Acts 13
13
Sent Out from Antioch
1Now in the Antioch community, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (brought up since childhood with Herod the Tetrarch), and Saul.
2While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Ruach ha-Kodesh said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3Then after fasting, praying, and laying hands on them, they sent them off.
4So, sent out by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
5When they arrived at Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as a helper.
6When they had gone throughout the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a man who was a magician—a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Bar-Yeshua.
7He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
8But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
9But Saul, who is also Paul, filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, fixed his gaze on him
10and said, “O you, full of all deceit and trickery, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness—will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?
11Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and not see the sun for awhile.” Immediately, cloudiness and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.
12When he saw what had happened, the proconsul believed, because he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
Paul’s Message in Diaspora Synagogues
13Setting sail from Paphos, Paul’s company came to Perga in Pamphylia. John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
14But they passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia. Entering the synagogue on the Shabbat, they sat down.
15After the reading of the Torah and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, speak.”
16So Paul, standing up and motioning with his hand, said, “Men of Israel and God-fearers, listen.
17The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an outstretched arm He led them out of there.
18For about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness.
19And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave their land as an inheritance—
20all of this took about 450 years. After that, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
21Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
22After removing him, He raised up David to be their king. He also testified about him and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do My will.’
23“From this man’s seed, in keeping with His promise, God brought to Israel a Savior—Yeshua.
24Before His coming, John had proclaimed an immersion of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25As John was completing his service, he said, ‘What do you suppose me to be? I am not He. But behold, One is coming after me, whose sandal I’m not worthy to untie.’
26“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who are God-fearers, it is to us the message of this salvation has been sent.
27For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers—not recognizing Him or the sayings of the Prophets that are read every Shabbat—fulfilled these words by condemning Him.
28Though they found no charge worthy of a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed.
29When they had carried out all that had been written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.
30But God raised Him from the dead!
31For many days He appeared to those who had come up from the Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people.
32“And we proclaim to you Good News—the promise to the fathers has arrived!
33For God has fulfilled this promise to the children—to us—by raising up Yeshua, as it is also written in the second psalm: ‘You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father.’
34“But since He raised Him up from the dead, never to return to decay, He has spoken in this way, ‘I will give you the holy and sure mercies of David.’
35Therefore He also says in another psalm, ‘You will not permit Your Holy One to see decay.’
36For after David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he went to sleep and was laid with his fathers and saw decay.
37But the One whom God raised up did not see decay.
38“Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through this One is proclaimed to you the removal of sins, including all those from which you could not be set right by the Torah of Moses.
39Through this One everyone who keeps trusting is made righteous.
40“Be careful, then, so that what is said in the Prophets may not come upon you:
41‘Look, you scoffers, be amazed and vanish away. For I am doing a work in your days— a work you will never believe, even if someone tells it to you in detail.’”
42As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging them to speak these things to them the next Shabbat.
43When the synagogue meeting broke up, many of the Jewish people and God-fearing inquirers followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and trying to persuade them to continue in the grace of God.
44The following Shabbat, almost the entire city came together to hear the word of the Lord.
45When the Jewish leaders saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and tried to contradict what Paul was saying by reviling him.
46Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unfit for eternal life—behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
47For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed you as a light to the nations, so that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’”
48When the Gentiles heard this, they were thrilled and glorified the word of the Lord; and as many as had been inscribed for eternal life believed.
49Now the word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region.
50But 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 they drove them out of their district.
51But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them, and they went on to Iconium.
52And the disciples were filled with joy and the Ruach ha-Kodesh.
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Acts 13
13
Barnabas and Saul Are Chosen and Sent
1The church at Antioch had several prophets and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon, also called Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen, who was Herod's#13.1 Herod's: Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great. close friend, and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and going without eating,#13.2 going without eating: The Jews often went without eating as a way of showing how much they loved God. This is also called “fasting.” the Holy Spirit told them, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have chosen them.” 3Everyone prayed and went without eating for a while longer. Next, they placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul to show that they had been appointed to do this work. Then everyone sent them on their way.
Barnabas and Saul in Cyprus
4After Barnabas and Saul had been sent by the Holy Spirit, they went to Seleucia. From there they sailed to the island of Cyprus. 5They arrived at Salamis and began to preach God's message in the synagogues. They also had John#13.5 John: Whose other name was Mark (see 12.12,25). as a helper.
6Barnabas and Saul went all the way to the city of Paphos on the other end of the island, where they met a Jewish man named Bar-Jesus. He practiced witchcraft and was a false prophet. 7He also worked for Sergius Paulus, who was very smart and was the governor of the island. Sergius Paulus wanted to hear God's message, and he sent for Barnabas and Saul. 8But Bar-Jesus, whose other name was Elymas, was against them. He even tried to keep the governor from having faith in the Lord.
9Then Saul, better known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas 10and said, “You son of the devil! You are a liar, a crook, and an enemy of everything that is right. When will you stop speaking against the true ways of the Lord? 11The Lord is going to punish you by making you completely blind for a while.”
Suddenly the man's eyes were covered by a dark mist, and he went around trying to get someone to lead him by the hand. 12When the governor saw what had happened, he was amazed at this teaching about the Lord. So he put his faith in the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia
13Paul and the others left Paphos and sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. But John#13.13 John: See the note at 13.5. left them and went back to Jerusalem. 14The rest of them went on from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia. Then on the Sabbath they went to the synagogue and sat down.
