Acts 13

Barnabas and Saul sent to minister

1 The church at Antioch included prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (nicknamed Niger), Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen (a childhood friend of Herod the Tetrarch), and Saul.2 As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul to the work I have called them to undertake."

3 After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on these two and sent them off.

Serving in Cyprus

4 After the Holy Spirit sent them on their way, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.5 In Salamis they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their assistant.6 They traveled throughout the island until they arrived at Paphos. There they found a certain man named Bar-Jesus, a Jew who was a false prophet and practiced sorcery.7 He kept company with the governor of that province, an intelligent man named Sergius Paulus. The governor sent for Barnabas and Saul since he wanted to hear God’s word.8 But Elymas the sorcerert (for that’s what people understood his name meant) opposed them, trying to steer the governor away from the faith.9 Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Saul, also known as Paul, glared at Bar-Jesus and10 said, "You are a deceiver and trickster! You devil! You attack anything that is right! Will you never stop twisting the straight ways of the Lord into crooked paths?11 Listen! The Lord’s power is set against you. You will be blind for a while, unable even to see the daylight." At once, Bar-Jesus’ eyes were darkened, and he began to grope about for someone to lead him around by the hand.

12 When the governor saw what had taken place, he came to believe, for he was astonished by the teaching about the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas in Pisidian Antioch

13 Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia. John deserted them there and returned to Jerusalem.14 They went on from Perga and arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath, they entered and found seats in the synagogue there.

15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders invited them, "Brothers, if one of you has a sermon for the people, please speak."
16 Standing up, Paul gestured with his hand and said, “Fellow Israelites and Gentile God-worshippers, please listen to me.17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors. God made them a great people while they lived as strangers in the land of Egypt. With his great power, he led them out of that country.18 For about forty years, God put up with them in the wilderness.19 God conquered seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the Israelites their land as an inheritance.

20 This happened over a period of about four hundred fifty years.
“After this, he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel.21 The Israelites requested a king, so God gave them Saul, Kish’s son, from the tribe of Benjamin, and he served as their king for forty years.22 After God removed him, he raised up David to be their king. God testified concerning him, ‘ I have found David, Jesse’s son, a man who shares my desires. t Whatever my will is, he will do.’23 From this man’s descendants, God brought to Israel a savior, Jesus, just as he promised.24 Before Jesus’ appearance, John proclaimed to all the Israelites a baptism to show they were changing their hearts and lives.

25 As John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I’m not the one you think I am, but he is coming after me. I’m not worthy to loosen his sandals.’
26 “Brothers, children of Abraham’s family, and you Gentile God-worshippers, the message about this salvation has been sent to us.27 The people in Jerusalem and their leaders didn’t recognize Jesus. By condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.28 Even though they didn’t find a single legal basis for the death penalty, they asked Pilate to have him executed.29 When they finished doing everything that had been written about him, they took him down from the crosst and laid him in a tomb.30 But God raised him from the dead!

31 He appeared over many days to those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people.
32 “We proclaim to you the good news. What God promised to our ancestors,

33 he has fulfilled for us their children by raising up Jesus. As it was written in the second psalm, You are my son; today I have become your father. t
34 “God raised Jesus from the dead, never again to be subjected to death’s decay. Therefore, God said, I will give to you the holy and firm promises I made to David. t35 In another place it is said, You will not let your holy one experience death’s decay. t36 David served God’s purpose in his own generation, then he died and was buried with his ancestors. He experienced death’s decay,

37 but the one whom God has raised up didn’t experience death’s decay.
38 "Therefore, brothers and sisters, know this: Through Jesus we proclaim forgiveness of sins to you. From all those sins from which you couldn’t be put in right relationship with God through Moses’ Law,39 through Jesus everyone who believes is put in right relationship with God.

40 Take care that the prophets’ words don’t apply to you:

41  Look, you scoffers ,
marvel and die .
I’m going to do work in your day —
a work you won’t believe
even if someone told you ."t
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to speak about these things again on the next Sabbath.

43 When the people in the synagogue were dismissed, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism accompanied Paul and Barnabas, who urged them to remain faithful to the message of God’s grace.
44 On the next Sabbath, almost everyone in the city gathered to hear the Lord’s word.45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were overcome with jealousy. They argued against what Paul was saying by slandering him.46 Speaking courageously, Paul and Barnabas said, "We had to speak God’s word to you first. Since you reject it and show that you are unworthy to receive eternal life, we will turn to the Gentiles.

47 This is what the Lord commanded us:
I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
so that you could bring salvation to the end of the earth ."t
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the Lord’s word. Everyone who was appointed for eternal life believed,49 and the Lord’s word was broadcast throughout the entire region.50 However, the Jews provoked the prominent women among the Gentile God-worshippers, as well as the city’s leaders. They instigated others to harass Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their district.51 Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from their feet and went to Iconium.

52 Because of the abundant presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, the disciples were overflowing with happiness.

