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Acts 13

The believers in Antioch send Saul and Barnabas to Cyprus

13 There were some prophets among the group of believers in Antioch. They taught the other believers more about Jesus. Barnabas and Simeon were two of these men. (People also called Simeon ‘Niger’.) [ a ] There was Lucius who had lived in Cyrene. There was also Manaen who had lived together with the ruler Herod when they were children. And there was Saul.

2 One day, the believers were meeting together. They were praising the Lord God and they were praying. They also fasted for a time. During that time, the Holy Spirit said to them, ‘I have chosen Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for me. Let them go now and do it.’

3 The believers continued to pray and to fast. Then the leaders put their hands on Barnabas and Saul and they prayed for them. They sent them away to start this new work.

What happened in Cyprus

4 The Holy Spirit sent Barnabas and Saul away from Antioch. They travelled to the town of Seleucia, which is near the coast. From there they travelled on a ship to an island called Cyprus. 5 They arrived at a town called Salamis. There they went into the Jewish meeting places and they told the people God's message about Jesus. John Mark went with Barnabas and Saul to help them with their work.

6 They travelled across the whole island and they arrived at a town called Paphos. There they met a man called Bar-Jesus. [ b ] He was a Jew. He used magic to do surprising things. He said that he was a prophet from God. But his messages were not true.

7 The ruler of Cyprus was called Sergius Paulus. Bar-Jesus was his friend. Sergius Paulus understood things well. So he asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him. He wanted them to tell him God's message. 8 Bar-Jesus was also called Elymas. That was his name in the Greek language. He did not like what Barnabas and Saul were saying. He did not want Sergius Paulus to believe in Jesus. So he tried to stop him. 9 Then God filled Saul with the power of his Holy Spirit. (Saul was also now called Paul. [ c ] ) Paul looked straight at Elymas and he said, 10 ‘You are a servant of the Devil! You are against everything that is right. Your mind is full of lies and other bad things. You try to change the true message of the Lord and make it into lies. You must stop doing that! 11 The Lord will now punish you. You will become blind for a time. You will not even see the light of the sun.’

When Paul said that, immediately something like a dark cloud covered Elymas's eyes. He could not find his own way. He needed someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Sergius Paulus saw what had happened to Elymas. He was very surprised about the things that Barnabas and Paul taught him about the Lord Jesus. And so he believed in Jesus.

Paul and Barnabas go to Antioch in Pisidia

13 Paul and the two other men got in a ship and they sailed away from Paphos. They arrived at a town called Perga, which is in the region called Pamphylia. John Mark left them there and he returned to Jerusalem. 14 Paul and Barnabas left Perga, and they went to a town called Antioch in Pisidia. On the Jewish day of rest, they went into the meeting place and they sat down. 15 Someone read aloud some words from the Bible. They read from God's Law and from the messages of God's prophets. After this, the leaders of the Jewish meeting place passed a note to Paul and Barnabas. The note said, ‘Friends, do you have a message that will help the people? If you do, please speak now.’

16 So Paul stood up. He raised his hand towards the people so that they would listen to him. Then he said to them, ‘Some of you are Jews, like us. Some of you are Gentiles who now worship our God. All of you, listen carefully to me.

17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors to be his people. While they lived in Egypt, God caused his people to become a very large group. They lived as foreign people in Egypt. But God used his great power to bring them out from that country. [ d ] 18 The people of Israel did not obey God. But God took care of them in the wilderness for 40 years. 19 He destroyed seven nations of people who lived in the land of Canaan. God gave their land to his own people so that they could live there. 20 All of these things happened during about 450 years.

After this, God gave to his people leaders who were called judges. They ruled Israel until the time when God's prophet Samuel was alive. 21 Then the people of Israel asked Samuel to choose a king for them. So God gave Saul to them as their king. Saul was the son of Kish and he was from the tribe of Benjamin. He ruled Israel for 40 years. 22 Then God removed Saul as king. He caused David to be their king instead. [ e ] God said this about David: “I have watched David, the son of Jesse. He does things that make me happy. I know that he will do everything that I want.”