15After the reading of the Law and the Prophets,#13.15 the Law and the Prophets: The Jewish Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament. the leaders sent someone over to tell Paul and Barnabas, “Friends, if you have anything to say that will help the people, please say it.”
16Paul got up. He motioned with his hand and said:
People of Israel, and everyone else who worships God, listen! 17#Ex 1.7; Ex 12.51. The God of Israel chose our ancestors, and he let our people prosper while they were living in Egypt. Then with his mighty power he led them out, 18#Nu 14.34; Dt 1.31. and for about 40 years he took care of#13.18 took care of: Some manuscripts have “put up with.” them in the desert. 19#Dt 7.1; Js 14.1. He destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave their land to our people. 20#Jg 2.16; 1 S 3.20. All this happened in about 450 years.
Then God gave our people judges until the time of the prophet Samuel, 21#1 S 8.5; 1 S 10.21. but the people demanded a king. So for 40 years God gave them King Saul, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. 22#1 S 13.14; 1 S 16.12; Ps 89.20. Later, God removed Saul and let David rule in his place. God said about him, “David the son of Jesse is the kind of person who pleases me most! He does everything I want him to do.”
23God promised that someone from David's family would come to save the people of Israel, and this one is Jesus. 24#Mk 1.4; Lk 3.3. But before Jesus came, John was telling everyone in Israel to turn back to God and be baptized. 25#Jn 1.19,20; Mt 3.11; Mk 1.7; Lk 3.16; Jn 1.27. Then, when John's work was almost done, he said, “Who do you people think I am? Do you think I am the Promised One? He will come later, and I am not good enough to untie his sandals.”
26Now listen, you descendants of Abraham! Pay attention, all of you Gentiles who are here to worship God! Listen to this message about how to be saved, because it is for everyone. 27The people of Jerusalem and their leaders didn't realize who Jesus was. And they didn't understand the words of the prophets they read each Sabbath. So they condemned Jesus just as the prophets had said.
28-29 #
Mt 27.22-26; Mk 15.13-15; Lk 23.21-25; Jn 19.15,16;
Mt 27.57-61; Mk 15.42-47; Lk 23.50-56; Jn 19.38-42. They did exactly what the Scriptures said they would. Even though they couldn't find any reason to put Jesus to death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
After Jesus had been put to death, he was taken down from the cross#13.28-29 cross: This translates a Greek word that means “wood,” “pole,” or “tree.” and placed in a tomb. 30But God raised him from death! 31#Ac 1.3. Then for many days Jesus appeared to his followers who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our people about him.
32God made a promise to our ancestors. And we are here to tell you the good news 33#Ps 2.7. that he has kept this promise to us. It is just as the second Psalm says about Jesus,
“You are my son because today
I have become your Father.”
34 # Is 55.3 (LXX). God raised Jesus from death and will never let his body decay. It is just as God said,
“I will make to you
the same holy promises
that I made to David.”
35 #
Ps 16.10. And in another psalm it says, “God will never let the body of his Holy One decay.”
36When David was alive, he obeyed God. Then after he died, he was buried in the family grave, and his body decayed. 37But God raised Jesus from death, and his body did not decay.
38My friends, the message is that Jesus can forgive your sins! The Law of Moses could not set you free from all your sins. 39But everyone who has faith in Jesus is set free. 40Make sure what the prophets have said doesn't happen to you. They said,
41 # Hb 1.5 (LXX). “Look, you people
who make fun of God!
Be amazed
and disappear.
I will do something today
that you won't believe,
even if someone
tells you about it!”
42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people begged them to say more about these same things on the next Sabbath. 43After the service, many Jews and a lot of Gentiles who worshiped God went with them. Paul and Barnabas begged them all to remain faithful to God, who had treated them with undeserved grace.
44The next Sabbath almost everyone in town came to hear the message about the Lord.#13.44 the Lord: Some manuscripts have “God.” 45When the Jewish people saw the crowds, they were very jealous. They insulted Paul and spoke against everything he said.
46But Paul and Barnabas bravely said:
We had to tell God's message to you before we told it to anyone else. But you rejected the message! This proves that you don't deserve eternal life. Now we are going to the Gentiles. 47#Is 42.6; 49.6. The Lord has given us this command,
“I have placed you here
as a light
for the Gentiles.
You are to take
the saving power of God
to people everywhere on earth.”
48This message made the Gentiles glad, and they praised what they had heard about the Lord.#13.48 the Lord: Some manuscripts have “God.” Everyone who had been chosen for eternal life then put their faith in the Lord.
49The message about the Lord spread all over this region. 50But the Jewish leaders went to some of the important men in the town and to some respected women who were religious. They turned them against Paul and Barnabas and started making trouble for them. They even chased them out of this part of the country.
51 #
Mt 10.14; Mk 6.11; Lk 9.5; 10.11. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from that place off their feet#13.51 shook the dust from that place off their feet: This was a way of showing rejection. and went on to the city of Iconium.
52But the Lord's followers in Antioch were very happy and were filled with the Holy Spirit.
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