The Acts 13

Barnabas and Saul Are Chosen

1In the church at Antioch there were these prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (also called Niger), Lucius (from the city of Cyrene), Manaen (who had grown up with Herod, the ruler) and Saul. 2They were all worshiping the Lord and giving up eating.# This is called “fasting.” The people would give up eating for a special time of prayer and worship to God. It was also done to show sadness. The Holy Spirit said to them, “Give Barnabas and Saul to me to do a special work. I have chosen them for it.”

3So they gave up eating and prayed. They laid their hands on# Here, this was a sign to show that these men were given a special work of God. 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. From there they sailed to the island of Cyprus. 5When they came to Salamis, they preached the Good News of God in the Jewish synagogues. John Mark was with them to help.

6They went across the whole island to Paphos. In Paphos they met a Jew who was a magician. His name was Bar-Jesus. He was a false prophet, 7who always stayed close to Sergius Paulus, the governor. Sergius Paulus was a smart man. He asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him, because he wanted to hear the message of God. 8But Elymas, the magician (that is what his name means), was against them. He tried to stop the governor from believing in Jesus. 9But Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Saul’s other name was Paul.) He looked straight at Elymas 10and said, “You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies. You are always 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, 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 Leave Cyprus

13Paul and those with him sailed away from Paphos. They came to Perga, in Pamphylia. But John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14They continued their trip from Perga and went to Antioch, a city in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the 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 any message that will encourage the people, please speak!”

16Paul stood up. He raised his hand and said, “Men of Israel and you other people who worship God, please listen! 17The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors. He made the people great during the time they lived in Egypt. He brought them out of that country with great power. 18And he was patient with them# Some Greek copies read “And he cared for them.” for 40 years in the desert. 19God destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the land to his people. 20All this happened in about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21Then the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul son of Kish. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was king for 40 years. 22After God took him away, God made David their king. This is what God said about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse. He is the kind of man I want. He will do all that I want him to do.’ 23So God has brought one of David’s descendants to Israel to be their Savior. That descendant is Jesus. And God promised to do this. 24Before Jesus came, John# John the Baptist, who preached to people about Christ’s coming (Matthew 3; Luke 3). preached to all the people of Israel. He told them about a baptism of changed hearts and lives. 25When he was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Christ. He is coming later. I am not worthy to untie his sandals.’

26“Brothers, sons in the family of Abraham, and you non-Jews who worship God, listen! The news about this salvation has been sent to us. 27Those who live in Jerusalem and their leaders did not realize that Jesus was the Savior. They did not understand the words that the prophets wrote, which are read every Sabbath day. But they made them come true when they said Jesus was guilty. 28They could not find any real reason for Jesus to die, but they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29They did to him all that the Scriptures had said. Then they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him up from death! 31After this, for many days, the people who had gone with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him. They are now his witnesses to the people. 32We tell you the Good News about the promise God made to our ancestors. 33We are their children, and God has made this promise come true for us. God did this by raising Jesus from death. We read about this also in Psalm 2:

‘You are my Son.

Today I have become your Father.’ Psalm 2:7

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

‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings

that I promised to David.’ Isaiah 55:3

35But in another place God says:

‘You will not let your Holy One

rot in the grave.’ Psalm 16:10

36David did God’s will during his lifetime. Then he died and was buried with his fathers. And his body did rot in the grave! 37But the One God raised from death did not rot in the grave. 38-39Brothers, you must understand what we are telling you: You can have forgiveness of your sins through Jesus. The law of Moses could not free you from your sins. But everyone who believes is free from all sins through him. 40Be careful! Don’t let what the prophets said happen to you:

41‘Listen, you people who doubt!

You can wonder, and then die.

I will do something in your lifetime that will amaze you.

You won’t believe it even when you are told about it!’” Habakkuk 1:5

42While Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people asked them to tell them more about these things on the next Sabbath. 43After the meeting, many Jews followed Paul and Barnabas from that place. With the Jews there were many who had changed to the Jewish religion and worshiped God. Paul and Barnabas were persuading them to continue trusting in God’s kindness.

44On the next Sabbath day, almost all the people in the city came to hear the word of the Lord. 45Seeing the crowd, the Jews became very jealous. They said insulting things and argued against what Paul said. 46But Paul and Barnabas spoke very boldly. They said, “We must speak the message of God to you first. But you refuse to listen. You are judging yourselves not worthy of having eternal life! So we will now go to the people of other nations! 47This is what the Lord told us to do. The Lord said:

‘I have made you a light for the non-Jewish nations.

You will 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 the people believed the message. They were the ones chosen to have life forever.

