< Acts 13 >

1 Now there were, in the Church at Antioch, prophets and teachers, among whom were Barnabas, and Simon, who was called the Black, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manahen, who was 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 Now as they were ministering for the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them: “Separate Saul and Barnabas for me, for the work for which I have selected 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, fasting and praying and imposing their hands upon them, they sent them away.
Accordingly, after fasting and prayer, they placed their hands on them and dismissed them.
4 And having been sent by the Holy Spirit, they went to Seleucia. And 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 And when they had arrived at Salamis, they were preaching the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they also had John in the ministry.
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 And when they had traveled throughout the entire island, even to Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesu.
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 And he was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man. This man, summoning Barnabas and Saul, wanted 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 magician (for so his name is translated) stood against 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 Then Saul, who is also called Paul, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him,
However, Saul (who is the same as Paul), full of the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on him and said,
10 and he said: “So full of every deceit and of all falsehoods, son of the devil, enemy of all justice, you never cease to subvert the righteous 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 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you. And you will be blinded, not seeing the sun for a length of time.” And immediately a fog and a darkness fell over him. And wandering around, he was seeking someone who might 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 had seen what was done, believed, being in wonder over the doctrine 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 And when Paul and those who were with him had sailed from Paphos, they arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. Then 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 Yet truly, they, traveling on from Perga, arrived at Antioch in Pisidia. And upon entering the synagogue on the Sabbath day, they 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 Then, after the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent to them, saying: “Noble brothers, if there is in you any word of exhortation to 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 Then Paul, rising up and motioning for silence with his hand, said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen closely.
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 the people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people, when they were settlers in the land of Egypt. And with an exalted arm, he led them away from there.
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 And throughout a time of forty years, he endured their behavior in the desert.
For about forty years he bore with them in the desert;
19 And by destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land among them by lot,
then, after destroying seven heathen nations in Canaan, he allotted their land to this people –
20 after about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things, he gave them judges, even until the prophet Samuel.
For about four hundred and fifty years. In later times he gave them Judges, of whom the prophet Samuel was the last.
21 And later on, they petitioned for a king. And God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man from 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 And having removed him, he raised up for them king David. And offering testimony about him, he said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, to be a man according to my own heart, who will accomplish all that I 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 his offspring, according to the Promise, God has brought Jesus the Savior to Israel.
It was from this man’s descendants that God, in accordance with his promise, gave Israel a Savior – Jesus;
24 John was preaching, before the face of his advent, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
John having first proclaimed, before the appearance of Jesus, a baptism on repentance for all the people of Israel.
25 Then, when John completed his course, he was saying: ‘I am not the one you consider me to be. For behold, one arrives after me, the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to loosen.’
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 Noble brothers, sons of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, it is to you the Word of this salvation has been sent.
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 were living in Jerusalem, and its rulers, heeding neither him, nor the voices of the Prophets that are read on every Sabbath, fulfilled these by judging him.
The people of Jerusalem and their leaders, failing to recognize Jesus, and not understanding the utterances of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.
28 And although they found no case for death against him, they petitioned Pilate, so that they might put him to death.
They found no ground at all for putting him to death, and yet demanded his execution from Pilate;
29 And when they had fulfilled everything that had been written about him, taking him down from the tree, they placed 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 Yet truly, God raised him up from the dead on the third day.
But God raised him from the dead;
31 And he was seen for many days by those who went up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who even now 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 And we are announcing to you that the Promise, which was made to our fathers,
We also have good news to tell you, about the promise made to our ancestors –
33 has been fulfilled by God for our children by raising up Jesus, just as it has been written in the second Psalm also: ‘You are my Son. This day I have begotten you.’
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 Now, since he raised him from the dead, so as to no longer return to corruption, he has said this: ‘I will give to you the holy things of David, the faithful one.’
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 And also then, in another place, he says: ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see corruption.’
And, therefore, in another Psalm it is said – ‘You will not give up the Holy One to undergo corruption.’
36 For David, when he had ministered to his generation in accordance with the will of God, fell asleep, and he was placed next to his fathers, and he saw corruption.
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 Yet truly, he whom God has raised from the dead has not seen corruption.
but Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption.
38 Therefore, let it be known to you, noble brothers, that through him is announced to you remission from sins and from everything by which you were not able to be justified in the law of Moses.
I would, therefore, like you to know, friends, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you,
39 In him, all who believe are justified.
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 Therefore, be careful, lest what was said by the Prophets may overwhelm you:
Beware, therefore, that what is said in the prophets does not come true of you –
41 ‘You despisers! Look, and wonder, and be scattered! For I am working a deed in your days, a deed which you would not believe, even if someone were to explain 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 Then, as they were departing, they asked them if, on the following Sabbath, they might speak these words to them.
As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people begged for a repetition of this teaching on the next Sabbath.
43 And when the synagogue had been dismissed, many among the Jews and the new worshipers were following Paul and Barnabas. And they, speaking to them, persuaded 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 Yet truly, on the following Sabbath, nearly the entire city came together to hear the Word of God.
On the following Sabbath, almost all the city gathered to hear God’s message.
45 Then the Jews, seeing the crowds, were filled with envy, and they, blaspheming, contradicted the things that were being said by Paul.
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 Then Paul and Barnabas said firmly: “It was necessary to speak the Word of God first to you. But because you reject it, and so judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. (aiōnios g166)
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 instructed us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, so that you may bring salvation to the ends 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 Then the Gentiles, upon hearing this, were gladdened, and they were glorifying the Word of the Lord. And as many as believed were preordained to eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
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 Now the word of the Lord was disseminated throughout the entire region.
and the Lord’s message was carried throughout that district.
50 But the Jews incited some devout and honest women, and the leaders of the city. And they stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas. And they drove them away from their parts.
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, shaking the dust from their feet against them, went on to Iconium.
They, however, shook the dust off their feet in protest,
52 The disciples were likewise filled with gladness and with the Holy Spirit.
and went to Iconium, leaving the disciples full of joy and of the Holy Spirit.

< Acts 13 >