Acts 13
13
Barnabas and Saul are Chosen and Sent
1In the church at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (called the Black), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod#13.1 herod: Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee (see Lk 3.1). the governor), and Saul. 2While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, to do the work to which I have called them.”
3They fasted and prayed, placed their hands on them, and sent them off.
In Cyprus
4Having been sent by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul went to Seleucia and sailed from there to the island of Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues. They had John Mark with them to help in the work.
6They went all the way across the island to Paphos, where they met a certain magician named Bar-Jesus, a Jew who claimed to be a prophet. 7He was a friend of the governor of the island, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor called Barnabas and Saul before him because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8But they were opposed by the magician Elymas (that is his name in Greek), who tried to turn the governor away from the faith. 9Then Saul — also known as Paul — was filled with the Holy Spirit; he looked straight at the magician 10and said, “You son of the Devil! You are the enemy of everything that is good. You are full of all kinds of evil tricks, and you always keep trying to turn the Lord's truths into lies! 11The Lord's hand will come down on you now; you will be blind and will not see the light of day for a time.”
At once Elymas felt a dark mist cover his eyes, and he walked about trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. 12When the governor saw what had happened, he believed; for he was greatly amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
In Antioch in Pisidia
13Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos and came to Perga, a city in Pamphylia, where John Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem. 14They went on from Perga and arrived in Antioch in Pisidia, and on the Sabbath they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading from the Law of Moses and from the writings of the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message: “Brothers and sisters, we want you to speak to the people if you have a message of encouragement for them.” 16Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and began to speak:
“Fellow-Israelites and all Gentiles here who worship God: hear me! 17#Ex 1.7; 12.51The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors and made the people a great nation during the time they lived as foreigners in Egypt. God brought them out of Egypt by his great power, 18#Num 14.34; Deut 1.31and for forty years he endured#13.18 he endured; some manuscripts have he took care of. them in the desert. 19#Deut 7.1; Josh 14.1He destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and made his people the owners of the land. 20#Judg 2.16; 1 Sam 3.20All this took about 450 years.
“After this#13.20 All this took about 450 years. “After this; or Some 450 years later. he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. 21#1 Sam 8.5; 10.21And when they asked for a king, God gave them Saul son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin, to be their king for forty years. 22#1 Sam 13.14; 16.12; Ps 89.20After removing him, God made David their king. This is what God said about him: ‘I have found that David son of Jesse is the kind of man I like, a man who will do all I want him to do.’ 23It was Jesus, a descendant of David, whom God made the Saviour of the people of Israel, as he had promised. 24#Mk 1.4; Lk 3.3Before Jesus began his work, John preached to all the people of Israel that they should turn from their sins and be baptized. 25#Mt 3.11; Mk 1.7; Lk 3.16; Jn 1.20, 27And as John was about to finish his mission, he said to the people, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one you are waiting for. But listen! He is coming after me, and I am not good enough to take his sandals off his feet.’
26“My fellow-Israelites, descendants of Abraham, and all Gentiles here who worship God: it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent! 27For the people who live in Jerusalem and their leaders did not know that he is the Saviour, nor did they understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Yet they made the prophets' words come true by condemning Jesus. 28#Mt 27.22–23; Mk 15.13–14; Lk 23.21–23; Jn 19.15And even though they could find no reason to pass the death sentence on him, they asked Pilate to have him put to death. 29#Mt 27.57–61; Mk 15.42–47; Lk 23.50–56; Jn 19.38–42And after they had done everything that the Scriptures say about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from death, 31#Acts 1.3and for many days he appeared to those who had travelled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now witnesses for him to the people of Israel. 32-33#Ps 2.7And we are here to bring the Good News to you: what God promised our ancestors he would do, he has now done for us, who are their descendants, by raising Jesus to life. As it is written in the second Psalm:
‘You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.’
34 #
Is 55.3 (LXX) And this is what God said about raising him from death, never to rot away in the grave:
‘I will give you the sacred and sure blessings
that I promised to David.’
35 #
Ps 16.10
As indeed he says in another passage:
‘You will not allow your faithful servant to rot in the grave.’
36For David served God's purposes in his own time, and then he died, was buried with his ancestors, and his body rotted in the grave. 37But this did not happen to the one whom God raised from death. 38-39We want you to know, my fellow-Israelites, that it is through Jesus that the message about forgiveness of sins is preached to you; and that everyone who believes in him is set free from all the sins from which the Law of Moses could not set you free. 40Take care, then, so that what the prophets said may not happen to you:#13.40 Some manuscripts do not have to you.
41 #
Hab 1.5 (LXX) ‘Look, you scoffers! Be astonished and die!
For what I am doing today
is something that you will not believe,
even when someone explains it to you!’ ”
42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to come back the next Sabbath and tell them more about these things. 43After the people had left the meeting, Paul and Barnabas were followed by many Jews and by many Gentiles who had been converted to Judaism. The apostles spoke to them and encouraged them to keep on living in the grace of God.
44The next Sabbath nearly everyone in the town came to hear the word of the Lord. 45When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy; they disputed what Paul was saying and insulted him. 46But Paul and Barnabas spoke out even more boldly: “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we will leave you and go to the Gentiles. 47#Is 42.6; 49.6For this is the commandment that the Lord has given us:
‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
so that all the world may be saved.’ ”
48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the Lord's message; and those who had been chosen for eternal life became believers.
49The word of the Lord spread everywhere in that region. 50But the Jews stirred up the leading men of the city and the Gentile women of high social standing who worshipped God. They started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and threw them out of their region. 51#Mt 10.14; Mk 6.11; Lk 9.5; 10.11The apostles shook the dust off their feet in protest against them and went on to Iconium. 52The believers in Antioch were full of joy and the Holy Spirit.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
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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