Acts Chapter 13
Barnabas and Saul Commissioned
1 In the church at Antioch, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas; Simeon called Niger; Lucius the Cyrenian; Manaen, brought up with Herod the tetraarch; and Saul. 2 As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Set Barnabas and Saul apart to the work I’ve called them for.” 3 They fasted and prayed, laid hands on them, and sent them off.
Acts 13:1-3
Paul and Barnabas in Cyprus
4 So sent by the Holy Spirit, and they went down to Seleucia and sailed to Cyprus. 5 At Salamis they delivered God’s message in the synagogues of the Jews, with Mark as their assistant. 6 When they’d gone the length of the island, they came upon a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Barjesus. 7 He was with the proconsul Sergius Paullus, an intelligent man, who called for Barnabas and Saul, and wanted to hear God’s message. 8 Elymas (“Sorcerer”) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
9 But Saul, or Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked him in the eye 10 and said, “Deceitful, unscrupulousness son of the devil, enemy of goodness, you continually pervert the upright ways of God. 11 Now, his hand is on you. You’ll be so blind for a while you can’t see the sun.” Immediately darkness fell on him, and he went around trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what happened, he believed, astonished at the Lord’s teaching.
Acts 13:4-12
Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia
13 The ones that were with Paul sailed from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia. John left and went back to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga, they arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent to them, “Brothers, if you have something encouraging to say to the people, go ahead.”
16 Paul stood up and motioned with his hand,
“Israelites and God-fearers, 17 our God chose our ancestors and raised them up while they were living as foreigners in Egypt. Afterwards he brought them out of there in stupendous fashion 18 and put up with them for 40 years in the desert. 19 In Canaan he destroyed 7 nations and gave their land to his people as an inheritance— 20 a process that covered about 450 years. After that, he gave them judges till Samuel the prophet. 21 When they asked for a king, he gave them Saul son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin for 40 years. 22 He removed him and raised up David to be king, ‘I’ve found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who’ll do my will’ [1 Sam 13:14; Ps 89:20]. 23 As he’d promised, God raised up from David’s descendants a savior, Jesus. 24 Ahead of him John prepared for his coming by presenting to Israel a baptism of repentance. 25 As John was carrying out his role, he said, ‘What do you suppose I am? I’m not the One, but after me One is coming whose sandals I’m not worthy to unfasten.’
Acts 13:13-25
26 “Brothers, members of Abraham’s nation and God-fearers among you, God has sent you the message about this salvation. 27 Those living in Jerusalem and their rulers didn’t recognize him and, by condemning him, fulfilled the prophets they read every Sabbath. 28 Although they didn’t find any capital offence, they petitioned Pilate to crucify him. 29 When they’d fulfilled everything scripture said about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb. 30 But God resurrected him. 31 For many days, he appeared to the ones that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. 32 We’re bringing you the good news that the promise God made to our ancestors 33 he’s fulfilled to us by resurrecting Jesus. Scripture says in Psalm 2,
‘You’re my Son;
I’ve inaugurated you today’ [Ps 2:7].
34 So he didn’t decay, like it says,
‘I’ll give you David’s sure blessings’ [Is 55:3 LXX];
35 and in another psalm,
‘You won’t let your Holy One decay’ [Ps 16:10 LXX].
Acts 13:26-35
36 “When David had served God’s will in his own time, he died, was buried with his ancestors, and decayed. 37 But the One God resurrected didn’t decay. 38 Know, then, that through him we’re offering forgiveness of sins—something the Law of Moses couldn’t do. 39 The Messiah justifies everybody that trusts in him. 40 Be careful so what the prophets said won’t apply to you,
41 ‘Look, you despisers;
be amazed and perish.
I’ll do something in your day you wouldn’t believe
if somebody explained it to you’” [Hab 1:5 LXX].
Acts 13:36-41
Paul Asked to Preach Again
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving, the synagogue rulers invited them to deliver that message the next Sabbath. 43 After the synagogue dismissed, lots of Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who urged them to continue in God’s grace.
44 The following Sabbath nearly the whole city came to hear the Lord’s message. 45 When the Jews saw the crowd, they got jealous and contradicted Paul and slandered what he presented. 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, “We needed to deliver God’s message to you first. Since you’re rejecting it and consider yourselves not worthy of eternal life, we’re turning to the Gentiles. 47 That’s what the LORD commanded us,
‘I’ve made you a light for the Gentiles
so you can save the whole world’” [Is 49:6].
48 When the Gentiles heard that, they praised the Lord’s message, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 His message spread out through the region. 50 But the Jews stirred up devout, respected women and prominent men of the city, and instigated persecution against Paul and Barnabas to force them out of their territory. 51 They shook the dust off their feet at them and went to Iconium. 52 The disciples were full of joy and the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:42-52