23 God promised to send to the people of Israel someone who would save us. Jesus is the man that God sent to save us. He is a descendant of King David. 24 Before Jesus began his work in this world, John spoke a message to all the people of Israel. He told people to stop doing wrong things and to turn to God. Then he would baptize them. [ f ] 25 When John had almost finished his work, he said to the people, “Perhaps you think that I am the special man that God will send. I am not that man. But listen! That man will come soon. I am not good enough even to undo his shoes for him.” ’ [ g ]

26 Paul then said, ‘I speak to all you people here. Some of you, like us, have Abraham as your ancestor. Some of you are Gentiles who now worship our God. God has sent this message to all of us. It tells us how he will save us. 27 The people who were living in Jerusalem, and their leaders, did not understand about Jesus. They did not know that he was God's special man. Every Jewish day of rest, someone reads aloud the messages of God's prophets. But the people in Jerusalem did not understand. Instead, they said that Jesus had done bad things. They said that he should die. In that way, they caused the message of the prophets to become true. 28 The Jewish leaders could not find any reason to kill Jesus for what he had done. But they continued to say to Pilate, “Your soldiers must kill him.” 29 When the soldiers did that, it happened just like the prophets had written about him long ago. After that, some of Jesus' disciples took him down from the cross where he had died. They took his body and they buried it. 30 But after Jesus died, God caused him to become alive again. 31 For many days after this, Jesus appeared to his disciples. The people who had earlier travelled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him. They are now telling the people of Israel all about it. [ h ]

32 So we have come here to tell you this good news. God promised our ancestors that he would do these great things for his people. 33 Now he has done these things for us who are alive today. He has raised up Jesus to live again. We can read about this in the second Psalm. God says,

“You are my Son.
Today, I have become your Father.” [ i ]

34 God caused Jesus to live again so that nothing would destroy his body. He will not die again. This is what God said to our ancestors:

“I will surely help you with good things,
just like I promised to King David.” [ j ]

35 God also says this in another Psalm:

“Your servant who loves you will not remain dead.
You will not let anything destroy the body of your Holy One.” [ k ]

36 While David was alive, he served God as God wanted him to do. Then he died and men buried him next to his ancestors. So worms destroyed David's body. 37 But as for Jesus, God caused him to become alive again. He did not die again and nothing destroyed his body.

38 My friends, I want all of you to know this. God forgives us for the bad things that we have done. He does this because of what Jesus did. That is my message to you. 39 God can cause anyone to become right with him. If you believe in Jesus, God will make you free from your sins. God's Law that he gave to Moses cannot do this for you. That Law cannot make you free, even if you obey all of it. 40 Be careful then! Remember what God's prophets spoke about long ago. Do not let that happen to you. This is what one of them wrote: [ l ]

41 “Listen to me, you people who laugh at God!

You will be surprised at the great things that I do.
And then you will die.
I am working now, while you are still alive.
But still you will not believe what is true.
Even if someone explains everything to you,
you will never believe.” ’

42 After Paul spoke this message, he and Barnabas were leaving the meeting place. The people there said to them, ‘Please return on our next day of rest. Then you can tell us more about what you have already told us.’ 43 When the meeting finished, many people followed Paul and Barnabas. Some of them were Jews. Others were Gentiles who now worshipped God. Paul and Barnabas said to them, ‘God has been very kind to you. You should continue to trust him.’

44 On the next Jewish day of rest, almost everyone in the town came together to hear the Lord God's message. 45 But when some Jews saw the crowds of people, they became angry. They were very jealous because the people listened to Paul and Barnabas. They said that Paul was teaching wrong things. They also said bad things against him.

46 But Paul and Barnabas were not afraid of them. They said to them, ‘It was right that we first tell you who are Jews the message from God. But now you say that God's message is not true. You have shown that you do not deserve true life with God. So we will leave you now. We will go and tell this message to the Gentiles.

47 The Lord God has also told us to do this. He said:

“I have chosen you to be like a light to the Gentiles.
You must go to people everywhere in the world.
You must tell them how God wants to save them.” ’ [ m ]

48 When the Gentiles there heard this, they were very happy. They thanked God for the message about the Lord Jesus. Many people believed in Jesus. They were the people that God had chosen to have true life with him.

49 Many people in that part of the country heard the message about the Lord Jesus. 50 But the Jewish leaders spoke to the important men in the city. They also spoke to some rich women who worshipped God. The Jewish leaders told them bad things about Paul and Barnabas. So these important people started to speak against Paul and Barnabas. They caused Paul and Barnabas to leave that region. 51 So Paul and Barnabas cleaned the dirt of that place off their feet. This showed that the people in that town had done a bad thing. Paul and Barnabas then travelled to a town called Iconium.

