Gevurot 13

1 Now there was in Antioch there among the Moshiach's Kehillah nevi'im and morim: Bar-Nabba, and Shimon called Niger, and Lucius from Cyrene, and Menachem (brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Rav Sha'ul.2 They were ministering to Adonoi and under a tzom when the Ruach Hakodesh said to them, "Set apart for Me Bar-Nabba and Sha'ul for the avodas kodesh ministry to which I have called them." [DIVREY HAYAMIM BAIS 13:10; 35:3; YECHEZKEL 40:46; 44:16; 45:4]3 Then, having continued the tzom and having davened and having laid their hands upon them, they sent them off.4 They, then, having been sent out by the Ruach Hakodesh, went down to Seleucia, and from there sailed away to Cyprus.5 Having arrived in Salamis, they were proclaiming the dvar Hashem in the shuls, with Yochanan Markos also as ozer (helper).6 Having passed through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain ish, a magician, a Jewish navi sheker, by name of Bar-Yehoshua,7 who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an ish of seichel. This one, having summoned Bar-Nabba and Sha'ul, sought to hear the dvar Hashem.8 But Elymas the magician was opposing them--for thus is his name translated--and was seeking to be mashpia on the proconsul (seeking to sway him to think undesirably) about the emunah (faith). [YESHAYAH 30:11]9 But Rav Sha'ul, the one also called Paulos, having been filled with the Ruach Hakodesh, gazed at him,10 and said, "O ish full of all mirmah (deceit, fraud) and all resha, ben haSatan, oyev (enemy) of all Tzedek, will you not cease making crooked the straight paths of Hashem? [HOSHEA 14:9]11 "Now-hinei-the yad Hashem is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the shemesh (sun) for awhile." Immediately mistiness and choshech (darkness) fell on him, and, going about, he was seeking someone to lead him by the hand [SHEMOT 9:3; SHMUEL ALEF 5:6,7; TEHILLIM 32:4; BERESHIS 19:10,11; MELACHIM BAIS 6:18]12 Then, the proconsul, having seen what had happened, had emunah, being mishpoyel (standing in awe) at the torah about Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu.13 And having put out to sea from Paphos, Rav Sha'ul and those with him came to Perga of Pamphylia. But Yochanan (Markos), having left them, returned to Yerushalayim.14 But having gone on from Perga, they came to Pisidian Antioch, and, having entered the shul on Shabbos, they sat down.15 After the kri'at HaTorah (reading of the Sefer Torah) and the kri'at HaNevi'im, the Rashei Beit HaKnesset sent to them, saying "Anashim Achim, if there is any dvar hachizzuk among you to the people, say it."16 And having got up and having motioned with his hand, Rav Sha'ul said, "Anshei Yisroel, and Yirei Elohim, listen!17 "Elohei HaAm Yisroel chose Avoteinu. Hashem made the people great during their sojourn in Eretz Mitzrayim, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of it, [SHEMOT 6:1,6,7; 14:8; DEVARIM 7:6-8]18 "and lav davka (approximately) ARBA'IM SHANAH He put up with them in the desert [DEVARIM 1:31; BAMIDBAR 14:33,34; TEHILLIM 95:10; SHEMOT 16:35]19 "and having destroyed SHIVAH GOYIM in eretz Kena'an, he gave as a nachalah (an inheritance) their land [DEVARIM 7:1; YEHOSHUA 14:2; 19:51; TEHILLIM 78:55]20 "during lav davka (approximately) arba me'ot vachamashim shanah. After these things, He gave shofetim until Shmuel HaNavi. [SHOFETIM 2:16; SHMUEL ALEF 3:19,20]21 "And then they asked for a melech, and Hashem gave to them Sha'ul Ben Kish, an ish from the shevet of Binyamin, for arba'im shanah [SHMUEL ALEF 8:5,19; 10:1; 9:1,2]22 "And after having removed Sha'ul, Hashem raised up Dovid as a Melech for them. About Dovid also Hashem testified, saying 'I found Dovid Ben Yishai an ISH KILEVAVO ["a man after His (G-d's) heart"] who will do all My ratzon.' [SHMUEL ALEF 15:23; 16:13; TEHILLIM 89:20; SHMUEL ALEF 13:14; YIRMEYAH 3:15; YESHAYAH 44:28]23 "From the zera (seed) of this man, according to the havtachah (promise), Hashem has brought to Yisroel a Moshi'a (Savior), Yehoshua. [SHMUEL BAIS 7:11; 22:51; YIRMEYAH 30:9]24 "Now previously, before the coming of Moshiach, Yochanan proclaimed to Klal Yisroel a tevilah of teshuva.25 "Now as Yochanan was completing his course, he was saying, 'What do you suppose me to be? I am not! But, hinei, he comes after me of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandal