Acts 13

1 Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Among the members of the church at Antioch there were several prophets and teachers – Barnabas, Simeon who was known by the name of “Black”, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, foster-brother of Prince Herod, and Saul.

2 As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”

While they were engaged in the worship of the Lord and were fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them.’

3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Accordingly, after fasting and prayer, they placed their hands on them and dismissed them.

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.

Barnabas and Saul, sent on this mission, as they were, by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.

5 When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their attendant.

On reaching Salamis, they began to tell the message of God in the Jewish synagogues; and they had John with them as an assistant.

6 When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar Jesus,

After passing through the whole island, they reached Paphos, where they found an astrologer who pretended to be a prophet – a Jew by birth, whose name was Barjoshua.

7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.

He was at the court of the Governor, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who sent for Barnabas and Saul and asked to be told God’s message.

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

But Elymas, the astrologer (for that is the meaning of the word), opposed them, eager to divert the Governor’s attention from the faith.

9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him

However, Saul (who is the same as Paul), full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on him and said,

10 and said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit and all cunning, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

‘You incarnation of deceit and all fraud! You son of the devil! You opponent of all that is good! Will you never cease to divert the straight paths of the Lord? Listen!

11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

The hand of the Lord is on you even now, and you will be blind for a time and unable to see the sun.’ Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went feeling about for someone to guide him.

12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

When the Governor saw what had happened, he became a believer in Christ, being greatly impressed by the teaching about the Lord.

13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem.

After this, Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and went to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.

The others went on from Perga and arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. There they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and took their seats.

15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”

After the reading of the Law and the prophets, the synagogue leader sent them this message – ‘Friends, if you have any helpful words to address to the people, now is the time to speak.’

16 Paul stood up, and gesturing with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.

So Paul rose and, motioning with his hand, said: ‘People of Israel and all here who worship God, hear what I have to say.

17 The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it.

The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, and during their stay in Egypt increased the prosperity of the people, and then with uplifted arm brought them out from that land.

18 For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.

For about forty years he bore with them in the desert;

19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred fifty years.

then, after destroying seven heathen nations in Canaan, he allotted their land to this people –

20 After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.

For about four hundred and fifty years. In later times he gave them Judges, of whom the prophet Samuel was the last.

21 Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

And, when they demanded a king, God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years.

22 When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

After removing him, he raised David to the throne, and bore this testimony to him – “In David, the son of Jesse, I have found a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my purposes.”

23 From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise,

It was from this man’s descendants that God, in accordance with his promise, gave Israel a Saviour – Jesus;

24 before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.

John having first proclaimed, before the appearance of Jesus, a baptism on repentance for all the people of Israel.

25 As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

As John was drawing towards the end of his career, he said “What do you suppose that I am? I am not the Christ. But there is ‘one coming’ after me, whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

26 “Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.

Brothers and sisters, descendants of Abraham, and all those among you who worship God, it was to us that the message of this salvation was sent.

27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.

The people of Jerusalem and their leaders, failing to recognise Jesus, and not understanding the utterances of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.

28 Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.

They found no ground at all for putting him to death, and yet demanded his execution from Pilate;

29 When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.

and, after carrying out everything written about him, they took Jesus down from the cross, and laid him in a tomb.

30 But God raised him from the dead,

But God raised him from the dead;

31 and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people.

and he appeared for many days to those who had gone up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and who are now witnesses for him to the people.

32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,

We also have good news to tell you, about the promise made to our ancestors –

33 that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’

That our children have had this promise completely fulfilled to them by God, by his raising Jesus. That is just what is said in the second Psalm – “You are my Son; this day I have become your Father.”

34 “Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

As to his raising Jesus from the dead, never again to return to corruption, this is what is said – “I will give to you the sacred promises made to David;”

35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’

And, therefore, in another Psalm it is said – “You will not give up the Holy One to undergo corruption.”

36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, was laid with his fathers, and saw decay.

David, after obediently doing God’s will in his own time, fell asleep and was laid by the side of his ancestors, and did undergo corruption;

37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay.

but Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption.

38 Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins;

I would, therefore, like you to know, friends, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you,

39 and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

and that, in union with him, everyone who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved.

40 Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:

Beware, therefore, that what is said in the prophets does not come true of you –

41 ‘Behold, you scoffers! Wonder and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.’”

“Look, you despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I am doing a deed in your days – a deed which, though told you in full, you will never believe”.’

42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people begged for a repetition of this teaching on the next Sabbath.

43 Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

After the congregation had dispersed, many of the Jews, and of the converts who joined in their worship, followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue to rely on the loving kindness of God.

44 The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.

On the following Sabbath, almost all the city gathered to hear God’s message.

45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.

But the sight of the crowds of people filled the minds of the Jews with jealousy, and they kept contradicting Paul’s statements in violent language.

46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, "It was necessary that God's word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from yourselves, and judge yourselves unworthy of consummate (aiōnios g166) life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out fearlessly, and said: ‘It was necessary that the message of God should be told to you first; but, since you reject it and reckon yourselves not worthy of the eternal life – we turn to the Gentiles! (aiōnios g166)

47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’”

For this is the Lord’s command to us – “I have destined you for a light to the Gentiles, a means of salvation to the ends of the earth”.’

48 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to consummate (aiōnios g166) life believed.

On hearing this, the Gentiles were glad and extolled God’s message; and all those who had been enrolled for eternal life became believers in Christ; (aiōnios g166)

49 The Lord’s word was spread abroad throughout all the region.

and the Lord’s message was carried throughout that district.

50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.

But the Jews incited the women of high social standing who worshiped with them, and the leading men of the town, and started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region.

51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

They, however, shook the dust off their feet in protest,

52 The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

and went to Iconium, leaving the disciples full of joy and of the Holy Spirit.