52 The believers in Antioch continued to be very happy. The Holy Spirit completely filled them.

Footnotes

  1. 13:1 ‘Niger’ was a word in the language of the Roman people (Latin). It means ‘Black’. Simeon was probably a man with dark skin who came from north Africa.
  2. 13:6 ‘Bar-Jesus’ means ‘the son of Jesus’.
  3. 13:9 Luke now begins to call Saul by his new name, Paul.
  4. 13:17 We can read about the Israelites when they left Egypt in Exodus 12 .
  5. 13:22 We can read about Samuel, Saul and David in 1 Samuel 8—31 .
  6. 13:24 We can read about John the Baptist and his work in Luke 3 .
  7. 13:25 It was the job of servants to remove their master's shoes.
  8. 13:31 We can read about what happened to Jesus in Jerusalem in Luke 22—24 .
  9. 13:33 See Psalms 2:7 .
  10. 13:34 See Isaiah 55:3 .
  11. 13:35 See Psalms 16:10
  12. 13:40 See Habakkuk 1:5
  13. 13:47 See Isaiah 42:6 ; 49:6 .

Barnabas and Saul Given a Special Work

13 In the church at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon (also called Niger), Lucius (from the city of Cyrene), Manaen (who had grown up with King Herod [ a ] ), and Saul. 2 These men were all serving the Lord and fasting when the Holy Spirit said to them, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for me. They are the ones I have chosen to do it.”

3 So the church fasted and prayed. They laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them out.

Barnabas and Saul in Cyprus

4 Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went to the city of Seleucia. Then they sailed from there to the island of Cyprus. 5 When Barnabas and Saul came to the city of Salamis, they told the message of God in the Jewish synagogues. John Mark was with them to help.

6 They went across the whole island to the city of Paphos. There they met a Jewish man named Barjesus who did magic. He was a false prophet. 7 He always stayed close to Sergius Paulus, who was the governor and a very smart man. He invited Barnabas and Saul to come visit him, because he wanted to hear the message of God. 8 But the magician Elymas (as Barjesus was called in Greek) spoke against them, trying to stop the governor from believing in Jesus. 9 But Saul (also known as Paul), filled with the Holy Spirit, looked hard at Elymas 10 and said, “You son of the devil, full of lies and all kinds of evil tricks! You are an enemy of everything that is right. Will you never stop trying to change the Lord’s truths into lies? 11 Now the Lord will touch you and you will be blind. For a time you will not be able to see anything—not even the light from the sun.”

Then everything became dark for Elymas. He walked around lost. He was trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the governor saw this, he believed. He was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas Go to Antioch in Pisidia

13 Paul and the people with him sailed away from Paphos. They came to Perga, a city in Pamphylia. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 They continued their trip from Perga and went to Antioch, a city near Pisidia.

On the Sabbath day they went into the Jewish synagogue and sat down. 15 The Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were read. Then the leaders of the synagogue sent a message to Paul and Barnabas: “Brothers, if you have something to say that will help the people here, please speak.”

16 Paul stood up, raised his hand to get their attention, and said, “People of Israel and all you others who worship the true God, please listen to me! 17 The God of Israel chose our ancestors. And during the time our people lived in Egypt as foreigners, he made them great. Then he brought them out of that country with great power. 18 And he was patient with them for 40 years in the desert. 19 God destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave their land to his people. 20 All this happened in about 450 years.

“After this, God gave our people judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21 Then the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul, the son of Kish. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was king for 40 years. 22 After God took Saul away, God made David their king. This is what God said about David: ‘David, the son of Jesse, is the kind of person who does what pleases me. He will do everything I want him to do.’

23 “As he promised, God has brought one of David’s descendants to Israel to be their Savior. That descendant is Jesus. 24 Before he came, John told all the people of Israel what they should do. He told them to be baptized to show they wanted to change their lives. 25 When John was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Messiah. [ b ] He is coming later, and I am not worthy to be the slave who unties his sandals.’

26 “My brothers, sons in the family of Abraham, and you other people who also worship the true God, listen! The news about this salvation has been sent to us. 27 The Jews living in Jerusalem and their leaders did not realize that Jesus was the Savior. The words the prophets wrote about him were read every Sabbath day, but they did not understand. They condemned Jesus. When they did this, they made the words of the prophets come true. 28 They could not find any real reason why Jesus should die, but they asked Pilate to kill him.

29 “These Jews did all the bad things that the Scriptures said would happen to Jesus. Then they took Jesus down from the cross and put him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him up from death! 31 After this, for many days, those who had gone with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him. They are now his witnesses to our people.

