Acts 13
13
1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers. Among them were Barnabas, Simeon, and Lucius from Cyrene. Simeon was also called Niger. Another was Manaen. He had been brought up with Herod, the ruler of Galilee. Saul was among them too. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke. “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me,” he said. “I have appointed them to do special work.” 3The prophets and teachers fasted and prayed. They placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul. Then they sent them off.
Events on Cyprus
4Barnabas and Saul were sent on their way by the Holy Spirit. They went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. 5They arrived at Salamis. There they preached God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
6They traveled all across the island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jew named Bar-Jesus. He was an evil magician and a false prophet. 7He was an attendant of Sergius Paulus, the governor. Paulus was a man of understanding. He sent for Barnabas and Saul. He wanted to hear God’s word. 8But the evil magician named Elymas opposed them. The name Elymas means Magician. He tried to keep the governor from becoming a believer. 9Saul was also known as Paul. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas. He said to him, 10“You are a child of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You cheat people. You use all kinds of tricks. Won’t you ever stop twisting the right ways of the Lord? 11Now the Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to go blind. For a while you won’t even be able to see the light of the sun.”
Right away mist and darkness came over him. He tried to feel his way around. He wanted to find someone to lead him by the hand. 12When the governor saw what had happened, he believed. He was amazed at what Paul was teaching about the Lord.
Paul Preaches in Pisidian Antioch
13From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15The Law and the Prophets were read aloud. Then the leaders of the synagogue sent word to Paul and his companions. They said, “Brothers, do you have any words of instruction for the people? If you do, please speak.”
16Paul stood up and motioned with his hand. Then he said, “Fellow Israelites, and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17The God of Israel chose our people who lived long ago. He blessed them greatly while they were in Egypt. With his mighty power he led them out of that country. 18He put up with their behavior for about 40 years in the desert. 19And he destroyed seven nations in Canaan. Then he gave the land to his people as their rightful share. 20All this took about 450 years.
“After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21Then the people asked for a king. He gave them Saul, son of Kish. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He ruled for 40 years. 22God removed him and made David their king. Here is God’s witness about him. ‘David, son of Jesse, is a man dear to my heart,’ he said. ‘David will do everything I want him to do.’
23“From this man’s family line God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus. This is what he had promised. 24Before Jesus came, John preached that we should turn away from our sins and be baptized. He preached this to all Israel. 25John was coming to the end of his work. ‘Who do you suppose I am?’ he said. ‘I am not the one you are looking for. But there is someone coming after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals.’
26“Listen, fellow children of Abraham! Listen, you Gentiles who worship God! This message of salvation has been sent to us. 27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus. By finding him guilty, they made the prophets’ words come true. These are read every Sabbath day. 28The people and their rulers had no reason at all for sentencing Jesus to death. But they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29They did everything that had been written about Jesus. Then they took him down from the cross. They laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead. 31For many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our people about Jesus.
32“We are telling you the good news. What God promised our people long ago 33he has done for us, their children. He has raised up Jesus. This is what is written in the second Psalm. It says,
“ ‘You are my son.
Today I have become your father.’ (Psalm 2:7)
34God raised Jesus from the dead. He will never rot in the grave. As God has said,
“ ‘Holy and sure blessings were promised to David.
I will give them to you.’ (Isaiah 55:3)
35In another place it also says,
“ ‘You will not let your holy one rot away.’ (Psalm 16:10)
36“David carried out God’s purpose while he lived. Then he died. He was buried with his people. His body rotted away. 37But the one whom God raised from the dead did not rot away.
38“My friends, here is what I want you to know. I announce to you that your sins can be forgiven because of what Jesus has done. 39Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin. Moses’ law could not make you right in God’s eyes. 40Be careful! Don’t let what the prophets spoke about happen to you. They said,
41“ ‘Look, you who make fun of the truth!
Wonder and die!
I am going to do something in your days
that you would never believe.
You wouldn’t believe it even if someone told you.’ ” (Habakkuk 1:5)
42Paul and Barnabas started to leave the synagogue. The people invited them to say more about these things on the next Sabbath day. 43The people were told they could leave the service. Many Jews followed Paul and Barnabas. Many Gentiles who faithfully worshiped the God of the Jews did the same. Paul and Barnabas talked with them. They tried to get them to keep living in God’s grace.
44On the next Sabbath day, almost the whole city gathered. They gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45When the Jews saw the crowds, they became very jealous. They began to disagree with what Paul was saying. They said evil things against him.
46Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly. “We had to speak God’s word to you first,” they said. “But you don’t accept it. You don’t think you are good enough for eternal life. So now we are turning to the Gentiles. 47This is what the Lord has commanded us to do. He said,
“ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles.
You will bring salvation to the whole earth.’ ” (Isaiah 49:6)
48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad. They honored the word of the Lord. All who were appointed for eternal life believed.
49The word of the Lord spread through the whole area. 50But the Jewish leaders stirred up the important women who worshiped God. They also stirred up the men who were leaders in the city. The Jewish leaders tried to get the women and men to attack Paul and Barnabas. They threw Paul and Barnabas out of that area. 51Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet. This was a warning to the people who had opposed them. Then Paul and Barnabas went on to Iconium. 52The believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
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Acts 13
13
Barnabas and Saul Given a Special Work
1In 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#13:1 King Herod Literally, “Herod the tetrarch.” See “Herod Agrippa I” in the Word List.), and Saul. 2These 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.”
3So the church fasted and prayed. They laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them out.
Barnabas and Saul in Cyprus
4Barnabas 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. 5When 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.
6They 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. 7He 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. 8But the magician Elymas (as Barjesus was called in Greek) spoke against them, trying to stop the governor from believing in Jesus. 9But Saul (also known as Paul), filled with the Holy Spirit, looked hard at Elymas 10and 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? 11Now 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. 12When the governor saw this, he believed. He was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Go to Antioch in Pisidia
13Paul 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. 14They 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. 15The 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.”
16Paul 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! 17The 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. 18And he was patient with them for 40 years in the desert. 19God destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave their land to his people. 20All this happened in about 450 years.
“After this, God gave our people judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21Then 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. 22After 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. 24Before 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. 25When John was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Messiah.#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. 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. 27The 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. 28They 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. 30But God raised him up from death! 31After 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. 33We 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.’ Psalm 2:7
34God 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.’ Isaiah 55:3
35But in another Psalm it says,
‘You will not let your Holy One rot in the grave.’ Psalm 16:10
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! 37But the one God raised from death did not rot in the grave. 38-39Brothers, 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. 40So 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!’” Habakkuk 1:5
42As 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. 43After 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.
44On the next Sabbath day, almost all the people in the city came together to hear the word of the Lord. 45When the Jews there saw all these people, they became very jealous. Shouting insults, they argued against everything Paul said. 46But 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. 47This 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.’” Isaiah 49:6
48When 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.
49And so the message of the Lord was being told throughout the whole country. 50But 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. 51So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet.#13:51 shook the dust off their feet A warning. It showed they were finished talking to these people. Then they went to the city of Iconium. 52But the Lord’s followers in Antioch were happy and filled with the Holy Spirit.
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