Shared Word Translation

Acts 13

Barnabas and Saul Sent Out

Now there were in Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And while they were ministering to 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, having fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Barnabas and Saul on Cyprus

So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And arriving at Salamis, they were proclaiming the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they also had John as their assistant.

And going through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and going about he was seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas at Antioch in Pisidia

Now Paul and those with him set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. But they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia, and entering into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, they sat down.

And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men, brothers, if there is any word of encouragement for the people, speak.”

And Paul, standing up and motioning with his hand, said:

“Men of Israel and those who fear God, listen.

The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm he led them out from it. And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.

And having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance, for about four hundred fifty years. And after these things he gave judges until Samuel the prophet.

And then they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And having removed him, he raised up David for them as king, to whom also he bore witness and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

From the seed of this one, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had proclaimed before his coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

And as John was finishing his course, he was saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

Men, brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation has been sent. For those dwelling in Jerusalem and their rulers, not recognizing him nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.

And though they found no cause for death, they asked Pilate that he be executed. And when they had carried out all that had been written about him, taking him down from the tree, they laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.

And we proclaim to you the good news that the promise made to the fathers, God has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

‘You are my Son;

today I have begotten you.’

And that he raised him from the dead, no longer to return to corruption, he has spoken thus:

‘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 corruption.’

For David, having served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but the one whom God raised did not see corruption.

Therefore let it be known to you, men, brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all things from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses, by this one everyone who believes is justified.

Therefore beware, lest what is spoken in the prophets should come upon you: ‘Look, you scoffers, and marvel and perish;

for I am doing a work in your days,

a work which you will never believe, even if someone tells it to you.’”

The Gentiles Ask to Hear the Gospel

And as they were going out, they were urging that these words might be spoken to them on the next Sabbath. And when the synagogue gathering was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.

And on the next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But the Jews, seeing the crowds, were filled with jealousy and were contradicting what was being spoken by Paul, reviling him.

And speaking boldly, Paul and Barnabas said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you; since you thrust it away and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For thus the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles,

so that you may be for salvation to the end of the earth.’”

And the Gentiles, hearing this, were rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading through the whole region.

But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.