32 “We tell you the Good News about the promise God made to our ancestors. 33 We are their descendants, and God has made this promise come true for us. God did this by raising Jesus from death. We also read about this in Psalm 2:

‘You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.’ ( A )

34 God raised Jesus from death. Jesus will never go back to the grave and become dust. So God said,

‘I will give you the true and holy promises
that I made to David.’ ( B )

35 But in another Psalm it says,

‘You will not let your Holy One rot in the grave.’ ( C )

36 “David did God’s will during the time he lived. Then he died and was buried like all his ancestors. And his body did rot in the grave! 37 But the one God raised from death did not rot in the grave. 38-39 Brothers, understand what we are telling you. You can have forgiveness of your sins through this Jesus. The Law of Moses could not free you from your sins. But you can be made right with God if you believe in Jesus. 40 So be careful! Don’t let what the prophets said happen to you:

41 ‘Listen, you people who doubt!
You can wonder, but then go away and die;
because during your time,
I will do something that you will not believe.
You will not believe it,
even if someone explains it to you!’” ( D )

42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people asked them to come again on the next Sabbath day and tell them more about these things. 43 After the meeting, many of the people followed Paul and Barnabas, including many Jews and people who had changed their religion to be like Jews and worship the true God. Paul and Barnabas encouraged them to continue trusting in God’s grace.

44 On the next Sabbath day, almost all the people in the city came together to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews there saw all these people, they became very jealous. Shouting insults, they argued against everything Paul said. 46 But Paul and Barnabas spoke very boldly. They said, “We had to tell God’s message to you Jews first, but you refuse to listen. You have made it clear that you are not worthy of having eternal life. So we will now go to those who are not Jews. 47 This is what the Lord told us to do:

‘I have made you a light for the other nations,
to show people all over the world the way to be saved.’” ( E )

48 When the non-Jewish people heard Paul say this, they were happy. They gave honor to the message of the Lord, and many of them believed it. These were the ones chosen to have eternal life.

49 And so the message of the Lord was being told throughout the whole country. 50 But the Jews there caused some of the important religious women and the leaders of the city to be angry and turn against Paul and Barnabas and throw them out of town. 51 So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet. [ c ] Then they went to the city of Iconium. 52 But the Lord’s followers in Antioch were happy and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:1 King Herod Literally, “Herod the tetrarch.” See “ Herod Agrippa I ” in the Word List.
  2. Acts 13:25 the Messiah Literally, “I” (that is, “he” or “the one”), meaning the chosen one sent by God. Compare Jn. 1:20. See “ Messiah ” in the Word List.
  3. Acts 13:51 shook the dust off their feet A warning. It showed they were finished talking to these people.

13 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

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 their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil 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.

First Missionary Journey

13 Now there were ( A ) prophets and ( B ) teachers at ( C ) Antioch, in the ( D ) church that was there : ( E ) Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of ( F ) Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with ( G ) Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were [ a ] serving the Lord and fasting, ( H ) the Holy Spirit said, “Set ( I ) Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for ( J ) the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they had fasted, ( K ) prayed, and ( L ) laid their hands on them, ( M ) they sent them away.

4 So, being ( N ) sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to ( O ) Cyprus. 5 When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in ( P ) the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had ( Q ) John as their helper. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a ( R ) magician, a Jewish ( S ) false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the ( T ) proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the ( U ) magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the ( V ) proconsul away from ( W ) the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, [ b ] ( X ) filled with the Holy Spirit, stared at him, 10 and said, “ [ c ] You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you ( Y ) son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop making crooked ( Z ) the straight ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, ( AA ) the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the ( AB ) proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at ( AC ) the teaching of the Lord.

13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from ( AD ) Paphos and came to ( AE ) Perga in ( AF ) Pamphylia; but ( AG ) John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But going on from Perga, they arrived at ( AH ) Pisidian ( AI ) Antioch, and on ( AJ ) the Sabbath day they went into ( AK ) the synagogue and sat down. 15 After ( AL ) the reading of the Law and ( AM ) the Prophets, ( AN ) the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, “ [ d ] Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16 Paul stood up, and ( AO ) motioning with his hand said,

