Acts 13

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their helper. They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos and found a Jewish magician and false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician—for that is how his name is translated—opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You who are full of every kind of deceit and malice, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop twisting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, look, the Lord’s hand is upon you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Paul and his companions sailed from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. They continued on from Perga and came to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, speak.” Paul stood up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people during their stay as foreigners in the land of Egypt. With an uplifted arm he brought them out of it, and for about forty years he bore with them in the wilderness. After destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance, all this over about four hundred and fifty years. After that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. After removing him, he raised up David as their king, of whom he testified, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will.’ From this man’s offspring, according to promise, God brought Israel a Savior, Jesus. Before his coming, John proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. As John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one. But look, one is coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’ Brothers, children of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation has been sent to us. For the people living in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him or the voices of the prophets read every Sabbath, and by condemning him they fulfilled them. Though they found no grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed. When they had accomplished everything written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead. For many days he appeared to those who had gone up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we proclaim to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers: God has fulfilled it for our children by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’ As for raising him from the dead, never again to return to decay, he has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he also says in another place, ‘You will not let your Holy One see decay.’ For David, after serving his own generation according to God’s purpose, fell asleep, was gathered to his fathers, and saw decay. But the one God raised did not see decay. So let it be known to you, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you; and from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses, in him everyone who believes is justified. Take care, then, that what was spoken in the prophets does not come upon you: ‘Look, you scoffers, be amazed and perish, for I am doing a work in your days, a work you would never believe even if someone told you about it.’” As they went out, the people urged them to speak these words to them the next Sabbath. When the synagogue meeting ended, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and contradicted what Paul was saying, speaking blasphemously. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly: “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, look, we are turning to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. The word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region. But the Jews stirred up the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their territory. They shook the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

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