49And so the message of the Lord was spreading through the whole country. 50But the Jews stirred up some of the important religious women and the leaders of the city against Paul and Barnabas. They started trouble against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their area. 51So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet# A warning. It showed that they were finished talking to these people. and went to Iconium. 52But the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

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Acts 13

Barnabas and Saul Commissioned

1#Ac 11:22–27; 4:36In the church that was in Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2#Ac 9:15; 2Ti 1:11As they worshipped the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3#Ac 6:6; 14:26Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

The Apostles Preach in Cyprus

4#Ac 4:36; 13:2So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5#Ac 13:14; 9:20When they arrived at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John as an assistant.

6#Mt 7:15When they had gone through the whole island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7#Ac 13:12; 19:38who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8#Ac 13:6–7; 2Ti 3:8But Elymas the sorcerer (which is his name by interpretation) opposed them, trying to divert the proconsul from the faith. 9#Ac 4:8; 2:4Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, stared at him and said, 10#Hos 14:9; Mt 13:38“You son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness, full of deceit and of all fraud, will you not cease perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11#Ex 9:3; Ps 32:4Now, look! The hand of the Lord is against you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.”

Immediately mist and darkness fell on him, and he went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12#Ac 13:7When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed and was astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia

13#Ac 2:10; 12:12Now when Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. 14#Ac 16:13; 13:5But they departed from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15#Ac 15:21; Mk 5:22After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.”

16#Ac 12:17; 10:2Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. 17#Dt 7:6–8; Ps 105:23–24The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt, and with great power He led them out of it. 18#Ac 7:36; Dt 9:7For about forty years He endured their conduct in the desert. 19#Ps 78:55; Dt 7:1; Jos 14:1When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave them their land as an inheritance by lot.

20#Jdg 2:16; 1Sa 3:20“After about four hundred and fifty years, God gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21#1Sa 10:1Then they requested a king. And God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22#1Sa 16:1; 15:23; 15:26When He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, of whom He testified, saying, ‘I have found David#Ps 89:20. the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will fulfill My entire will.’#1Sa 13:14.

23#Mt 1:1; Ps 132:11“From this man’s descendants God has raised a Savior for Israel, Jesus, according to His promise. 24#Ac 1:22Before His coming John had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25#Mt 3:11; Mk 1:7As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But look! He is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’#Jn 1:20, 27.

26#Ac 4:12; 13:46“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those of you who fear God, the word of this salvation has been sent to us. 27#Ac 3:17; Lk 24:20Because those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, did not know Him, in condemning Him they have fulfilled the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath. 28#Mt 27:22–25Though they found in Him no cause worthy of death, yet they asked Pilate to have Him killed. 29#Lk 23:53; Mt 27:57–60; Mk 15:45–46When they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree and placed Him in a tomb. 30#Ac 2:24; Mt 28:6But God raised Him from the dead, 31#Lk 24:48; Ac 1:3and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people.

32#Ac 26:6; Ro 4:13“We preach to you good news: The promise which was made to the fathers, 33#Ps 2:7; Heb 5:5God has fulfilled to us, their children, raising Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

‘You are My Son;

today I have become Your Father.’#Ps 2:7.

34#Isa 55:3; Ro 6:9That He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken in this way:

‘I will give You the holy and sure blessings of David.’#Isa 55:3.

35#Ps 16:10So He says in another Psalm:

‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’#Ps 16:10.

36#1Ki 2:10; Ac 2:29“For after David had served by the counsel of God in his own generation, he fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw decay. 37#Ac 13:30; 2:24But He whom God raised up saw no decay.

38#Lk 24:47; Ac 2:38“Therefore, brothers, let it be known to you that through this Man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39#Ro 8:3; Gal 2:16and by Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses. 40Therefore beware, lest what is spoken of in the prophets come upon you:

41#Hab 1:5 ‘Look, you scoffers,

marvel and perish!

For I will perform a work in your days

which you will never believe,

even if someone declares it to you.’#Hab 1:5.”

42When Paul and Barnabas went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles asked that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 43#Ac 11:23; 6:5When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

44On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled to hear the word of God. 45#Ac 18:6; 5:17But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, blaspheming and contradicting what Paul was saying.

46#Ac 3:26; 28:28Then Paul and Barnabas boldly said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first. But seeing you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47#Isa 49:6; Lk 2:32For thus has the Lord commanded us:

‘I have established you to be a light of the Gentiles,

that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’#Isa 42:6; 49:6.”

48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And all who were ordained to eternal life believed.

49The word of the Lord was spread throughout the entire region. 50#Ac 14:2; 14:19But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women and the chief men of the city, and raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them from their region. 51#Mt 10:14; Ac 18:6So they shook off the dust of their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52#Ac 2:4; Mt 5:12And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

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