“Men of Israel, and ( AP ) you who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people Israel ( AQ ) chose our fathers and [ e ] ( AR ) made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm ( AS ) He led them out from it. 18 For ( AT ) a period of about forty years ( AU ) He put up with them in the wilderness. 19 ( AV ) When He had destroyed ( AW ) seven nations in the land of Canaan, He ( AX ) distributed their land as an inheritance— all of which took ( AY ) about 450 years. 20 After these things He ( AZ ) gave them judges until ( BA ) Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they ( BB ) asked for a king, and God gave them ( BC ) Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 After He had ( BD ) removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘ ( BE ) I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My [ f ] will.’ 23 ( BF ) From the descendants of this man, ( BG ) according to promise, God has brought to Israel ( BH ) a Savior, Jesus, 24 after ( BI ) John had proclaimed, before [ g ] His coming, a ( BJ ) baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And while John ( BK ) was completing his course, ( BL ) he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He . But behold, one is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

26 “ [ h ] Brothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of ( BM ) this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who live in Jerusalem, and their ( BN ) rulers, ( BO ) recognizing neither Him nor the [ i ] declarations of ( BP ) the prophets which are ( BQ ) read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him . 28 And though they found no grounds for putting Him to death, they ( BR ) asked Pilate that He be executed. 29 When they had ( BS ) carried out everything that was written concerning Him, ( BT ) they took Him down from the [ j ] ( BU ) cross and ( BV ) laid Him in a tomb. 30 But God ( BW ) raised Him from the dead; 31 and for many days ( BX ) He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now ( BY ) His witnesses to the people. 32 And we ( BZ ) preach to you the good news of ( CA ) the promise made to the fathers, 33 that God has fulfilled this promise to those of us who are the descendants by ( CB ) raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘ ( CC ) You are My Son; today I have fathered You .’ 34 As for the fact that He ( CD ) raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘ ( CE ) I will give you the holy and faithful mercies of David .’ 35 Therefore, He also says in another Psalm : ‘ ( CF ) You will not [ k ] allow Your [ l ] Holy One to [ m ] undergo decay .’ 36 For ( CG ) David, after he had [ n ] served God’s ( CH ) purpose in his own generation, ( CI ) fell asleep, and was [ o ] buried among his fathers and [ p ] underwent decay; 37 but He whom God ( CJ ) raised did not [ q ] undergo decay. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, [ r ] brothers, that ( CK ) through [ s ] Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and [ t ] through Him ( CL ) everyone who believes is [ u ] freed [ v ] from all things, from which you could not be [ w ] freed [ x ] through the Law of Moses. 40 Therefore, see that the thing spoken of ( CM ) in the Prophets does not come upon you :

41 ‘ ( CN ) Look, you scoffers, and be astonished, and [ y ] perish ;
For I am accomplishing a work in your days ,
A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you .’”

42 As [ z ] Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people repeatedly begged to have these [ aa ] things spoken to them the next ( CO ) Sabbath. 43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the ( CP ) God-fearing [ ab ] ( CQ ) proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them and urging them to continue in ( CR ) the grace of God.

Paul Turns to the Gentiles

44 The next ( CS ) Sabbath nearly all the city assembled to hear the word of [ ac ] the Lord. 45 But when ( CT ) the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were [ ad ] blaspheming. 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you ( CU ) first. Since you repudiate it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, ( CV ) we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us,

‘ ( CW ) I have appointed You as a ( CX ) light [ ae ] to the Gentiles ,
That You may [ af ] bring salvation to the end of the earth .’”

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying ( CY ) the word of [ ag ] the Lord; and all who ( CZ ) had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And ( DA ) the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. 50 But ( DB ) the Jews incited the [ ah ] ( DC ) devout women ( DD ) of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their [ ai ] region. 51 But ( DE ) they shook off the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to ( DF ) Iconium. 52 And the disciples were continually ( DG ) filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:2 Lit performing ministry to
  2. Acts 13:9 Or having just been filled
  3. Acts 13:10 Lit O full of
  4. Acts 13:15 Lit Men, brothers
  5. Acts 13:17 Or exalted
  6. Acts 13:22 Lit wishes
  7. Acts 13:24 Lit the face of His entering
  8. Acts 13:26 Lit Men, brothers
  9. Acts 13:27 Lit voices
  10. Acts 13:29 Lit wood ; see Deut 21:23
  11. Acts 13:35 Lit give
  12. Acts 13:35 Or Devout ; or Pious
  13. Acts 13:35 Lit see corruption
  14. Acts 13:36 Or served his own generation by the purpose of God
  15. Acts 13:36 Lit gathered to his
  16. Acts 13:36 Lit saw corruption
  17. Acts 13:37 Lit see corruption
  18. Acts 13:38 Lit men, brothers
  19. Acts 13:38 Lit this One
  20. Acts 13:39 Lit in ; or by
  21. Acts 13:39 Or justified
  22. Acts 13:39 Lit by
  23. Acts 13:39 Or justified
  24. Acts 13:39 Lit by
  25. Acts 13:41 Lit disappear
  26. Acts 13:42 Lit they
  27. Acts 13:42 Lit words
  28. Acts 13:43 I.e., Gentile converts to Judaism
  29. Acts 13:44 One early ms God
  30. Acts 13:45 Or slandering him
  31. Acts 13:47 Lit of
  32. Acts 13:47 Lit be for salvation
  33. Acts 13:48 Two early mss God
  34. Acts 13:50 Or worshiping
  35. Acts 13:50 Lit boundaries