Acts 13

The Church at Antioch Commissions Barnabas and Saul

1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch:ss Barnabas, Simeon called Niger,s Lucius the Cyrenian,s Manaen (a close friend of Herods the tetrarchts from childhoodt) and Saul.2 While they were servingt the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apartt for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

3 Then, after they had fastedt andt prayed and placed their handss on them, they sent them off.

Paul and Barnabas Preach in Cyprus

4 So Barnabas and Saul,t sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia,s and from there they sailed to Cyprus.s5 Whent they arrivedt in Salamis,s they began to proclaimt the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.s (Now they also had Johns as their assistant.)ts6 When they had crossed overt the whole island as far as Paphos,s they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus,s7 who was with the proconsuls Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsult summonedt Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hears the word of God.8 But the magician Elymast (for that is the way his name is translated)s opposed them, trying to turn the proconsuls away from the faith.9 But Saul (also known as Paul),s filled with the Holy Spirit,s stared straightt at him10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing,t you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?s11 Nowt look, the hand of the Lord is againstt you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistinesss and darkness came overt him, and he went around seeking peoplet to lead him by the hand.

12 Then when the proconsuls saw what had happened, he believed,s because he was greatly astoundedt at the teaching aboutt the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas at Pisidian Antioch

13 Then Paul and his companions put out to seat from Paphoss and came to Pergas in Pamphylia,s but Johns left them and returned to Jerusalem.ss14 Moving on fromt Perga,s they arrived at Pisidian Antioch,tss and on the Sabbath day they went intot the synagogues and sat down.15 After the reading from the law and the prophets,s the leaders of the synagoguet sent them a message,t saying, “Brothers,t if you have any messaget of exhortationt for the people, speak it.”t

16 So Paul stood up,t gesturedt with his hand and said,
“Men of Israel,t and you Gentiles who fear God,t listen:17 The God of this people Israelt chose our ancestorsts and made the people greatt during their stay as foreignerst in the countryt of Egypt, and with uplifted arms he led them out of it.18 Fort a period of about forty years he put up witht them in the wilderness.t19 Aftert he had destroyedt seven nationss in the land of Canaan, he gave his people their land as an inheritance.t20 All this tookt about four hundred fifty years. After thist he gave them judges until the time oft Samuel the prophet.21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruledt forty years.22 After removing him, Godt raised ups David their king. He testified about him:t ‘I have found Davids the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart,s who will accomplish everything I want him to do.’t23 From the descendantsts of this mans God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, just as he promised.ts24 Beforet Jesust arrived, Johns had proclaimed a baptism for repentancet to all the people of Israel.25 But while John was completing his mission,t he said repeatedly,t ‘What do you think I am? I am not he. But look, one is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet!’t26 Brothers,t descendantst of Abraham’s family,t and those Gentiles among you who fear God,t the messaget of this salvation has been sent to us.27 For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognizet him,t and they fulfilled the sayingsts of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemningt him.t28 Thought they foundt no basiss for a death sentence,t they asked Pilate to have him executed.29 When they had accomplishedt everything that was writtens about him, they took him downt from the crosst and placed himt in a tomb.30 But God raiseds him from the dead,31 andt for many days he appeared to those who had accompanieds him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Theset are now his witnesses to the people.32 And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors,t33 that this promisets God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raisingts Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son;stoday I have fathered you.’ts34 But regarding the fact that he has raised Jesust from the dead, nevert again to bet in a state of decay, Godt has spoken in this way: ‘I will give youtthe holy and trustworthy promisestmade to David.’s35 Therefore he also says in another psalm,t ‘You will not permit your Holy Onetto experiencetdecay.’s36 For David, after he had servedt God’s purpose in his own generation, died,t was buried with his ancestors,t and experiencedt decay,37 but the ones whom God raised up did not experiencet decay.38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this onet forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,39 and by this ones everyone who believes is justifiedt from everything from which the law of Moses could not justifyt you.t

40 Watch out,s then, that what is spoken about byt the prophets does not happen to you:

41 ‘Look, you scoffers; be amazed and perish!t
For I am doing a work in your days,
a work you would never believe, even if someone tells you.’”s
42 As Paul and Barnabast were going out,t the peoplet were urgingt them to speak about these thingst on the next Sabbath.

43 When the meeting of the synagogues had broken up,t many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytest followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and were persuadingt themt to continuet in the grace of God.
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled together to hear the word of the Lord.ss45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy,s and they began to contradictt what Paul was sayingt by reviling him.t46 Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously,t “It was necessary to speak the word of Godt to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthyt of eternal life, wet are turning to the Gentiles.s47 For thist is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointedtyou to be a lightsfor the Gentiles, to bring salvationtto the ends of the earth.’”s48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoicet and praiset the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal lifes believed.49 So the word of the Lord was spreadingt through the entire region.50 But the Jews incitedt the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them outt of their region.51 So after they shookt the dust off their feets in protest against them, they went to Iconium.s

52 And the disciples were filled with joys and with the Holy Spirit.