of his feet."26 "Achim, Bnei Mishpochah Avraham, and Yirei Elohim, it is to us that the dvar of this Yeshu'ah HaGedolah (Great Deliverance) was sent out. [TEHILLIM 107:20]27 "For the ones dwelling in Yerushalayim and their moshlim (rulers) did not have da'as of this one or of the dvarim of the Nevi'im being read every Shabbos; they fulfilled these dvarim by condemning him.28 "Even without finding a cause for a mishpat mavet, they asked Pilate that he be done away with.29 "When they finished all the things having been written about him, he was taken down from HaEtz (DEVARIM 21:23), and they put him into a kever (tomb, Isa 53:9).30 "But Hashem made him to stand up alive again from the Mesim,31 "and he was seen over many yamim by the ones having come up with him from the Galil to Yerushalayim who now are his edim to the people.32 "And we are preaching to you the Besuras HaGeulah of the Havtachah made to Avoteinu, [YESHAYAH 40:9; 52:7]33 "That Hashem has fulfilled this havtachah for us, their banim, having made to stand up alive again Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, as also in the Tehillim it has been written, BENI ATAH, ANI HAYOM YELIDETICHA ("You are My son; today I have become your father"). [TEHILLIM 2:7]34 "And that He made him to stand up alive again from the Mesim, no longer to return to decay, thus he has said, `I will give you CHASEDEI DOVID HANE'EMANIM. [YESHAYAH 55:3 TARGUM HASHIVIM]35 "Therefore, also elsewhere in the Tehillim, he says LO TITEN CHASIDECHA LIR'OT SHACHAT ("You will not allow your Chasid (Moshiach) to undergo decay"). [TEHILLIM 15:10; 16:10 TARGUM HASHIVIM]36 "For Dovid, after in his own dor (generation) he had served birtzon Hashem, fell asleep, and VAYISHKAV DOVID IM AVOTAV ("and Dovid rested with his fathers") and he experienced decay. [SHMUEL BAIS 7:12; MELACHIM ALEF 2:10; SHOFETIM 2:10; DIVREY HAYAMIM BAIS 29:28]37 "But whom Hashem made to stand up alive again did not experience decay.38 "Let it be known, therefore, to you, Anashim Achim, that through this one, selicha (forgiveness) of chatta'im (averos [sins]) is proclaimed to you; and from all things of which by the Torah of Moshe Rabbenu you were not able to be justified,39 "By this one everyone having emunah is justified.40 "Be shomer then that the thing having been spoken by the Nevi'im (Prophets) may not come upon you,41 "Look," scoffers, "And be amazed and marvel, and stand in awe" and perish, "because I am working a work in your yamim, a work which you may by no means believe if someone should tell you." [CHABAKUK 1:5 TARGUM HASHIVIM]42 And as Rav Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba were going out, the people were begging that these dvarim be spoken to them the following Shabbos.43 And when the gathering was dismissed, rabbim (many) of the Yehudim and of the Gerim (Proselytes) with chassidus followed Rav Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba, who urged them to remain in the Chen v'Chesed Hashem.44 Now on the following Shabbos nearly all the city was assembled to hear the dvar Hashem.45 But when the Yehudim saw the multitudes, they were filled with kinah and were choilek (taking issue) and speaking keneged (against, in opposition to) the things being spoken by Rav Sha'ul, and they were committing Chillul Hashem.46 And having spoken with ometz lev (boldness), Rav Sha'ul and Bar-Nabba said, 'To you it was necessary rishonah (first) for the dvar Hashem to be spoken; vi-bahlt (since) you reject it, and judge yourselves not worthy of Chayyei Olam, hinei, we are turning to the Goyim.47 "For thus has Hashem commanded us, "I have placed you as a light to the Nations, that you should bring salvation to the end of the earth." [Isa 49:6]48 Now hearing this, the Goyim rejoiced with simcha gedolah and were praising the dvar Hashem. And as many as had been destined to Chayyei Olam became ma'aminim hameshichiyim.49 And the dvar Hashem was spreading through the entire region.50 But the Yehudim aroused the chashuve (prominent) G-d fearing nashim and the gontser machers of the city, and they instigated redifah keneged Rav Sha'ul and Bar Nabba, and they drove them from out of their territory.51 And having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, Rav Sha'ul and Bar- Nabba came to Iconium;52 And the talmidim were being filled with simcha and the Ruach Hakodesh.

