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13 Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”

Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their attendant. When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, 10 and said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit and all cunning, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!”

Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”

16 Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people[a] chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it. 18 For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred fifty years. 20 After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation[b] to Israel according to his promise, 24 before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.[c] 25 As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ 26 Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33 that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm,

‘You are my Son.
    Today I have become your father.’Psalm 2:7

34 “Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’Isaiah 55:3 35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’Psalm 16:10 36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, was laid with his fathers, and saw decay. 37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay. 38 Be it known to you therefore, brothers,[d] that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins, 39 and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40 Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:

41 ‘Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish;
    for I work a work in your days,
    a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.’” Habakkuk 1:5

42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 43 Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.

46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that God’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from yourselves, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying,

‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles,
    that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’” Isaiah 49:6

48 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 The Lord’s word was spread abroad throughout all the region. 50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders. 51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium. 52 The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Footnotes

  1. 13:17 TR, NU add “Israel”
  2. 13:23 TR, NU read “a Savior, Jesus” instead of “salvation”
  3. 13:24 TR, NU read “to all the people of Israel” instead of “to Israel”
  4. 13:38 The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

13 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. 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) So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them(J) and sent them off.(K)

On Cyprus

The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,(L) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.(M) 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.

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, 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. 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) 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