Chapter 28—Preaching Among the Heathen The apostles next visited Iconium. This place was a great resort for pleasure-seekers, and persons who had no particular object in life. The population was composed of Romans, Greeks, and Jews. The apostles here, as at Antioch, first commenced their labors in the synagogues for their own people, the Jews. They met with marked success; numbers of both Jews and Greeks accepted the gospel of Christ. But here, as in former places where the apostles had labored, the unbelieving Jews commenced an unreasonable opposition of those who accepted the true faith, and, as far as lay in their power, influenced the Gentiles against them. {3SP 358.1} The apostles, however, were not easily turned from their work, for many were daily embracing the doctrine of Christ. They went on faithfully in the face of opposition, envy, and prejudice. Miracles were daily wrought by the disciples through the power of God; and all whose minds were open to evidence were affected by the convincing power of these things. {3SP 358.2}

(358) Apostlene besøgte derefter Ikonium. Dette sted var et stort tilholdssted for fornøjelsessøgere, og personer som ikke havde noget særligt livs formål. Befolkningen bestod af romere, grækere og jøder. Ligesom i Antiokia, begyndte apostlene her at arbejde i synagogerne, for deres egne folk, jøderne. De mødte en markant fremgang, mange bland både jøder og grækere accepterede Kristi evangelium. Men her begyndte de ikke-troende jøder, ligesom tidligere steder hvor apostlene havde arbejdet, en urimelig modstand mod dem der havde antaget den sande tro, og påvirkede hedningene imod dem, så vidt det stod i deres kraft. Imidlertid forlod apostlene ikke så nemt deres arbejde, for mange greb dagligt Kristi lære. De satte sig trofast op imod modstand, misundelse og fordomme. Disciplene udførte dagligt mirakler gennem Guds kraft, og alle som var åbne over for beviset blev påvirket af disse tings overbevisende kraft.