ACTS 13

Barnabas and Saul //Are Chosen and Sent

1 The church at Antioch had several prophets and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon, also called Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen, who was Herod'st close friend, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and going without eating, t the Holy Spirit told them, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have chosen them.”

3 Everyone prayed and went without eating for a while longer. Next, they placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul to show that they had been appointed to do this work. Then everyone sent them on their way.

Barnabas and Saul in Cyprus

5 They arrived at Salamis and began to preach God's message in the synagogues. They also had Johnt as a helper.
6 Barnabas and Saul went all the way to the city of Paphos on the other end of the island, where they met a Jewish man named Bar-Jesus. He practiced witchcraft and was a false prophet. 7 He also worked for Sergius Paulus, who was very smart and was the governor of the island. Sergius Paulus wanted to hear God's message, and he sent for Barnabas and Saul.

8 But Bar-Jesus, whose other name was Elymas, was against them. He even tried to keep the governor from having faith in the Lord.
9 Then Saul, better known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas 10 and said, “You son of the devil! You are a liar, a crook, and an enemy of everything that is right. When will you stop speaking against the true ways of the Lord?

11 The Lord is going to punish you by making you completely blind for a while.”
Suddenly the man's eyes were covered by a dark mist, and he went around trying to get someone to lead him by the hand.

12 When the governor saw what had happened, he was amazed at this teaching about the Lord. So he put his faith in the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas //in Antioch of Pisidia

14 The rest of them went on from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia. Then on the Sabbath they went to the synagogue and sat down.

15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, t the leaders sent someone over to tell Paul and Barnabas, “Friends, if you have anything to say that will help the people, please say it.”

16 Paul got up. He motioned with his hand and said:
People of Israel, and everyone else who worships God, listen! 17 t The God of Israel chose our ancestors, and he let our people prosper while they were living in Egypt. Then with his mighty power he led them out, 18 t and for about 40 years he took care oft them in the desert. 19 t He destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave their land to our people.

20 t All this happened in about 450 years.
Then God gave our people judges until the time of the prophet Samuel, 21 t but the people demanded a king. So for 40 years God gave them King Saul, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin.

22 t Later, God removed Saul and let David rule in his place. God said about him, “David the son of Jesse is the kind of person who pleases me most! He does everything I want him to do.”
23 God promised that someone from David's family would come to save the people of Israel, and this one is Jesus. 24 t But before Jesus came, John was telling everyone in Israel to turn back to God and be baptized.

25 t Then, when John's work was almost done, he said, “Who do you people think I am? Do you think I am the Promised One? He will come later, and I am not good enough to untie his sandals.”
26 Now listen, you descendants of Abraham! Pay attention, all of you Gentiles who are here to worship God! Listen to this message about how to be saved, because it is for everyone.

27 The people of Jerusalem and their leaders didn't realize who Jesus was. And they didn't understand the words of the prophets they read each Sabbath. So they condemned Jesus just as the prophets had said.

28-29  t t They did exactly what the Scriptures said they would. Even though they couldn't find any reason to put Jesus to death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
After Jesus had been put to death, he was taken down from the crosst and placed in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from death!

31 t Then for many days Jesus appeared to his followers who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our people about him.
32 God made a promise to our ancestors. And we are here to tell you the good news

33 t that he has kept this promise to us. It is just as the second Psalm says about Jesus,
“You are my son because today
I have become your Father.”

34  t God raised Jesus from death and will never let his body decay. It is just as God said,
“I will make to you
the same holy promises
that I made to David.”

35  t And in another psalm it says, “God will never let the body of his Holy One decay.”
36 When David was alive, he obeyed God. Then after he died, he was buried in the family grave, and his body decayed.

37 But God raised Jesus from death, and his body did not decay.
38 My friends, the message is that Jesus can forgive your sins! The Law of Moses could not set you free from all your sins. 39 But everyone who has faith in Jesus is set free.

40 Make sure what the prophets have said doesn't happen to you. They said,

41  t “Look, you people
who make fun of God!
Be amazed
and disappear.
I will do something today
that you won't believe,
even if someone
tells you about it!”
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people begged them to say more about these same things on the next Sabbath.

43 After the service, many Jews and a lot of Gentiles who worshiped God went with them. Paul and Barnabas begged them all to remain faithful to God, who had treated them with undeserved grace.
44 The next Sabbath almost everyone in town came to hear the message about the Lord.t

45 When the Jewish people saw the crowds, they were very jealous. They insulted Paul and spoke against everything he said.

46 But Paul and Barnabas bravely said:
We had to tell God's message to you before we told it to anyone else. But you rejected the message! This proves that you don't deserve eternal life. Now we are going to the Gentiles.

47 t The Lord has given us this command,
“I have placed you here
as a light
for the Gentiles.
You are to take
the saving power of God
to people everywhere on earth.”

48 This message made the Gentiles glad, and they praised what they had heard about the Lord.t Everyone who had been chosen for eternal life then put their faith in the Lord.
49 The message about the Lord spread all over this region.

50 But the Jewish leaders went to some of the important men in the town and to some respected women who were religious. They turned them against Paul and Barnabas and started making trouble for them. They even chased them out of this part of the country.

51  t Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from that place off their feett and went on to the city of Iconium.
52 But the Lord's followers in Antioch were very happy and were filled with the Holy Spirit.