13 1 Now in the church at Antioch ( A ) there were prophets ( B ) and teachers: ( C ) Barnabas, ( D ) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, ( E ) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod ( F ) the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ( G ) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work ( H ) to which I have called them.” ( I ) 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them ( J ) and sent them off. ( K )

On Cyprus

4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, ( L ) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. ( M ) 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God ( N ) in the Jewish synagogues. ( O ) John ( P ) was with them as their helper.

6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer ( Q ) and false prophet ( R ) named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, ( S ) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer ( T ) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul ( U ) from the faith. ( V ) 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, ( W ) looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil ( X ) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? ( Y ) 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. ( Z ) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” ( AA )

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul ( AB ) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

In Pisidian Antioch

13 From Paphos, ( AC ) Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, ( AD ) where John ( AE ) left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. ( AF ) On the Sabbath ( AG ) they entered the synagogue ( AH ) and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law ( AI ) and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand ( AJ ) and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country; ( AK ) 18 for about forty years he endured their conduct [ a ] ( AL ) in the wilderness; ( AM ) 19 and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, ( AN ) giving their land to his people ( AO ) as their inheritance. ( AP ) 20 All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges ( AQ ) until the time of Samuel the prophet. ( AR ) 21 Then the people asked for a king, ( AS ) and he gave them Saul ( AT ) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, ( AU ) who ruled forty years. 22 After removing Saul, ( AV ) he made David their king. ( AW ) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; ( AX ) he will do everything I want him to do.’ ( AY )

23 “From this man’s descendants ( AZ ) God has brought to Israel the Savior ( BA ) Jesus, ( BB ) as he promised. ( BC ) 24 Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. ( BD ) 25 As John was completing his work, ( BE ) he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. ( BF ) But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’ ( BG )

26 “Fellow children of Abraham ( BH ) and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation ( BI ) has been sent. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, ( BJ ) yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets ( BK ) that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. ( BL ) 29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, ( BM ) they took him down from the cross ( BN ) and laid him in a tomb. ( BO ) 30 But God raised him from the dead, ( BP ) 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. ( BQ ) They are now his witnesses ( BR ) to our people.

32 “We tell you the good news: ( BS ) What God promised our ancestors ( BT ) 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. ( BU ) As it is written in the second Psalm:

“‘You are my son;
today I have become your father.’ [ b ] ( BV )

34 God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’ [ c ] ( BW )

35 So it is also stated elsewhere:

“‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’ [ d ] ( BX )

36 “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; ( BY ) he was buried with his ancestors ( BZ ) and his body decayed. 37 But the one whom God raised from the dead ( CA ) did not see decay.

38 “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. ( CB ) 39 Through him everyone who believes ( CC ) is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. ( CD ) 40 Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

41 “‘Look, you scoffers,
wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
that you would never believe,
even if someone told you.’ [ e ] ” ( CE )

42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, ( CF ) the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. 43 When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. ( CG )

44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying ( CH ) and heaped abuse ( CI ) on him.

46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. ( CJ ) Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. ( CK ) 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

“‘I have made you [ f ] a light for the Gentiles, ( CL )
that you [ g ] may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ [ h ] ” ( CM )

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; ( CN ) and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

49 The word of the Lord ( CO ) spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. ( CP ) 51 So they shook the dust off their feet ( CQ ) as a warning to them and went to Iconium. ( CR ) 52 And the disciples ( CS ) were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. ( CT )

Footnotes

  1. Acts 13:18 Some manuscripts he cared for them
  2. Acts 13:33 Psalm 2:7
  3. Acts 13:34 Isaiah 55:3
  4. Acts 13:35 Psalm 16:10 (see Septuagint)
  5. Acts 13:41 Hab. 1:5
  6. Acts 13:47 The Greek is singular.
  7. Acts 13:47 The Greek is singular.
  8. Acts 13:47 Isaiah 49:6
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