as tears streamed from his eyes. "I beg you all, listen to what I have to say: I am no god, but a man, victim to the same lusts and passions like any one of you. Please, turn from these vanities and accept the living God, who alone made Heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is! He gave you the freedom to follow which ever gods you will, yet He Himself gave witness to Himself, of all the good that He has done, bringing rain from the sky and food to fill our hearts with joy!" Yet it seemed as though he was shouting into the wind.

"So," an angry voice shouted at him from behind. Turning around, he saw the rabbi of Antioch-in-Pisidia, with the people of his congregation behind him. "First you teach blasphemies before the good people of Antioch, now you make yourself a god before these Gentiles!"

"Please, children of Israel," Paul said, raising his hands up in a gesture of peace. "I do not want worship. I'm a servant of HaShem just like the rest of you!"

"Hear this, Gentiles!" another voice shouted. Paul saw the rabbi of Iconium, who had brought his own congregation out here to oppose Paul. "This man is not your god, he's an imposter! He seeks to destroy the traditions and faith of your fathers from ages past and replace it with his fantasies!"

"We've heard him speak before," the rabbi of Pisidia said. "He's nothing but a charlatan!"

"Have you really come all this way," Paul asked them. "Only to mock me? Have I not left your towns in peace? Why do you pursue me this far?"

"You will not be allowed to spread your lies any further!" shouted the rabbi of Iconium.

"Look!" one of the people in the temple to Hermes shouted. "That short man is with those Jews!"

"He's a Jew!" another shouted. "He's come to destroy the faith of our fathers!"

At length, the priests of the temple of Hermes came out and there was a stand-off, it seemed, between the people of Pisidia and Iconium and the Greeks of Lystra.

"You're Jews, aren't you?" the high priest of Hermes said. "Get this foul-smelling pig out of our midst! We have a law! You stay on your side of town, and leave our people unmolested!"

"Did you hear that?" one shouted. "That short man's come to molest our children!"

"We don't go killing your people in your temples," the priest of Hermes said. "Don't send him to preach his filth in ours."

"He's not one of us!" the rabbi of Pisidia shouted. "He's anathema!"

"He means nothing to us!" the rabbi of Iconium stated.

"Good, let's kill him!" the priest of Hermes said with a smile.

Everyone, from both the Jewish side and the Greek side, cried out in joy at this statement. The Jews, throwing Torah and the traditions out the window, joined with the Greeks in throwing Paul around while they started looking around for stones to throw. These were then passed out among the Greeks and the Jews evenly, while those without were chasing Paul out from their midst. Then came the hail of stones. From the side clad in their embroidered prayer-shawls came cries of "Blasphemer!" and "Heretic!", from the side in their togas and robes came shouts of "Jew!", "Murderer!", and "Kill him for great Hermes!" United they were in their common hatred and blood-lust: any looking on saw little difference between the Jew and the Greek in their hatred for this man.

At last the stones stopped falling. The Jews dismissed themselves, leaving the Greeks to carry the body out of the city. They would break the Torah to murder this man at the side of Gentiles, yet they would not dare to clean up their tracks as they walked back to their homes. A trail of sand and blood followed the blood-thirsty pagans as they led Paul's bloodied and broken body out of the city and threw it out to the dogs.

(AN: What just happened?)