Acts 13
New Testament for Everyone
Mission and magic
13 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen from the court of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the holy spirit said, “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So they fasted and prayed; and then they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
4 So off they went, sent out by the holy spirit, and arrived at Seleucia. From there they set sail to Cyprus, 5 and when they arrived in Salamis they announced God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their assistant. 6 They went through the whole of the island, all the way to Paphos. There they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. He called Barnabas and Saul and asked to hear the word of God. 8 The magician Elymas (that is the translation of his name) was opposing them, and doing his best to turn the governor away from the faith. 9 But Saul, also named Paul, looked intently at him, filled with the holy spirit.
10 “You’re full of trickery and every kind of villainy!” he said. “You’re a son of the devil! You’re an enemy of everything that’s right! When are you going to stop twisting the paths that God has made straight? 11 Now see here: the Lord’s hand will be upon you, and you will be blind for a while; you won’t even be able to see the sun!”
At once mist and darkness fell on him, and he went about looking for someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the governor saw what had happened, he believed, since he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
Address in Antioch
13 Paul and his companions set off from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and went back to Jerusalem. 14 But they came through from Perga and arrived in Antioch of Pisidia, where they went into the synagogue on the sabbath day and sat down. 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the ruler of the synagogue sent word to them.
“My brothers,” he said, “if you have any word of exhortation for the people, let us hear it.”
16 So Paul stood up and motioned with his hand for attention.
“Fellow Israelites,” he said, “and the godfearers among you: listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, and he raised the people up to greatness during their stay in the land of Egypt. Then he led them out from there with his outstretched hand, 18 and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert. 19 He drove out seven nations from the land of Canaan, and gave them the land as their inheritance 20 for about four hundred and fifty years. After that, he gave them judges, up until Samuel the prophet. 21 After that, they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin. He ruled for forty years, 22 and after God had removed him he raised up for them David as king. He is the one to whom God bore witness when he said, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will accomplish all my purpose.’
23 “From this man’s offspring, in accordance with his promise, God has produced a savior for Israel: Jesus! 24 Before he appeared, John had announced a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. 25 As John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose I am? I am not the one. But look: someone is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’ ”
The messianic challenge
26 “My brothers and sisters,” Paul continued, “children of Abraham’s family, and the godfearers among you: it is to us that the word of this salvation has been sent! 27 The people who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, didn’t recognize him, and they fulfilled the words of the prophets which are read to them every sabbath by condemning him. 28 Even though they found no reason to condemn him to death, they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 When they had completed everything that had been written about him in prophecy, they took him down from the cross and put him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and he was seen for several days by those who had come with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people.
32 “We are here now to bring you the good news which was promised to our ancestors, 33 that God has fulfilled this promise to us, their children, by raising Jesus. This corresponds, indeed, to what is written in the second Psalm:
You are my son; this day I have begotten you.
34 “That he raised him from the dead, never more to return to corruption, conforms to what was written:
I will give you the holy and faithful mercies of David.
35 “Because, as it says in another place,
You will not hand over your holy one to see corruption.
36 “Now David served his own generation, and in the purposes of God he fell asleep and was gathered to his fathers. He did experience corruption. 37 But the one God raised up did not experience corruption. 38,39 “So let it be known to you, my brothers and sisters, that forgiveness of sins is announced through him.
“Everyone who believes is set right in relation to all the things which the law of Moses could not put right.
40 “Beware, then, lest what the prophets foretold comes true of you:
41 Look out, you scoffers—be amazed, and disappear!
I am doing something in your days, a work which you wouldn’t believe
even if someone were to explain it to you.”
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving, they begged them to come back the next sabbath and tell them more about these things. 43 Many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed them once the synagogue was dismissed. They spoke to them some more, and urged them to remain in God’s grace.
A light to the Gentiles
44 On the next sabbath, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with righteous indignation, and spoke blasphemous words against what Paul was saying.
46 Paul and Barnabas grew very bold.
“God’s word had to be spoken to you first,” they declared. “But since you are rejecting it, and judging yourselves unworthy of the life of God’s new age, look! We are turning to the Gentiles! 47 This is what the Lord has commanded, you see:
I have set you for a light to the nations,
so that you can be salvation-bringers to the end of the earth.”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were thrilled, and they praised the word of the Lord. All those who were marked out for the life of God’s new age became believers. 49 And the word of the Lord spread through the whole land.
50 But the Jews incited the devout aristocratic women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 They, however, shook the dust off their feet and went on to Iconium. 52 The disciples were filled with joy and with the holy spirit.
Acts 13
King James Version
13 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
30 But God raised him from the dead:
31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
